Ponky

I think he's a good, solid keeper but I would seriously doubt those figures. Given is so keen to move away for first team action that he'll only go if his wages are matched? Doesn't ring true to me.

I'm happy to see Eric stick with the 1st team squad this season as backup and to see him start our cup games. I think he's the sort of bloke who will work his arse off to make it and, while he will probably never be on Man Utd's shopping list he strikes me as having a lot of improvement in him.

If we refuse the transfer request I doubt he will sulk or play half heartedly because if he does he will miss out on the Euros and most likely will lose his lappeal to the likes of Liverpool and end up somewhere like Sunderland next Summer

This, except we buy N'Zogbia and THEN flog him. I am wary of selling off players and then being screwed over by clubs knowing we are (a) flush with cash and ( desperate for a replacement.

This is the age of believing what we want to believe because it confirms what we already believe. Well that's what I believe, and this thread just confirms it!

Hard to believe, I know, but I have just finished watching the first season of The Sopranos. **** me. Where has this show been all my life? I can't believe I wrote this show off when it first came out and never really bothered with it. It's outstanding! Do the following seasons maintain the same quality throughout?

@carroll9andy Surely Andy Carroll would have more than 253 followers. Thats gotta be a fake account. Surely there's no more than 250 Liverpool supporters that know how to use a computer. Gotta be fake!

Downing specifically said he wanted to play in Champions League. If Liverpool are the only team in for him he won't get that for at least 2 seasons. Unless Chelsea come in for him. Can't see him interesting Arsenal or Man Utd. I think we'll keep him regardless, unless 20m+ is offered.

Fate you shithead, I didn't wish him that **** well! :shock: GarethRDR is obviously a witch. BURN HIM !!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, but he may have been talking yen, or pesos, or rupiah. It's all about the loopholes!

I think this 2 million in 'compo' is simply hush money, to make Mr Pannu piss of and shut the frig up and go away thinking he has "won".

I agree with this, as I suggested a few pages back I think the feisty nature of the Villa fan-base has spooked Mr Lerner somewhat, from those who booed MON towards the end of his regime, then the ongoing problems with Houllier and then, finally, the uproar against McLaren, I get the feeling Lerner may have the idea that he's going to get criticised no matter what he does and has to draw the line somewhere. Unfortunately for him it's a massive FAIL in terms of where he has decided to draw it.

I'm starting to think the media accounts were accurate after all - spoke to Benitez who declined the job, called off McLaren talks and didn't get to first base with Martinez. I can also accept that they made a play for Moyes & Ancelotti and were rebuffed. The Mark Hughes situation is the puzzler. I don't buy this moral indignation issue with him & surely if it was true Lerner would rather have Al Fayed pissed off with him than a majority of fans. I'd guess that at this point, Lerner would have had the option of changing his criteria or looking for the next level of manager & it's quite possible that McLeish simply fell into his lap, sadly enough.

As a foreign Villan I am by no means begrudging anyone the right to vent their feelings. While perhaps I don't share those feelings to anywhere near the extent of some of you I can certainly understand how betrayed and angry many of you are. I feel really hollow at the moment, somewhat depressed, & I can only imagine the anger & grief some of you are feeling who are Villa born & bred. For me, it's just a sense of disbelief, having gone from a feeling of smug, self-satisfaction that the next appointment would send shockwaves through the Premiership to absolute disbelief that Randy seems intent on making a decision that could bring the club to its knees. The only thing I can think of is that Randy and Faulkner have panicked, big-time. If we are to believe that AM was not tapped up, we must accept that he was not originally a candidate and, within the original shortlist, we have missed out on or crossed off all of our options. In this, I believe, Villa fans must take some responsibility. You would think from Randy's perspective that towards the end MON was getting booed, people were getting on Houllier's back and then, via our very own VT and similar communities, there was an uproar about Steve McLaren, who in my mind, while a tad embarrassing, would have been a good choice, Randy must have increasingly felt that the fans would complain no matter what he did, so he was no longer going to listen to the fans. Here is our result. Randy is clearly only listening to his so-called experts and those with vested interested in the appointments (looking after our mates), and for my mind, making a fatal mistake. Because there is a difference between the vocal online community plus a few boo-boys in the terraces, and the vast majority of the club's support base, which is clearly against this appointment. It is such an incredibly mystifying call, it beggars belief. Having said that, once the appointment is made, we have one of two choices: 1. Opt out & stay away until changes are made to our satisfaction, which could be a long time coming; or 2. Grin & bear it, support the lads and the manager and hope like hell that things work out. I don't have the right to judge anyone on the choices they make, but I hope enough people choose the 2nd option because, even if we have no faith in the board or the manager there will be players out on the park who are Villa through and through, like Marc, Gabby, Ciaran, Gary & Nathan - who will be out there busting their arses for this club. THEY at least deserve our respect & support.

Angry mob is angry!

If it's NOT going to be AM I would suggest the Board might be advised to leak the name of one of the other candidates to the press.

About a dozen or so pages back in this thread.

Would anyone consider Shearer? Not really responsible for Newky going down but he has PL experience and might be one to capture the imagination of players like Bent, Downing & Albrighton.

+1 - I've been thinking he's referring to Martin Laursen!

Well so far the only ones we know have been definite candidates have been Martinez & McLeish. We know that McLeish is being considered but has not yet been interviewed, while Martinez was not actually interviewed and decided he did not want to be considered. Maybe (please God) there are other irons in the fire & Randy is just doing his due diligence & interviewing a number so that he can make a proper informed choice. It seems to me with Randy personal rapport with a manager is very important and he will want to meet with them face to face to see who he likes best. I am hoping that there are at least 2 or 3 other hats in the ring and that Mcleish is just one of a number being interviewed. Someone mentioned a dozen or so pages back that Villa staff were being made to sign confidentiality agreements re the manager's post and maybe this is because there are candidates being interviewed who do not want to be made public until the decision is made (ie currently employed at other clubs or candidates for other positions). It's all conjecture I know, but I really don't think a decision to appoint McLeish is as much of a fait accompli as some might suggest.

i thought the official media spin was that randy didnt like the way he had treated fulham when he quit? something that because it was written over a week ago has obviously been forgotten by the red tops, just like how randy listened to the fans and didnt employee mcclaren but is now ignoring them **** me i wish i was a journo Yes buy the end of that Moxley article suggests that Hughes is jumping up and down for the job when we have no real ideas if he is even available our interested in out, at least officially.

Had Hughes ever actually come out and say he is inyeresred im the Villa job though? We are assuminh he is just sitting on his arse waiting for our call but maybe he has his sights set elsewhere?

Can someone please explain what 'contstructive dismissal' means?

Erm - the only one we know for certain the club has actually approached is Martinez. Everything else is pure scuttlebutt, ITK, chinese whispers and Twitshit. Sure, perhaps where there is smoke there is fire, but we keep coming back to the fact that only Faulkner & Lerner really know what's going on. Who knows if even Generall Krulak knows?

My guess is that the club still haven't mind their mind up who they want and are still talking to potential candidates. I think it seems clear they may want to talk to McLeish but that doesn't mean it will be him