Alec

Nobody is denying the fact he is good for Fulham.. Without being disrespectful to them but I consider Villa to be a very big club and a very big catch for a top manager. Our facilities and backing are top notch.. Villa Park is a great stadium and we amongst the top clubs in England when it comes to the managerial package we can offer.. We really should be aiming alot higher than Mark Hughes or David Moyes. Instead of looking at us in Premiership terms...Look at us in European terms instead. Then ask the ask the question...If we want to rule Europe once again what must we do? I dont think appointing Mark Hughes is getting us on the ladder of such goal..We need to broaden our search and options...Its vital we get the right man that can transform us into a modern day "European" team...Not just a team to get by in the Premiership. Before we look in European terms, we HAVE to concentrate on the English Premier League to qualify. Then sink? Im talking about building the modern day European style team now..Not in 4 years time when Hughes has spent 100m to get us a top 6 finish and a LC.. Go out and appoint the manager now that will modernise us into a side that can compete in Europe.. Blimey, Man United are the best team in the Premiership yet were made to look like a division 2 side v Barca..AND THATS MAN UNITED! Do you seriouslY think whilst the rest of Europe moves forward we have the time to watse arsing about with backward tactics? We need to make that move NOW! The fact is Man Utd are built to succeed in the Premier League, as are Chelsea and its increasingly obvious Man City are catching them both up. Arsenal and their total football approach may make them an ideal outfit for competing in Europe but as they slip further and further away from the top of the Premier League, it would not be unexpected if they soon find themselves struggling to retain a place in the Champions League. You have to be able to compete domestically before you can even think about anything else. Houllier tried to introduce a new way of playing and we plummeted hard and fast for many months before staging a recovery. Your idealism is virtuous - but it is also unrealistic for a club in our position to realistically implement.

People have to stop seeing this appointment in such black and white terms. It's not simply a question of the board deciding 'let's go and appoint Ancelotti or Deschamps or Rijkaard' - those men have got to want to come here. As of right now, we can't offer Champions League football, we can't offer the immediate prospect of challenging for Champions League football, we can't offer them the chance to contest the domestic league title and we can't promise them an unlimited warchest - all of which they may well find elsewhere from other prospective employers. We have to have some perspective that extends beyond our own bias and affinity for Villa in order to properly evaluate what our realistic options are. The signs are that it is going to be too much of a stretch to persuade David Moyes to leave Everton as we represent little more than a sideways step for him - once you accept this, you have to arrive at the conclusion that world-renowned coaches with an even higher pedigree are not going to think otherwise. The board are in a much better position to make a good appointment than they were last year when circumstances couldn't have been more difficult - and this appointment will be one borne of pragmatism designed to get us competing at the right end of the table so that we may once again establish ourselves among the chasing pack and be able to challenge the likes of Spurs, Liverpool and Everton. Only then can we realistically expect to mount a charge for that elusive Champions League berth because the plain facts of the matter are that we have slipped considerably down the pecking order. We need a manager that will see the potential that is here, recognise the size of the club and the opportunity that it can realistically provide in the near future. A figure like Mark Hughes will see the job in its full light and be well aware of what needs to be done to claw our way back into contention. He's ambitious and still hungry to prove himself, knows the league inside and out and has proven he can adapt to the varying demands of different clubs with both slim and vast resources. I would be very optimistic he can at the very least get us back to where we were under Martin O'Neill and as much as I'd like to think we could make the kind of headline-shattering appointment that may arrive with all guns blazing and announce our newly drawn plans for European domination, to do so is as futile as it is delusional. If, as reports indicate, Hughes is the chosen man then I think we can look forward to a new campaign in which we will be consistently competitive and go some way to restoring a reputation that has been tarnished and a position that we have slipped from. When we've accomplished that we can start thinking about what lies beyond. so you think it is better to appoint a short term manager and then if we improve get rid of them for a better manager? rather than apoint a better manager to start with? really? Not exactly - I'm merely explaining that there's a ceiling on both the type of individual we can currently attract and what we can realistically aim for in the next couple of years. Though by no means guaranteed, I believe that somebody like Mark Hughes could possibly take us further if he can first re-establish us on the fringes, depending on the form of some of our rivals, and so he represents both a good appointment in the short-term and potentially for the long-term. But they key issue is sorting out the immediate situation and ensuring we are in good shape for the short-term before we can even contemplate greater successes, which at this moment in time are some way off - as are the kind of managers currently competeing for such honours at that level. If you can't see that, you you're only setting yourself up for disappointment - and it will be your basis of assessment that will be to blame rather than any lack of ambition on the part of the club.

