flatty

What I said before. Moyes would be brilliant and realistic. I think Sven would be brilliant and realistic also but I dont see Randy etc fancying Sven. Most likely though Hughes (which wouldnt float me boat either way, wouldnt be upset or too excited either).

Okay well for me GH going is the right moveas Ive said on here before - do wish him well though of course. In terms of who would I like next, Moyes. And it almost pains me to say it but I think he would be the best man for the job. He seems to have the motivational skill similar to MON, he has worked with a small squad of whihc there are only 13/14 "top" players and has managed to perhaps ovr achieve with them (similar to MON). I think Moyes has spent well which is perhaps where MON failed and I think Moyes will be able to get the best out of our current players and also be able to add quality to the squad with the money Im sure Randy will make available to him. Certainly not after another MON (though I did rate him in the most part) but I think both Moyes and MON have the ability to get 110% out of players which is important and I think Moyes is stronger in some areas than MON was. My other shout would be Sven, I know some people seem to hate him but I rate him highly, brilliant manager and i for one wouldnt care if he went through a couple of receptionists or whatever a month... Hughes looks most likely and for me I'd be as excited as I was when I found out GH was taking over. Id more likely be saying well lets see how he does rather than saying im excited to see what he does if it Moyes taking over.

Im not saying I am a fan of this guys attitude but he's a very good player, he's showed it in the past and perhaps does need managing in a certain manner that gets the best out of him. Cant see the lad having a future here now though I would welcome him back in the summer myself if he decided he was going to have another crack for us.

Obviously I have no idea what Randy and the board are thinking. If Mac didnt want the job straight away then that speaks volumes. Management isnt an easy thing especially of a premier league club. I get that after consideration he has decided he'd like to be considered and I understand that he is a top top coach who has been nothing but fantastic for our reserves but that doesnt qualify you for a shot in charge of our first team in my opinion. I'd like to think that despite Mac being the cheap option and mayeb the popular option with the players our board realise that now isnt the time to gamble and that is exactly what appointing Kevin would be... We're a club in transition and due to the lack of signings and the the other teams around us strengthening we have already taken a backwards step. We need to bring in a manager now who is experienced in the premier league, who is able to sign quality players on a budget. If we dont have that then we are in real danger of finishing in the bottom half of the table and if that happens then not only will we find it hard to attract the calibre of player we need in order to compete with the top 4/6 as well as lose our better players such as Young etc. I dont care that Sven boned some bird at his office behind his girlfriends back, for me he's the best out there that we could realistically attract to villa park. He proven at club level in italy and did a great job at city before being a caualty of new owners.

First of all I have to say I am totally shocked considering the stage we are at that MON has left. I am disappointed in his decision but this does not have to be a total negative. It would be nice to have the new manger in place like 3 weeks ago but there’s nothing we can do about that now. Whilst MON was a brilliant manager in many respects he is by no means irreplaceable and by no means the perfect manager. This isn’t to say he didn’t do an absolutely fantastic job for us but I dotn think he was the best in the transfer market, over paying for some and perhaps being too coy when it comes to bringing in players outside of the UK. In terms of replacing MON I can only suggest one realistic manager and that’s Sven. He was the best England manager in years and was only sacked becaue he sh*gged about – so what imo. He did an unbelievable job at Man City and not only signed good players in the most part but also got them along with existing players to way overachieve. He was outed there as the chairman wanted his own manager. I think Sven is a big name that would attract players from abroad as well as from domestic leagues. He has European competition experience and has a proven track record. I think if the USA coach comes in it’ll be a big mistake. At the stage we’re at we don’t need to gamble with an unknown and to be honest im sure we’re not. Probably just the media putting 2 and 2 together as we have an American owner.

Although I am disappointed that Milner has seemingly asked for the move I can understand his motives for doing so. I think that MON has played this the best way possible. I’ve no idea how much funding we would have if Milner didn’t leave but with 30 million being touted that would allow us to bring in 3,4 maybe 5 quality players. Providing this doesn’t drag out to the point where there isn’t enough time to bring players in with the proceeds. I’d take Ireland as part of the deal without a doubt, he may not be as versatile as Milner but he’s a very similar standing imo to him in the middle of the park so Ireland and 20 Million ish would be a pearler of a deal in my eyes. Just hope we bring in the right players, Milner leaving, it seems we have little power to do anything about if City reach the valuation but bringing the right players ie strikers who can score 20 + goals we can.

