norton65ca

What a well run business will do is examine the market place and make an informed choice. They will meet with several candidates, and when the process is finished, a “right” choice will be made.

And what a *really* well run business does is have replacements already lined up as contingencies. It certainly doesn't place things in the hands of a junior executive.

We should have had a manager ready and waiting in the sidelines just in case MON resigned?

Gazton, I'm very surprised at you, to be honest, I mean it's a well known fact that ALL the best and biggest clubs have a little black book in the boardroom under lock and key with the names and phone numbers of at LEAST three top flight managers who will, at the drop of a hat, come running. Really man, do your research.

;-)

I've just been swimming through the mire of Liverpools RAWK site to see what they feel about all of this, it makes for interesting reading:

http://tinyurl.com/2v8c4qr

please remember to wear appropriate hazmat gear though before entering.

kind of a mixed bag, he apparently said something nasty about FSW and some (referred to occasionally as the Rafacult) have never been able to forgive him, lots of compliments though, thanks for the memories, cup finals and good times, as well as some who are expressing slight concern about us under him. lots said he wasn't the same after his heart troubles (understandably really considering) but that he dragged the club into the new millennium and gave them discipline, and brought a level of success that 'Pool hadn't seen in yonks,

IF this appointment is what the board of Aston Villa have decided, then I will place my firm support behind their choice. It has obviously been made with a great deal of thought and it has been done by consulting with various skilled and experienced authorities within the game on a number of levels.

I was extremely disappointed when MON left, it was unexpected and the timing was devastating. It was very clear that because of the poor timing, the "shortlist" of possible replacements would be short indeed. It has become clear that the owners of our club did not want to poach another clubs manager, but did try within the boundaries of decency and without using unethical means to attract other currently working managers (Moyes' contracted club was approached but they rejected that approach firmly as far as we are aware, and the Martin Jol situation was really quite clear and we had little hope from the beginning as far as that was concerned.) I, personally, am happy with this approach, I want my club to be conducting itself with dignity and treating other clubs and their staff with respect.

I am certain, and have been given no reason to suspect otherwise, that our club has searched and examined many candidates from far and wide. It has become clear that many candidates that were mooted here were either unsuitable when measured up to our expectations and aspirations, they had neither the experience or stature (Curbs?, Brown? KMac?) . On the other hand, it may well be that some candidates had their own expectations or demands that were not in keeping with our LIMITATIONS and a realistic business vision, given the particular circumstances of this current financial climate. (Sven??)

I really don't see how we can be certain with regard to how the club viewed any possible candidates until or unless the club decided to share their philosophy or methods with us, but to be frank, I rather suspect that information will never be forthcoming. Neither is there much point in debating who might or might not have had a chance to interview. (or for that matter who might never have been given a chance...) Of one thing we can be certain, the process has been challenging and not without some frustration.

The club has chosen a man with a great deal of experience in other leagues as well as our own, an international recognised profile and reputation, he has won titles and cups at a very high level, he could easily be placed in the same bracket as our former manager when his experience and success are considered, and it is arguable that his resume is actually considerably more impressive than that of the enigmatic MON. Yes, the choice might have been Klinsman, it may have been Hiddinck, but it may have also been Curbs or Bradley. I believe we've done well, even landed on our feet, if you like. If the prospective candidate has men he knows within the job that he would like to have as assistants, then he is more than welcome to bring them in as far as I'm concerned, whether they at one time wore the redscouse shirt or not. I would hope that the staff in charge of the team I support would have a professional attitude and conduct their affairs without childish partisanship getting in the way, as is the case, for example, with our own Ashley Young, who is of course not a boyhood Villa fan but a gunner, after all.

Welcome, Mr Houllier, as it would appear your arrival is imminent, I will trust the clubs decision, not only because

a) I have little choice

but also because

I have been given NO REASON not to.

Up The Villa!!!!!!!!

The club has stated with absolute clarity that they have not made significant investments in this summers transfer market simply because there is not at this time a manager and until such a time arrives when we do actually have someone occupying the managers chair in a long term fashion, the club will not be making any investments in the playing staff.

Strewth it's like pulling teeth,

Oh, and the transfer market is now closed? How about we shut up shop here and discuss something else?

Up the Villa.

wow, such fundamental pessimism here.

I read and re-read the statement from the club, people are jumping off the side of the ship to be honest over nothing.

We are not essentially weaker than we were last year, having just lost Milner and gained Ireland. As a squad, we have significant strength and we will be able to compete quite adequately, if not perhaps at the level of a top four club then at least a contender for top half/ top six or so, in my opinion...

We have no manager, but our club and its owner are working as hard as they can under difficult circumstances to remedy that, and we have no reason to disbelieve them. The caretaker appointed is unlikely to be made permanent as the clubs statement pretty clearly shows. we are currently interviewing likely candidates, as the club has stated.

Without a permanent manager appointed , it was inevitable that there would be no signings, a no-brainer if you will.

In the end, I am optimistic that our club will remedy the immediate issues with satisfaction, and most (but definitely not all;-) fans will be relatively content, CONSIDERING THE CIRCUMSTANCES...

Up The Villa.

Haha MON's true fans show their true hearts today..

sorry, have to laugh at you

with all due respect, please go **** off will you? MO'N would not have allowed that tonking to happen. You really can't resist can you? The man's gone for better or worse and you just can't resist taking a shot at a person that had zero to do with today's result. You are bitter and after being on this site for several years now, I do believe that I have yet to hear much of anything positive out of you. You are very tiresome to say the least. I'd better leave it at that because I'll probably get banned but really, do grow up.