Would that be the same scouting system that identified Christopher Samba (£400,000 from Hertha), Roque Santa Cruz (£3.5m from Bayern Munich), David Bentley (£500,000 from Arsenal's reserves), and Ryan Nelson (for free, a Kiwi plying his trade at DC United!) - for Blackburn, all of whom have been outstanding for the club? Or perhaps Vincent Kompany (£6m from Hamburg), Pablo Zabaleta (£6.5m from Espanyol), Nigel De Jong (£18m from Hamburg) for Man City, all of whom were integral to the success Mancini has had since taking over? (Obviously City have massive resources to throw at transfers - and have done so in spades - but these more 'modest' investments would point to a certain amount of acumen on the part of the recruiting manager?) Or what about Moussa Dembele (£5m from Alkmaar Zanstreek) or Carlos Salcido (£1.6m from PSV) since joining Fulham? It may also be worth remembering that at a time when City had Robinho and Adebeyor to choose from as partners for Tevez in a three-man attack, he often selected Craig Bellamy and Stephen Ireland ahead of them, both of whom played the best football of their careers during his time in charge and one of which was the kind of young player you feel won't be getting a chance here (and whatever you may think of that particular individual, if anyone - Mark Hughes or otherwise - can get Ireland back to that level of form at Villa, it would be very good news for the club). In three wildly different Premier League jobs with massively different expectations and resources, Mark Hughes has proved highly effective at getting the most from what was at his disposal, young players and new signings alike. I know I wouldn't have minded having any of the above players at Villa and if he can bring both that eye for spotting talent and the ability to get the same outstanding value for money from any potential new signings, we will be in very good shape.

yup, what i was thinking re: ancelotti, but i've read over here that he's up for the QPR job, which does put a different light on it. plus ANYONE saying they want to work in the prem is not abotu to loand a job at united, citeh, arsenal, chelsea, liverpool or spurs. we are surely one of the best propositions outside of that lot? I'm not convinced that Ancelotti is desperate to stay in the Premier League. I didn't buy that ridiculous story about West Ham and common sense would suggest that an innocuous comment was massively exaggerated by a London media always keen to inflate the stature of West Ham. I think some of his statements about considering staying here have more to do with him and his family liking life in London and the prospect of a move to the Midlands may not hold the same allure. I would be surprised but not shocked if there was any kernel of truth in the QPR rumour - I think they are primed to become the new circus act of the Premier League due to the fact they have an egomaniac in charge and a lot of cash to throw around. If Ancelotti does take another job in this country, it will likely be short-term before moving back to the continent - reason enough to give us pause - and he may see QPR as a convenient stopover with a big pay-out.

People have to stop seeing this appointment in such black and white terms. It's not simply a question of the board deciding 'let's go and appoint Ancelotti or Deschamps or Rijkaard' - those men have got to want to come here. As of right now, we can't offer Champions League football, we can't offer the immediate prospect of challenging for Champions League football, we can't offer them the chance to contest the domestic league title and we can't promise them an unlimited warchest - all of which they may well find elsewhere from other prospective employers. We have to have some perspective that extends beyond our own bias and affinity for Villa in order to properly evaluate what our realistic options are. The signs are that it is going to be too much of a stretch to persuade David Moyes to leave Everton as we represent little more than a sideways step for him - once you accept this, you have to arrive at the conclusion that world-renowned coaches with an even higher pedigree are not going to think otherwise. The board are in a much better position to make a good appointment than they were last year when circumstances couldn't have been more difficult - and this appointment will be one borne of pragmatism designed to get us competing at the right end of the table so that we may once again establish ourselves among the chasing pack and be able to challenge the likes of Spurs, Liverpool and Everton. Only then can we realistically expect to mount a charge for that elusive Champions League berth because the plain facts of the matter are that we have slipped considerably down the pecking order. We need a manager that will see the potential that is here, recognise the size of the club and the opportunity that it can realistically provide in the near future. A figure like Mark Hughes will see the job in its full light and be well aware of what needs to be done to claw our way back into contention. He's ambitious and still hungry to prove himself, knows the league inside and out and has proven he can adapt to the varying demands of different clubs with both slim and vast resources. I would be very optimistic he can at the very least get us back to where we were under Martin O'Neill and as much as I'd like to think we could make the kind of headline-shattering appointment that may arrive with all guns blazing and announce our newly drawn plans for European domination, to do so is as futile as it is delusional. If, as reports indicate, Hughes is the chosen man then I think we can look forward to a new campaign in which we will be consistently competitive and go some way to restoring a reputation that has been tarnished and a position that we have slipped from. When we've accomplished that we can start thinking about what lies beyond.