Hi General I dont think that I have ever posted on one of your threads before but have been reading throughout your time on here. I would like to say I think its fantastic that you do post on here, its something I've never heard of before and I think it adds some sort of personal touch to the club which is a breath of fresh air in this game! I feel I should post as Im sure you have become aware of some negativity towards MON and Im also sure you know that its usually just the moaners that post and they are in the minority but regardless felt obliged to tell you that 95% of Villa fans believe he is the right man to take us forward. All football fans/sport fans become annoyed and I myself have had frustrations with MON (mainly the apparent transfer poilicy in buying mainly players from within the UK) but as someone without my head in the clouds I understand that MON is far more qualified to make such a decision/any footballing decision. I cant imagine we would be in a better position if we had any other manager and we are heading without doubt in the right direction - I hope that the Board and MON can conitnue taking us forward as it seems that we are on the brink of doing something quite special. Keep up the good work!

He is a lover of square pegs in round holes bless him...

Forgot about Keane with him being up at Celtic on Loan but now you mention him I would be extremely happy to see him in a Villa shirt! I can’t though think of another striker in the prem/championship that we could realistically sign that will help us take that step into the top 4?? Another question this one leads to is can you see MON spending 10,15 Million plus on a striker that hasn’t got a proven record in England (if there isn’t one available in the country). I personally think our progression as a club could be partly down to this. Countless games this season including the league cup final could have been different if we had a striker worthy of playing in the top 4 in our side. I’m by no means saying that we have to buy foreign players, far from it but if we want to keep taking strides forward we need quality up top and if we can’t afford/attract a seasoned prem player then we have to look abroad rather buy an “okay” prem striker...in my opinion.

Well I dont know. He's happy to spend best part of 10 million on a defender (twice). There isnt a striker worth 10 million in the prem though that we could get and considering MONs history in the transfer market when buying from outside of the UK I would have to say no. We'll probably end up with Jones from sunderland or Beatie...Hope to God Im wrong!

What we are is one quality Striker or two away from a big improvement in our league finishes. We had chances Sunday and have had chances all season that a quality striker would put away. I think we're in a good position other than perhaps a bit more depth to the squad (quality depth) but we look sh*t up front. Its saying something when the commentators are taking the p*ss out of Heskey and Carew obviously has done something to upset MON. Gabby is useful as a squad player at best. Im happy at what we're doing but frustrated that we havent bought in a striker that can put away the chances we create!

James Milner is our best player by a mile in my opinion, he always wants the ball, he’s creative, a good passer and can deliver. I dont think it’ll long before some of Europes big clubs are asking about him. If I was Sir Alex I’d be already finding a buyer for Nani, Park etc so fund a move for Milner. Hope thats not the case though!

I voted yes. We're a big club, we have a good fan base, glorious history, located in a part of the country that wuold appeal to most. We can pay wages to attract a striker of higher calibre than we have. Okay perhaps not a David Villa but There'll be players out there that will give us something extra and take us to that next level for 7-15 million surely? Other clubs do it. I dont know why we haven't looked abroad, I know MON loves his English based players but history tells us that foreign players dont always bum out and can be stars in the prem. I for one do not know why we haven't looked at a player like Vagner Love or similar. I'd love to have a beer with MON and ask about or transfer policy. In general we've done well and cant question his managerial quality at all but I am bemused at the apparent lack of ambition in the transfer market.

