NurembergVillan

Plus Mancini played for Leicester, and is a bit of a journeyman manager in the last few years so might jump at a big contract.

You.

If we're getting free agents in to train with us we may as well have a punt on Berbatov.

I'd heard of him but never seen him "in action" until the the Bill Maher thing at the weekend. What an utterly contemptible bell end. I've never really hated anyone in my life. I don't have the energy for it, and it's not really part of my moral structure. But right now he's on a list of 4 or 5 people who I genuinely hate. I'm pretty even-minded, and can see things from other peoples' point of view - sometimes to my own detriment. But in the case of far right wing racism, sexism, xenophobia etc I just genuinely cannot get my head around it. I can't fathom how someone can hold those views and not just be either trolling or taking the piss.

Since this -

It's not really a case of not having leaders, it's more people who are part of the culture of the place. Even within a business environment, if the place lacks leaders who have been around the company for a while there's no real culture or togetherness.

I think you've nailed it. They're all strangers in a new club. Gabby is the figurehead, and even if he's turned a corner they'll all know about last season. We've got nobody who new players can look at and say "he's Aston Villa". From the owner to the youth team manager, pretty much everybody is new. There's no Gareth Barry, or Milner, or Southgate, or Petrov. There's no example who everybody looks up to, who's revered throughout the club. Of all the players we've signed, I do wonder if Petrov is the one we really should have brought in. He knows the club inside out, he's played at a high level, and his story is inspirational. Even if he rarely played, or was player-coach, or whatever, he'd have been someone to guide the club. Continuity really is key, but it's difficult when it'll seemingly be a continuation of rubbish. At some point though, we'll have a group of people who have been through this, come out the other side, and are part of the fabric of Aston Villa. Right now, nobody is the torch bearer during these dark times.

He'll be like a new signing next January when he's fit again. We're absolutely cursed.

Despite my protestations in the pre-match thread, I ended up watching the last 60 minutes. If this was a game of Football Manager you'd think it was unrealistically scripted, turn it off and start again from the last save. It's absolutely tragic.

That looks a really, really nasty injury.

Don't think he'd fancy managing in League 1 anyway.

My business partner is a Newcastle fan. He asked me today if I wanted to put some money on the game. I told him only if I was backing Newcastle and he was backing Villa. I genuinely think I'll try watching Sutton Utd v Arsenal. Or a film. I can't be arsed with the hope/agony/hope/agony cycle any more. I think I've finally broken. It might make me a glory fan, but to be honest I'd love to just be an "occasional win makes me happy" fan.

Joking aside, it'll be interesting to see if Trump tweets or mentions anything about the weather situation in California. Potentially "natural disaster" proportions. On current form he'll claim the credit for bringing an end to the 5-year drought.

Since Trump's inauguration, I've been meaning to take my Irony Filter for a service. I can't tell if people are being serious any more.

Happy birthday Paddy. RIP brother... HEITS

Believe me, they're great walls. The best. You can ask anybody. I'm a wall nut.

Sliding rapidly off topic, but he performed it live on 1Xtra last year. Love it or hate it as a tune, he's got some skills to be that fast...

In less than 30 mins, his "fake news conspiracy theories" become illegal leaks from the FBI and NSA. Make your mind up, Adolf Twitler.

I'll **** be one if we get relegated again.