He has a better record in this league and has proven he can do it in a variety of different circumstances at clubs of different sizes with varying resources. I like Martin Jol but he's had precisely one good season in the Premier League. He could do a job for us but Mark Hughes would be preferred for me and would take us further and offer greater consistency.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_6957496,00.html Clutching at straws mate. Mourinho and Guardiola MAY both be leaving Spain next year but you won't see them rolling up at B6.

We will never be in a better possition than now to appoint Deschamps. Its now or never.. Its must to go all out and get this man..Use Houllier and Duverne to help pull strings if you must.. If we appoint Hughes, Moyes and co' its just like wasting another 4years..In the sense that we wont climb into the top 4..Because like ive said, the Arsenal way, is the "only way"...We cannot compete financially and Moyes and Hughes are managers that need funds to become successful..Neither are anywhere near the Wenger type.. We are just wasing time as a club..It could go on for another 10-15 years, until one day some clever twit says..We need to try a differant approach because we cant compete with the rich boys.. And only then will you be looking for that Deschamps/Wenger.. :| The Deschamps and the Wengers will ONLY work for the rich boys that are already playing in the Champions League. And if you seriously think that our fitness coach has the power to persuade one of the most famous names in modern football to leave his League-winning, Champions League-qualifying club to take over a team that finished squarely in the middle of a division and will have to overcome Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton to claim what will be only one remaining Champions League place (forget the other three right now - I guarantee you they will be staying with their present incumbents for the foreseeable future), I can now perhaps see why your expectations are set so unrealistically high.

If Arsenal can't rule Europe doing things the Arsenal way, what chance have we got? Every chance.. Wenger has taken Arsenal repeatedly into the CL,season upon season..Yet with very little net spend over his tenure at the club.. Add a manager to Villa in a similar frame to Wenger, yet WITH funding and it could yeild a decent possition for us on the European stage. Bigger picture - I can see where you're coming from and recognise the virtue in changing the club's philosophy from the ground upwards. But I think the only way to do this with the realistic options availale to us would be gambling on somebody like Roberto Martinez - it wouldn't be a Deschamps or a Rijkaard because I just don't believe they would entertain the idea at present (again, I'll happily stand corrected if proven otherwise). This is not an idea without merit - from what I understand of Martinez' techniques, everything about his coaching is about ball retention and technical ability. He is apparently known to be very lenient with his players who get caught out on the pitch if it has been in an attempt to play the game the way he wants it to be played. That he has put such methods into effect at a club like Wigan AND managed to keep them in the Premier League is a minor miracle and it would indeed be interesting to see what he could do at a bigger club with a better playing squad. Unfortunately, he won't be afforded anywhere near the same degree of latitude that he enjoys at Wigan where their agenda and expectations are very different to a club like Villa so I can't help but feel that the pressure to make such an approach work in a very short time period would likely prove insurmountable. Patience is not something the modern football fan has in abundance - and Villa fans especially - so that kind of an appointment does represent a huge risk. If we ultimately want to develop a side that plays the Arsenal way - or the Barcelona way if we actually want to win something - this is where we'd probably have to start looking but we would have to be prepared for a long, slow climb to where we want to get to and the fact is that the more established likes of Hughes or Moyes would have us competing a lot nearer to that level much quicker, even if they are unable to take us all the way. And I think Mr. Lerner is almost certainly going to play things safe right now and go for the man who is most likely to get us back among the top six before contemplating anything else. Martinez may well play a nice style of football, with ball retention as his main philosophy...But we need more than that.. We need a manager with the pull and knowledge of the game on a wider scope..Not just a tactical brain.. I cant see why you assume it would take years to achieve.. Seriously if we were to appoint Deschamps in the next couple of weeks, I would think the following; *Duverne would stay..Which is good for the kids and existing squad,as its a face and fitness training program they have all now become acustomed to. *Makoun "may" be player he would build his midfield around, he is leader type player and Deschamps would have seen alot of him in the French league. *He would target and bring in some decent players from Marseille(most managers tend to sign 1 or 2 of their own).. *The style of keeping possession that Houllier has started would most likely continue. There is also talk that if Houllier does go, he could stick around in an advisory role. *He knows whats needed to beat the big sides..He understands the pace of the game. He spent time as a player at Chlesea..And has come against Manchester United in the CL.. *The pull he has to attract players is massive.. Martinez dosnt come close. I would say his knowledge of future decent players on the continent is also pretty good. *Marseille hadnt won a title in 18 years, he has practically re-built them into a very decent team..It wasnt a long slow climb for them/neither was it expensive.. No comparison Martinez to Deschamps.... I agree with you though...Its unlikely the board will try this. Its not something they would know about.. Now if Houllier had a say in the next manager appointment, things may be differant.. With respect, I think what you fail to grasp is that we just can't get Deschamps or his like. It's not just that the board will likely look elsewhere, they wouldn't be able to attract Deschamps as of right now even if they wanted to. Of course Martinez isn't in his league - I was simply demonstarting what the most feasible option would be if we wanted to pursue such a continental approach because we aren't going to be attracting Deschamps. All of what you say sounds great in theory - it just isn't going to happen I'm afraid.