For me I think we've done the absolute minimum this transfer window. Not sure if thats through lack of trying, lack of ability in the market by MON or what. I think going into the window we needed: a left back, a CB to repalce Laursen, an attacking/creative CM, a goalscoring striker. I think we could have done with a young RB to cover young and perhaps a 2nd striker. Warnock for me is a good player and trumps both shorey and bouma so pleased with him. Beye is a good player but Young is better, both similar age? if we got him on the cheap then I think fair enough. Collins is for me a direct replacement for Zat who we sold and we've gained noithing, from what ive seen he's no better than Zat. I think that with Davies' shoulder needing an op may well have made MON buy Collins to cover? I dont know... Dunne I assume will try and fill Laursens boots which I dont believe he can, I've always thought Dunne a good player but he aint no Laursen. Delph is a good player with bags of potential but we cant expect him to cut it in the prem just yet, he's a 19yr old from 2 divisions below. Not a replacement for Barry just yet but long term maybe. Downing is a decent winger who whips in the ball well. I always find myself want Joe Cole to play on the left rather than Downing and now Young has broken into the England squad Downing would be 3rd choice. When I heard we had signed him I assumed that Ash was on his way, why spend 12 million on a back up left winger? unless your man city or chelsea? It seems that MON see's downing as Barry's replacement in CM. Might just be me but I'd prefer a CM to play CM not gamble 12million on a left winger who's played a handfull of games their in the past. MON and his love of square pegs in round holes.... No Strikers came in and so we're left with Carew who should be at a top 5 or 6 side min in my opinion but his aside Gabby and Heskey are not of the caliber we require to break the top 4 if this is still our aim? All in all I dont think we've added too much depth considering we've replaced 2 CB with 2 CB (none of which are improvements imo) We tried to offload Shorey so he wont figure much so Warnock whilst better will only be player up untill we dump Shorey. Beye will provide cover and competition for Young which is good and Delph whilst not a replacement for Barry looks a great prospect. Finnally Downing I can see being a bench warmer, not sure he'll cut it in CM. I recall MON saying he wanted to add 5 or 6 players in the summer at the end of last season - we since lost 4 players from the first team squad so that would be 9 players required.....

I couldn't be happier with Luke Young as our right back however I cant see him getting called up and the reason is....he's been playing left back! Glen Johnson has become Capello's number 1 at RB it seems and with Wes Brown and Micah Richards both experienced international right backs I can see him taking a punt on a right back who is playing well at left back. If he gets his position back on the right and keeps up the form he's showed so far I see no reason why he wont break into the set up.

I wouldn't say a legend, he was never part of a brilliant team or won us a trophy, he didn't stay with us for a decade (i understand it wasn't his choice im sure) etc however I certainly wouldn't say he was a flop either. I think that there wont be many villa fans who dont have fond memories of JPA. He was a cracking little player who kissed his badge and ran into the fans when he scored... I certainly would list him among my favourite player from the last 15 years but really I dont think he did enough to be classed as a true legend. No doubt if we were to play against him we'd give him a huge roar but not quite a legend for me but certainly as close as you can come without quite crossing that line.

Not a fan on here can say he isn't the kind of quality we need if we are to make the step up and for that reason alone I'd say yes. Who knows what will happen in January/next summer if he doesn't sign a new contract, the price we'll get then will be a lot less then Liverpool are wanting to pay now but thats football. Liverpool in my opinion have made themselves look like a second rate bunch of muppets over this, to an extent I can understand them going to the press re: Barry as this has done the job for them, he's unsettled etc but to do it and not have the cash to back it up is madness, they should have asked for the price prior to leaking the story. Liverpool who are a massive club lets face it should never have gone about it this way, how many clubs in the Prem would, its plain wrong but as I said it did what they wanted but now they look like right idiots not having the money to put where their mouth is. I'm sure Gareth Barry must feel the same deep down and no, it'll never be the same for him if he was to sign a new deal with us then 99% fans would take him back.

Hello General, I have yet to post on thread as I haven't had a question that I deem necessary of taking up your time however having read the same old questions being fired at you in the main I would just like to say that for every fan with his/her head in the clouds complaining about what we appear to be/not be doing there are 10 fans I'm sure extremely happy with the club. I am honestly proud to be a Villa fan at present, the Acorns deal is brilliant and the club is moving forward, for the first time in years I'm trully excited about what we can achieve next year without being unrealistic. I trust MON and the Board 100%. Keep up the good work!!