Super-Villan

I am hoping that at least the anti-football stuff won't be as bad as expected as he's working with better players. I don't think he was accused of anti-football or being hugeley negative at Rangers, was he? It might not be tippy-tappy but I'll pray for something watchable. I'd take 7th place and a cup all day long though. Without major investment, 7th is the best that most managers could get us to in the current Prem. Tough to see us finishing ahead of any of these with or without McLeish: Man U, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool.

If it's a diversionary tactic then the board are going about things all wrong. Do you really want to wind your own supporters up that much? And are we supposed to put up with a new manager rumour ever day or two until the 1st July or whatever? I'm just not convinced that's the smartest way for the club to be going about things, if that's what they're doing.

Supposedly echoes of the way he defended GH before he arrived. Though I appear to have wiped that one from my memory.

Has anyone posted up General Krulak's response to a fan on another board about McLeish yet? Link

The one push factor for Moyes might be the uncertainty over whether they were going to be sold in the next year or two. But even then, he might be better off hanging on and seeing if the new owners had a load of cash for him to spend.

I'm warming to Martinez. A young, upcoming manager who plays good football, who won't see himself as bigger than the club right now. No doubt there's risk, and he wouldn't be my first choice still, but we could do a lot worse in my opinion.

Funnily enough I've been wondering if our big shock announcement wasn't so much going to be the candidate we appoint as the fact that we were moving to a DOF system.

The potential in Martinez is a bit like the potential in Kyle Walker. I'd expect that both will provide exciting football going forward, but hope that both could tighten up at the back as they gain some experience.

I'd rather Hughes or Moyes, and I think Martinez would be a gamble, but I think some of the arguments against him on here are pretty lame. He plays good football (less negative than GH certainly), is a young manager who could build a legacy, has done pretty well with limited resources at Wigan. It wouldn't be an amazing appointment, but it would be interesting, and I'd be happy to give him time to give it a go.

I don't like Benitez. I don't like the way his sides play football. I don't think he'd necessarily be a good fit for our club even if his star hadn't faded recently. But then if it hadn't he'd still be looking at Champion's League level positions rather than us. I'd much rather have McClaren, and I don't really want him either.

I don't think there's a chance McClaren would take that step down again. If he was called manager with Rijkaard a DOF then maybe, but I'm not convinced that would necessarily be a great partnership. I voted Hughes. I think he could do a good job and would be a good fit for us. There's something about Moyes I'm just not sure about and the rest of the field appeal even less.

I like MON. I thought he did some very good things for this club in the time he was here. I thought him leaving was a shame, and I certainly don't blame him entirely for it or think there was anything malicious in the timing of it. But I still don't want him back as manager, thanks.

He's not Jesus Christ. He was quoted a couple of weeks ago saying he would not rule out managing West Ham to stay in English football. He may have said it, but that quote didn't turn out to be worth an awful lot, did it?

I think I'll feel let down if it's not Ancelotti, even though I'm not convinced he'd do the best job at Aston Villa.

I just have a feeling that Randy will be mindful of another Houllier situation with Rafa, and that would be the last thing he'd want. Unless he's dead set on him I think it's unlikely. Odds drop oddly all the time, you don't always find out the reason, any number of things could be going on behind the scenes. DON'T PANIC!

I'd have McClaren over Rafa. I don't like Rafa, I think he'd be a poor match for our club and wouldn't do a good job. McClaren would be uninspiring, and he's way down my list, but I'd have more hope of him doing a job for us.

Playing devils advocate here but ...Houllier as DOF? Even the devil isn't that mean.

I voted Hughes, though the thought of Ancelotti is quite exciting, I have to admit. I still think Young will leave regardless of if Ancelotti joins us. His joining is not a guarantee of success, and if Man U are in for him I'd expect him to go there.

I don't get the love for Ancelotti. He's never managed a club like Villa and it would be a gamble to think that he could do it well. Just because a manager has had success doesn't mean they'd be a success at any club they go to. I'm also not convinced on his style of play. Chelsea were never exactly fun to watch in his reign, so I expect the style would pretty much be a continuation of what we saw under GH, which doesn't get me excited at all. I think Hughes would be a good fit for us, and he's a young manager who has achieved above the expected level at every club he's been at, looking to make the step up to the next level.

Of course he couldn't sign anyone in the world. Did the Kaka attempt come under him? Doesn't really matter, that's pretty much the point. The best players in the world will not go to a newly very rich club like that and take a risk. And some of the players who will go will only do so for lots and lots of money. Man City are in a much more attractive position now than they were under Hughes.

But you're talking about Barca, an incredible one-off side there. There are plenty of European teams with passing games and decent managers who Man U could absolutely take apart. There's no reason at all why Hughes couldn't make us more competetive in europe than a manager like Deschamps or Ancelloti. It's not always a case of picking the 'best' manager, it's picking the best manager for the job and for the situation.

Yes, I want GH gone still, but I don't think that poll accurately reflects the way opinion has swayed on him here since the last two results of the season.

I suspect we're going to hear sod all for at least another week. And it will be incredibly frustrating.

Agree totally, especially the last line. Agreed too. I thought that Houllier staying as manager as he was would be the worst case scenario, but this trumps it. Scary stuff.

That's the years of alcohol and drug abuse for you.