If Arsenal can't rule Europe doing things the Arsenal way, what chance have we got? Every chance.. Wenger has taken Arsenal repeatedly into the CL,season upon season..Yet with very little net spend over his tenure at the club.. Add a manager to Villa in a similar frame to Wenger, yet WITH funding and it could yeild a decent possition for us on the European stage. I admit I was being a slightly flippant there but Wenger has turned Arsenal into the perennial bridesmaids of both the Premier League and the Champions League. And whilst you may talk about their net spend - and the national media have been fairly critical of Wenger's apparent reluctance to spend money in recent times - they still have vast resources and have spent a lot of money on both transfer fees and wages. The fact that Wenger has taken them to the Champions League every season is the bare minimum of what is expected of him. Bigger picture - I can see where you're coming from and recognise the virtue in changing the club's philosophy from the ground upwards. But I think the only way to do this with the realistic options availale to us would be gambling on somebody like Roberto Martinez - it wouldn't be a Deschamps or a Rijkaard because I just don't believe they would entertain the idea at present (again, I'll happily stand corrected if proven otherwise). This is not an idea without merit - from what I understand of Martinez' techniques, everything about his coaching is about ball retention and technical ability. He is apparently known to be very lenient with his players who get caught out on the pitch if it has been in an attempt to play the game the way he wants it to be played. That he has put such methods into effect at a club like Wigan AND managed to keep them in the Premier League is a minor miracle and it would indeed be interesting to see what he could do at a bigger club with a better playing squad. Unfortunately, he won't be afforded anywhere near the same degree of latitude that he enjoys at Wigan where their agenda and expectations are very different to a club like Villa so I can't help but feel that the pressure to make such an approach work in a very short time period would likely prove insurmountable. Patience is not something the modern football fan has in abundance - and Villa fans especially - so that kind of an appointment does represent a huge risk. If we ultimately want to develop a side that plays the Arsenal way - or the Barcelona way if we actually want to win something - this is where we'd probably have to start looking but we would have to be prepared for a long, slow climb to where we want to get to and the fact is that the more established likes of Hughes or Moyes would have us competing a lot nearer to that level much quicker, even if they are unable to take us all the way. And I think Mr. Lerner is almost certainly going to play things safe right now and go for the man who is most likely to get us back among the top six before contemplating anything else. And if that is the case, I have to say I would still agree with him.

If Arsenal can't rule Europe doing things the Arsenal way, what chance have we got?