If the best we can get is Bob frickin' Bradley, I will have serious doubts about the ownership of this great club. That would be a pisstake of colossal proportions. We'd be the laughing stock of the premier league, no make that the PL and the Football league. You got to be effin' joking.

aww crap.

if there was no sponsor logo in the lions mouth, it would be awesome, as it is, unfortunately the sponsor obliterates the design simply because of the lions mouth being obscured, it's thumbs down from me and although I'm a bit of a traditionalist I think the design itself is nice, it's just a shame about that one sadly pretty significant detail.

y'know, this is going to sound ridiculous, a bit mad even, but after all the dust settles, and this WC is well and truly over, I would very much like to see a comprehensive changing of the guard, even if it means that England spend a few years in the wilderness. I would like to see Terry, Gerrard and some of the others basically dropped from the England team permanently.The big time has gone to their heads to be honest and it needs to stop. We need new blood, hungry, young, driven and determined. We need young fast, talented players who will wear that shirt with pride, who have not become so jaded by Champions League success that they treat the WORLD CUP as a sideshow. I watched that game the other day and I was shocked.

It is time for a whole new generation of England players. This nation has the talent and the players to shine, but this current lot have been shoe-ins for way too long. They're taking it for granted.

Just my thoughts but I hope I never see John Terry in an England shirt again, if he's the leader of some sort of dressing room revolution at a time like this, I'd like to see him on the next plane home. I'm sorry, he may be a good player, but they guy is a total clearing in the woods.

cheers, Gary

Ain't that coming from a sport that lasts like 3 hours or whatever?

Also that Troy Powell, what an idiot. Do they think if like a game in a final ends in a draw, that's it.

three hrs duration but only ten minutes of actual action. Give me real football any day. I rate N American sports as follows:

1) well, obviously, soccer (since we're speaking Murkan I'll use their term.)

1.5) beach volleyball (forgot that one but knew I'd find somewhere to slip it in ;-)

2) Ice Hockey (Canadian really but hey.)

long, long gap

3) Basketball (and really the NCAA, not the NBA)

unbelievably long gap

4) NFL

5) Lacrosse

6) Curling

7)Motorsports

8)watching paint dry

well, I guess that's it.

oh, wait a minute, there is another one.

but I don't rate it AT ALL.

I think this is pure tripe to be honest, Fabio Capello left no doubt that he wanted his players to abstain from any transfer talk or negotiations until AFTER the WC was over, and I somehow tend to think that Jimmy wouldn't be stupid enough to disobey that directive.

Bollocks in my opinion.

yet I may be wrong.

we'll see.

Been gone from the UK for a long time indeed, left in 73 and only spent a summer there in 89, soooo the list is short.

Dean Court (old) Bournemouth a number of times with my grandad, always have a soft spot for the Cherries... (late sixties early seventies)

Highbury Arsenal vs Wimbledon (1989)

Stamford Bridge Chelsea vs QPR (1989)

Plough Lane Wimbledon vs Millwall (1989)

Yup, that's it, I've only watched about seven or eight matches live me whole life! Sad eh? Will be trying to come to Villa Park in 2011 as the wife and I are coming over for a visit!!! Can't wait!!!

I went for the firing squad option.

Complete with hearty breakfast, last fag (even though I don't smoke, I'd make an exception), refusing the blindfold, and making a stirring final speech ensuring my legend would live forever and my followers would take over the world in my name.

As an alternative I'd wander off into the mountains in January, drink a full bottle of The Talisker, and lie down to die in the snow.

yes, very much.

I'd be more interested in the final meal to be honest, sausage, eggs bacon, beans, fried mushrooms and brown sauce, followed by a bowl of the chocolatiest ice cream you've ever encountered. Go out smilin'... and yes, a bye bye smoke for relaxation...

the Talisker method sounds nice, from all the mountaineering books I've ever read, the slow descent into frosty unconsciousness is very painless.

cheers, Gary

Saturday evening at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Well, anyone care about this contest of minnows?

Inter or Bayern? I personally find it hard to get behind either side to be honest but I'll pick Inter because they've been waiting longer lol

Thoughts? I'm a little surprised there's no thread, I did go back four pages...

well, I REALLY hope he doesn't go, I think he will be a significant part of our future, but if he does, I'll tell ya one thing....That's the last time I ever pay to get a players name and number on my new shirt! Pah!

;-) Gary

ahh, that's an interesting comparison, one wonders what the results of a mini tournament between the third to seventh placed teams, for example, in each league would look like:

Valencia Dundee United

Sevilla FC Hibernian

Mallorca Motherwell

Getafe Heart of Midlothian

hmmmmm...

no, no, no, a thousand times NO. We are NOT a selling club, Bluemancs can bugger off. we are The Villa, the Lion is on the march and we have our own business to attend to, and that business includes James Milner, thankyou very much.

Born in Aston, manufactured for decades by Brummies, a part of your citys heritage, and now back in business with breathtakingly beautiful motorcycles, yes, that would make my day, but yes, the Aston Martin would be just as good, my fave car, my fave bike, no question. Does Bracebridge St. still exist or has it been buried by motorways?

I've always fancied this myself - even more so over the past 4 seasons

The perfect sponsor, especially with MON in charge!

Yes, I'd love that, but here's another that would look really good, and yes, they're BACK!!!!!

small heath alliance, the old name for "that little club over there"...

according to this 'orrible game cast on ESPN, we have the greater possession , and shots on goal are 10-6 in our favour. We have one more corner as well, this ain't over yet.

WE DON"T LIKE SPURS!!!!!!!

I had the vast majority of the WC 1970 book when a seven yr old in Bournemouth, also had the 68-69, 69-70, 70-71 league books in various states of completeness, never did fill an entire book though. Panini? or soem other namufacturer, Im not too certain, occupied a lot of time in the playground though, horse trading. Good memories.

G