smetrov

I don't want to slate KMAC - but why is held in such high esteem ? True we have won the reserves league a few time - but isn't this a regional thing now ? How many great players have come through the reserves - Gabby - Yes - Albrighton et all, still have some way to go - We haven't produced a joe cole, Defoe, Walcott, Shearer

Until its confirmed [GH] - We still have hope

So MON gone, the money drying up, the general gone - its all a bit like the end of new labour !

He has decided not to post till after the management issue has been resolved. Posted this about 30 mins ago: Curbishley is now favourtite .....has GH snubbed the short term contract ?

Maybe but not in such numbers. Sir Alex and Mourinho would win them over - where as Houllier won't IMO Some sites are reporting that Houllier has only be offered until the end of the season - which would make it a little more bearable.

At last someone comes up with a logical reason why we are intersted in Houllier. Id been strongly against the appointment - but the fact that he looks like clarets nan is softening the blow.

4 Cups and two exhibition games and then went to Lyon who had already won the league 4 times straight and won it again twice How much would he had won at liverpool had he not inherited Gerrard and Owen ? That said he seems a good judge of clubs who can win things - I just can't see it being houllier - I reckon the speculation is because he was the last one interviewed. - Hope fully we will have a new name tommorrow So if he came here and won something with us, GAB and Ash being instrumental, is the next line of excuse "would he have won anything had he not inherited them"? Baffling reasons some people are using for the hate, If you're not for the appointment, so be it, but the arguments have got to have more weight than that IMO. No disrespect but Gerrard and Owen in there prime - are in a different league to GAB & Ash - who aren't regular internationals (yet) My point was he had relative success because he in inherited 2 players - that would walk into the first 11 of any premier league team - he isn't inherting that sort of quality at villa. and if you look a few pages back his signings at liverpool make awful reading.

4 Cups and two exhibition games and then went to Lyon who had already won the league 4 times straight and won it again twice How much would he had won at liverpool had he not inherited Gerrard and Owen ? That said he seems a good judge of clubs who can win things - I just can't see it being houllier - I reckon the speculation is because he was the last one interviewed. - Hope fully we will have a new name tommorrow

Yes - I lost confidence in MON when he signed Heskey. I lost even more confidence when he was selected each week - despite his non scoring record. Cuellar pushes him close - mainly due to the riddiclous fee - almost £9m was it - on a player who is perhaps worth 2 or 3m ?

Because Randy works by stealth - thats why no one in the media knows who's been interviewed for the job :winkold: The generals slip speaks volumes

Agree 100% - well almost. I thought Ron Saunders was out of work - but I was only 11 when this happened. GT actually applied for the villa job. Doug couldn't beleive his luck ! - I think we were set appoint Dave Bassett. But you general point 'weve tried for Moyes' - yes but how much ? - I could be 100% wrong - but the vibes I get are that we haven't tried that hard.

Houllier is a football academic\purist - but will inherit a team, who perform best when fired up 100% - and run through brick walls for you. When than nver say die approach isn't there these players give performances like the one at Newcastle. Despite all wots said - I still don't think it will be houllier.

On a hunch - I don't reckon its Houlier. I reckon he was probably the last one to be interviewed - and various scenarios have been suggested, ie working alongside KMAC - or a coach of his choosing. I reckon Curbishley is more likley - but also reckon kmac will get a promotion whoever the new manager is.

popular rumour is that Houlier initiated the Baros\Carew swap - take note Randy

Nothing wrong with Houllier? You mean other than his previously questionable health, the fact he is 63, has been out the game for a couple of years and out of the Premier league even longer and despite some success at Liverpool spent a lot of money on some utter utter shite. He may well be the best or one of the better options available but to say there is nothing wrong with his selection or should I say possible selection is staggering. Bah humbug. There isn't a prospective manager out there that we couldn't make a list of 'perceived negatives' about. 1) 'Previously questionable health' - well you said it, previously, he's had no problems in the last 9 years or so. 2) 63 - there have been much older managers and it need not be a detriment to the job, indeed 37 years of managerial experience might actually be a good thing. Wenger, Ferguson, Redknapp 3 managers in the top four that are all over 60. 3) Out the game for a couple of years - well no he hasn't he's been technical director for France, something which also might prove invaluable here. 4) Out of the premiership for a couple of years - So? So has Mourhinho. Means nothing. 5) Despite some success - 6 years 6 trophies, yes please. Despite? IMO if he wins that amount of trophies his player purchases are justified. 6) Spent money on utter shite - See 5, plus he also brought in some great players for the time and developed players like Gerrard. Fair play to the man he also admitted that he bought some shite players after he was ill which also shows he's open to learning from his mistakes. This kind of post is exactly the problem with this thread, as soon as any manager is mentioned there are a load of people that are all too willing to shoot them down in a hail of negatives, often when they are not even justified. If Houllier if appointed - mid table at best - wait and see. Looking at the odds - Houllier is 3rd favourite - behind KMAC and curbishley - interesting.