Would really like to see that quote. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-news/2011/04/02/stewart-downing-pledges-to-stay-at-aston-villa-97319-28445173/ Exactly - he doesn't mention anything about the prospect of relegation himself does he? Maybe the question put to him was phrased that way, maybe it wasn't - but do you seriously believe that had we gone down there was even the remotest possibility of him not leaving? As I said earlier, I do find it odd that his encouraging comments of a few weeks ago were contradicted by his quotes last week but I've personally got no problem with him considering his options right now because until the club appoints a new manager everything remains up in the air. I'm sure I would do the same were I in his shoes. But I absolutely believe that if we make the right managerial appointment that he can be persuaded to stay.

Would really like to see that quote.

I think you may be right and it would be very interesting to hear his pitch for the job if that is indeed true. I grew to dislike the man intently during his pursuit of Gareth Barry but, removing past prejudice, I must admit I'm curious by the number of comments made by Liverpool fans that still believe in his abilities as a manager despite the way they fell off the pace so drastically during his last season with them. Clearly, his overall record with Liverpool and Valencia is very good and should not be underestimated but I would be slightly nervous about his history in the transfer market (especially the turnover rate of incoming/outgoing players at Liverpool) and the unfortunate precedent set by Houllier here as a fellow ex-Liverpool boss that will invite uncomfortable parallels should he not get off to a great start. It's entirely possible that having had a bad time at Inter Milan, he may feel slightly humbled and is eager to rebuild his reputation back here in the Premier League. He could continue to implement some of the better initiatives introduced by Houllier and would bring a similarly broad knowledge of the game across the continent that some of the other contenders may not be able to boast. I would expect him to organise/overhaul our fractured defensive line which was our major downfall last season - his teams have always been very solid defensively. He also knows how to build a team around a goalscorer (Torres played his best football under him) so he would likely set us up to play to Bent's strengths. I believe he's made comments in the press about looking to secure a role at a club where he can play a more active role in the development of younger players which would tie in with Lerner's vision, and it would interesting to hear more from him on how he views the Villa job and what he thinks he could deliver for us (which, unfortunately, I doubt we'll get to hear unless he is announced as the new boss). I'm by no means sold on the notion but the idea of Benitez has its merits and is worth considering.

No, I think he's weighing up his options as any professional is going to do at this point. Ideally, you'd like to think that after offering him an opportunity in the Premier League whilst still injured would be rewarded with a little loyalty but then none of us are naive enough to still believe that loyalty is a factor with the modern footballer. He's a very good player who has just enjoyed arguably his finest and most consistent season to date. He knows there will be other clubs interested in him and that those clubs may be bigger than Villa. Villa, meanwhile, are in the midst of struggling to define exactly what our short- and long-term ambitions are and who is going to be the new figurehead with responsibility for delivering those ambitions. I think it's perfectly reasonable for Downing to wait and see just what happnes next before committing to anything. Though his quotes about wanting to sign a new contract earlier in the month do jar with last week's quotes that indicate he is now hedging his bets - making one wonder exactly what was said when he and his agent met with Paul Faulkner.

The situation with Downing has become very similar to the one that developed with Gareth Barry during the summer of 2006. All of the signs pointed to him going (I believe Portsmouth was the touted destination - as hard as that is to believe now) until the new manager was appointed, convinced him to stay and subsequently built the side around him. I feel that with the right appointment, a wave of renewed optimism and some clear direction established for the club that Downing may yet sign a new contract.

Paul Lambert signed a new contract with Norwich last week so regardless of any new offers put to him, he'll be staying put for at least another season.

Same here. Also I think he would know that it will be the job that defines his managerial career. I like that in a candidate. I think that's a good point - and furthermore, I think Hughes would see it as the pivotal role of his managerial career too.

Absolutely ridiculous statement.

Cheers mate. Ancelloti is an interesting one. My gut instinct is that if it's possible, we should try and get him, provided he brings Ray Wilkins (or a similarly accomplished no. 2). It would be a bit of a gamble because despite his pedigree and track record - which is beyond question - taking over a club of Villa's size and current status would be something of an unknown quantity. He is used to working with established internationals throughout his squads and translating his methods, tactical acumen and intelligence to a group of lesser players could be problematic. We could end up with a similar situation to the one we witnessed under Houllier if things didn't quite click. Any manager taking over here is also going to have to work closely with the youth and reserve teams as Lerner has made it clear that we have to balance the integration of young players with expensive signings, and this is not something that Ancelloti has had to factor in his most prominent roles. (Moyes would probably be the best choice in this regard.) I would also be concerned over the realistic longevity of his stay at the club. Ancelloti is a coveted figure throughout Europe and would be linked with any and all significant openings that arise from day one onwards. He will have no personal affiliation with Aston Villa that would keep him rooted here and unless soemthing unforseen were to happen that suddenly transformed us into genuine contenders, the club would not have the 'pull' that an AC Milan or, as much as it pains me to say it, Chelsea do at present. All of which means that we would be looking at further upheaval somewhere down the line - and my best guess would be that wouldn't be any more than two seasons away. Also, whilst he says he loves England and wants to stay here - and on that basis I imagine we are as highly placed as any club with a vacancy - I have to wonder if by England he really means London. Having said all of that, the prospect of tangible success (ie. getting closer to fourth and taking a domestic cup) could well be enhanced by having him in charge - and for that reason alone I would probably be inclined to go for it. But I think we would have to have our eyes open and take the appointment for what it would likely be - a gamble that success can be achieved in the relatively short period he would likely be with us that could then pave the way for somebody else to take over a year or two later when hopefully we would be in a better position. This would not be a terrible scenario - after all, we all talk about the importance of the future and the long-term potential of any appointment but the reality is that most Premier League managers don't remain in their jobs beyond two or three seasons anyway. But in terms of the possible candidates being touted, I'm not sure that he would necessarily 'fit' the club and I would think it is still more likely that a Mark Hughes or a David Moyes would be the preferred option by the board.

Except another level for Villa at the moment is the best of the rest. We are not close to being that at the moment. How do you expect managers with the mentality and ambition you describe to see Villa as offering that kind of platform when we're not even knocking on the door? My feeling is they wouldn't even consider it. I stand to be corrected if that isn't the case but I'm still not sure I'd be convinced that either would be able to thrive in our league anyway and though I appreciate where you are coming from - that we need to gamble on someone who isn't just going to reproduce the consolidation football of previous 'proven' Premier League managers if we are to be successful - it would be a big risk after the failed experiment of the last year.