and what manager of Any quality would work under Houllier ? Getting a good manager isn't easy - but these convoluted appointments will just make a bad situation worse.

Sadly there's nothing to suugest we have either. Which is why people are getting in a 'tizzy' The only names we're hearing from people allegedly ITK, are out of work managers, most of whom havent been employed for a while. Is it that we have offered the job to some top names who are in work and all have turned us down flat or is it that we havent even tried ? That's the only question I can see that folks are worried about. If we're that an unattractive proposition to top names then i'm very worried. its totally unreasonable logic though isnt it? why would we be an attractive proposition to a top name? the top names are all currently employed at top clubs or are way out of our league. examples: jol - well he is at the biggest club his home country have ever known. moyes - why swap the seventh best club in england for the sixth? mclaren - he is two league games into a new job hughes - three fergy, wenger, mourinho - yeah right... sven, capello, quieroz, scolari... WHO exactly are you refering to when you talk about top name managers who we should be able to get? i cant think of anyone with a bigger reputation/name and better track record in the prem who we could realistically attract than houllier. Jol - wanted to go to Fulham - so there is a chance he would find villa an attractive proposition. Moyes - well in recent years the villa manager has had more available funds than the everton manager - it would be a step up - agreed not a massive one. Hughes - Pretty sure he would rather be villa manager than fulham manager. Agree the timing stinks. I don't know but by the laws of probability - if you pursued those 3 with some determination - pretty sure you would get one.

I think Houllier would be a good appointment - who of those available would you prefer then?? Thats the problem - of those available. A good chairman will target who he wants - and pursue him, and shift heaven and earth to get him. Villa is a massive club, ok we are not big 4 - but it is still a very big club, and attractive to a alot of managers. We shouldn't just appoint, who happens to drop in , because every other club has passed them over.

I see nothing wrong with Houllier myself, everyone is making something out of nothing. Ok who would you go for Smetrov....If you say someone who is already employed, what if they've been aproached, but they're either loyal enough not to walk out or they've only just joined the club they're at.....So? My concern is is this the best that Randy can get ? Of course it wouldn't be easy to get Moyes or Jol - but thats where you need a good chairman. To be honest anyone could say, "well I tried for Moyes, Etc - but that didn't fancy it - Heres Houllier' I fear now we are in for a sucession of 2nd Rate managers.

If its Houllier then I am seroiusly worried about the directoin of our club. I know we all like to show a united front when a new boss arrives - But in all honesty, is this absolutley the best that Randy can muster ? - A club with 3 top six finishes, in the toughest league in the world, a massive fan base. I really hope this isn't true, If Randy this this will stabilise the ship - then I question his judgement. I would fear dressing factions and unrest within weeks, and a downward spiral by the time we hit the transfer window in Jan - and Im not looking forward to houliers transfers - Randy if you are worried about the current debt - ...you ain't seen nothing yet!

If your watching the odds Paul Lambert seems the days big mover - odds as low as 6-1. Curbishley still way out 33-1 which suprises me - KMAC still only 4-1 - No one knows !

all seems to stem from reports he was at the game tonight. If true - then thats why his odds have plumeted to as low as 6/1 - although he has since drifted slightly. Not hopefull. and I m suddenley less excited about Curbishley and Pullis

Hitfield sounds to good to be true. Some saying he was at the game tonight though

His odds have just plumeted from 25 - to 6/1 - ominous ? excuse my ignorance - but who the f*ck is he ?

A mate of mine who is a bookie - reckons Curbishley is the best value for money bet at the moment. Personally I reckon he is the fallback position if we can't pouch a manager. .......Tony Pullis for me ....and if we can't pouch him ...were are in deep shit. Faulkner will be out by Christmas as well.