No thanks... No failures but not much to shout about either. Excellent at wales and blackburn, shafted at city when he could have got them 4th. First season back and he has a fine season with fulham. He's a manager on the up in my opinion. I can't see him not getting strong backing from fans if appointed. I'd be cautious about Moyes, been at one club for so long hard to know I'd he could match that if he came here. Hughes would be the better option in my opinion. Hughes is rubbish.. He paid waaaay over the odds for Lesscott, Bridge, Santa Cruz, SWP etc... He basically does what any run of mill Premiership manager could do.. Moyes is also just another run of the mill Premiership manager.. If any of those get appointed, its basically Villa throwing in the towel over EVER being champions again..Neither have the brains to build the club into something special. We need a manager with vision into the future that will take the club forward...Not a manager that just thinks of boosting his own CV... Rijkaard would come in a build the club and would also give us great hope of becoming champions again. I would expect a similar goal from Deschamps too.These would build throughout! Ancelotti and Benitez are another 2 managers that will be no good for us. Because they wont build depth, it will be an half decent 1st team squad only.. But no future.. You can't judge those transfer fees as any kind of reflection of the valuation Hughes' may or may not have placed on those players - Man City pay over the odds by default due to their widely acknowledged wealth. What you can judge him on is his overall transfer record and the fact remains that though the likes of Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Santa Cruz, Bellamy etc. all drifted out of first team plans rather quickly when he departed, Hughes built the core of the side that has since gone on to finish third in the league and win the FA Cup - Kompany (for a bargain £6m!), Lescott (who for all of his first season inconsistency with them has gone on to form a very solid partnership with Kompany in Kolo Toure's absence), Barry, De Jong and Tevez. Of that group of players, none would have been unequivocally out of Villa's reach at the time that they moved - other than Tevez - if not for the game-changing amount of money the Abu Dhabi consortium were prepared to throw at the selling clubs in question. As I've said before, I think Hughes would be perfectly fine and represents a sensible option. What people are hoping for when they decry such suggestions (along with Moyes) is simply unrealistic. The kind of appointment you're alluding to - the kind that can essentially build a dynasty that can take us beyond fifth or sixth place to the Champions League - is one that I don't believe is remotely feasible at present. We have slipped from the level that we as supporters like to think should be seen as the bare minimum of achievements (top six) and until we get back there we are not going to look like a club that can fulfil the ambitions of a manager seeking a job that will put him on the biggest stage. There is nothing in the board's statements or actions - recently or otherwise - that would indicate that playing at that level is even in their thinking at the moment. Even if the likes of Rijkaard or Deschamps were potential candidates, I also don't see how they could possibly offer any kind of confidence that they would be committed to the long-haul, much less an understanding of the club they will be charge of any better than Houllier, or would even get to immediate grips with the rigours of a league that we cannot afford to lose any more ground in. A practical, if more modest, appointment will not be a sign of anybody throwing the towel in but rather recognition that stability is required - the kind of stability that comes with hiring the sort of manager who not only understands the club but appreciates the value and overall potential of the role, that understands that to get anywhere near to being in a position to genuinely challenge the top four again we must first re-establish ourselves among the chasing pack. The likes of Mark Hughes or David Moyes would be more than capable of doing this and that's why I think either would be suitable. I'm sure Benitez could too but the divisive nature of his personality marks him out as more of a risk. Whether any of them could take the club further I really couldn't say, but I know that those that are proven at that level won't be looking in our direction until we have at least put ourselves back on the immediate periphery - and it's going to take a lot of work to do that first. The sooner people take full measure of our current position and the way the club is currently perceived outside of our own hopes and expectations, the better prepared you will be to evaluate whatever appointment is ultimately made and appropriately temper what you think the short- and long-term goals should be for any new manager. The fact is that anyone who comes in who delivers a half-reasonable mid-table finish and any domestic trophy will automatically become our most successful manager for over fifteen years - which is a sobering thought. I'm not being dismissive of our history, stature or fanbase - we still have much to offer - but we are currently no more than perhaps the seventh most attractive club in the league for new managers or players to consider. The relative success of Martin O'Neill's tenure amply demonstrated how difficult it is to move beyond that so the prospect of Champions League glory shouldn't even figure in anyone's reckoning right now. Add to that the stark realisation of the past year at how quickly any progress made can quickly evaporate with the wrong appointment and I think it's obvious that now is a time for a little conservatism in our key choices. That may not generate a great deal of excitement - and certainly not the hysteria that greeted O'Neill's arrival - but it may just provide the kind of foundation from which we can compete in a sustained fashion and maybe even go further.

General, Good to hear from you - hope all is well. My main concern at this point is the whole issue of waiting on the results of medical reports to determine our next course of action. As I understand it, Mr. Houllier was required to obtain medical clearance in order to commence work at Villa back in September and if the doctors couldn't foresee the problems that have prevented him from attending matches during the latter part of the season then I don't see how anybody can realistically expect to draw confidence from any similar clearance issued in the days or weeks ahead. Thus, any decision to persist with Mr. Houllier as manager will be perceived as naive at best and willfully ignorant at worst. It would also represent a clear and emphatic signal that Mr. Lerner and the board are willing to gamble the security and stability of the club at a time when we simply cannot afford to lose any more ground on rivals who have overtaken us in the last twelve months. The mistakes and misfortune of last season will quickly be forgotten if sensible, decisive action is taken and the club appears to be readying itself for a serious attempt to reclaim a position among the top six. The 'timely manner' you refer to will not give supporters a great deal of comfort in light of the pace the club typically takes in making key decisions and presenting them to the public and I fear that you will find patience - a commodity always in short supply when it comes to football fans under normal circumstances - will wear out very quickly as long as a decision/formal announcement is delayed. I am sure there is a role for Mr. Houllier at the club but it must not be as manager. I wish him as speedy and full a recovery as he is able to make following the nature of his illness, but for his own good as much as the club's, he must not be allowed to take on the full responsibility of first team affairs again, regardless of what any series of test results suggests. The club has more than enough evidence from the last nine months - both health-wise and performance-wise - to make a prompt decision so this ongoing procrastination is very worrying. If that seems like an exaggeration given the season only concluded on Sunday, and whilst I don't wish for us to start conducting our business with the callousness of Roman Abramovich, the stark reality is that Chelsea started planning for next season the minute the final whistle blew at the weekend. I don't approve of the way they go about a lot of things but they have sent out a message that they are not prepared to accept under-performance and have given themselves maximum time to rebuild in good time before pre-season. Their agenda is also admittedly quite different to ours at present but I am desperate to see Villa start looking serious, prioritising performance over all else and that is not the impression emanating from the club at the moment. For too long, we have remained the diffident nice guys of the Premier League, satisfied with respectability without ever genuinely threatening to take a share of the spoils. If we decide to keep faith with a manager who may not be able to attend all of our matches when the pressure is on - and the pressure is always on in this league - the club may as well formally announce they are ultimately not motivated by success but merely satisfied with maintaining a place at the table. It's very easy for supporters to play the 'ambition card' but this situation may very well prove to be the public litmus test of Mr. Lerner's expectations for the club. And right now we need to be inspired by a sense of renewed hunger - something that will be best embodied by a new figurehead who feels his ambitions can be realised here. The swifter we act, the greater our options will be. So, in light of the fact I have to form my argument around a question, are you comfortable with the perception rapidly forming that the club are allowing the most important decision it will make this summer to be dictated by doctors than by its own ability to evaluate what is all too evident for everyone else to see? Many thanks.

City sacked Eriksson so that they could appoint Hughes. I don't think we want to be going in the opposite direction. As far as Champions League aspirations, the landscape is far different now to what it was when Lerner took over. The Man City juggernaut has proved a real game-changer, and one can well imagine that having secured that Champions League spot this season that they won't be dislodged from the top four any time time soon. The so-called five year plan could not possibly have anticipated that kind of overpowering investment and unless you have similar funds you really can't expect to compete, especially if you accept that Man Utd and Chelsea won't be relinquishing their dominance any time soon. By my reckoning, that leaves one spot up for grabs and at least three clubs currently ahead of us chasing after it. Appointing a manager that can at least take us to the fringes of that mini-league would not demonstrate a lack of ambition but rather a clear-sighted acknowledgment of where we need to get back to before we can even think in terms of challenging again ourselves. That doesn't mean thinking small, but a healthy dose of pragmatism is needed if we think anyone above a certain level is going to be lured by the prospect of leading a charge toward the Champions League, because we simply can't offer that kind of platform just now.

Fair comment - but who? You have to remember that the Randy Lerner takeover and Martin O'Neill appointment was something of a 'perfect storm', not only because they essentially happened together but because they came in the wake of one of the lowest ebbs in the club's recent history (the final months of O'Leary's tenure against a backdrop of Ellis-inspired malaise). That set of circumstances is not going to happen again so the reaction to any managerial appointment is unlikely to replicate that same sense of euphoria. Not to mention that having had the experience of being managed by someone initially perceived in such messianic terms and still not actually winning anything is going to temper enthusiasm levels from getting quite so prematurely stratospheric. I agree everyone associated with the club could do with a boost, but short of securing the services of someone so far and above our current level - which isn't going to happen - we won't be seeing a repeat of those scenes in 2006. The new appointment (if, in fact, there is to be one) will not signal the dawn of a new era but rather the next chapter of the current one. And people need to adjust their expectations accordingly. We are not set up to challenge for the league title, or even break into the top four - that much is clear at present. We should be finishing between 5th-8th as a bare minimum and we've fallen woefully short of that this term. Until we're at least back up to that level, you can't expect to see someone walk through the door that has grander designs. We still have good, obtainable options in the likes of Moyes and Hughes who I'm sure can achieve those principal targets, and possibly, with the right approach, diligence and luck, take things further. But we're a lot of hard work away from getting there right now and if there's a lesson to be learned from the rapturous reception that greeted O'Neill's arrival it is that success will be far from immediate (remember, he only took the team to 11th during his first season). A sensible appointment could build something long-term and offer the kind of continuity that will ensure we remain competitive; we do not want to be back here in twelve months time having taken another gamble that hasn't paid off. That might not sound sexy and it might not have you running to Villa Park to wait outside the press conference - but it will likely be the best thing for the club.