Sam3773

3 minutes ago, Jareth said:

I have a feeling there's no 'rift' - not only because 'rifts' sell news, but because Purslow only just turned up,  I imagine he discussed finding managers in his interviews with Sawiris and Edens. Matter of hours till they announce Henry IMHO. 

You're probably right. Nixon seems to be selling the notion there may be 'fall out'. Presumably to sell papers. 

I hope we do announce Terry Henry today so we can crack on. 

2 minutes ago, wilko154 said:

Purslow sounds like he knows what he's talking about. I imagine in the previous regime they identified someone and brought them straight in without an interview or asking any questions on the managers vision for the club. 

If we keep hiring managers without identifying a clear football style to go forward with we will be back in this position in a few years time.

Yeah, I think it makes sense to interview a couple. I'm only repeating what Nixon is saying. I'd buy it as it kind of ties in with why there are such vastly differing reports. Some saying Henry is done, some saying we're speaking to Celtic this week. 

I hope it's done soon so we can crack on and have a couple of weeks for the new manager and players who aren't away on international duty to gel and train. 

Apparently there's potential for a bit of a rift. 

The owners want Henry like they did in summer which is why we've approached him and all the stories are out that he's the man. 

Purslow wants a process involving approaching Rogers, Smith and Howe and decide at the end of that interview process. 

Hence contrasting media reports. Very interesting. 

Anyone chucked this in yet?! Slackers. 

13 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Does no one have any itk for me to cling onto over night?

Couple of people claiming to have heard from separate sources in the club that Henry is going to BMH Monday to sign a 4 year deal. 

Sweet dreams. 

9 minutes ago, osmark86 said:

Isn't having too much time on your hands just proactive procrastination?

Probably. 

I created it after everyone jumped on the David Moyes one. I wanted to see how something some bloke knocked together on a PC could get people talking about someone who hadn't really been mentioned. 

I definitely don't think it affected the betting, but he was 33/1 when I picked him at random. Just goes to show, you can't trust anything on the Internet. 

25 minutes ago, rubberman said:

Moyes still has almost a year to go on his Man Utd contract!

So if he comes in, will we still be able to loan Januzaj? 

2 minutes ago, Skills said:

how many points in front do you think we'd be if they had Bruce and we had Lampard?

Is Biesla doing ok at Leeds?  they're only 7 points ahead of us, add the 2 points from Whelan so less than 2 games away...   Why the hell did we get rid of Bruce again???

It's not about how the others are doing, it's about how we're doing. 15 points from 11 games is very poor, and considering that it looks like a very average league this year, we were right to take first blood and try to attack it. 

Anyway.. 

Has Fonseca ruled himself out? I've seen people say it but no actual quote. I'd love it to be Rodgers, and I think with the right deal and vision, he would come. 

If it's not Rodgers, it can be Smith or Henry. Both have advantages. Henry is more of a 'star name', but as we saw with Di Matteo, that isn't necessarily the best plan. I have reservations about Smith. 

Money no object, and assuming Pep isn't interested, I want Brendan Rodgers. 

Unless they're managing in the top 6 of the top division, competing in the latter stages of the Champions League, or have a deep, long standing connection with their current club, I honestly believe we can tempt most. 

Our squad in the Championship, the money our owners have to back us, the ambition.. We are prime for a manager to succeed. Couple that with the fact we're Aston Villa, and if we come knocking I think your Rodgers', your Fonseca's or your Spanish waiters would raise an eyebrow and consider it. Certainly. 

Maybe I'm dilluded, but Dean Saunders echoed it on the radio this morning. "It doesn't matter who you are, or where you are in your coaching career, if Aston Villa corm knocking, you're gonna have something to think about" 

Just now, Mic09 said:

Exception, not the rule

Couple with Rafa not leaving Newcastle when they went down. 

It's a long shot, sure, but let's face it, he's no different to Rodgers. Yeah, they get a bit of CL football, but christ, who wants to be chilling in the Ukraine top flight for their career? 

Ambitious? Sure. Impossible? No. 

4 minutes ago, Mic09 said:

We are a GREAT club. But a a small team who travels to rotheram on Tuesday nights.

 A few years ago you'd have a point. 

Santos, formerly of Champions League competitors Porto joining newly promoted from league one Wolves changed all of the rules.

What have I missed? 

Perhaps the disappointing scenes he witnessed relate to his assistant manager reportedly telling fans to F Off when we equalised, smugly.

Bye Steve, Colin, Steve and Steve. 

2 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

Dean Smith is not the man for the job, we need a bigger name, preferably not English.  English managers can steady the ship, but can not take us forward when we finally get Promotion.

We need to be looking for a more long term manager now we are looking to get a structure in place.

Oh, I agree that I think we should be going for a bigger name in management, certainly. I was just backing up the source. 

I must admit, I'm amazed Bruce hasn't gone yet, either forced or resigned. By all accounts he was pretty annoyed about the Henry talk. If more papers run with the Smith story, maybe it'll push him over the edge? 

I'm not convinced he's waiting for the pay off. He's resigned a lot more than he's been sacked and some of those would have had tasty pay offs for him I'm sure. 

Bit in paper:

52 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

Load of Twatter shite.

Here's mine. "Bruce to go before the international break, an Henry to come in as first team coach, still in talks with Wenger as his assistant".

Any billionaire owner would look a little bit higher than Dean bloody Smith. Time and time again I have said Villa would destroy him, Brentford is his level. He is like a poor mans Lambert and look what we did to him.

You need a big manager for a big club, or else the players will call the shots. Cannot see the likes of Bolasie taking orders from a coach who used to be at Walsall not long ago.

Paper shite*. Nixon is a Mirror and Sun journalist who is one of few I would listen to. Has proven in the past to have links in the club and is usually a devout supporter of Bruce. If he's saying it's happening, it's probably happening. 

Dean Smith then. 

Not surprised. His team play good football, he's a Villa fan and the majority want him in. I think I'd have preferred a bit more ambition to go for a Rodgers but I'm certainly not against Smith. Quite excited in fact. 

Let's hope it comes to fruition. 

13 minutes ago, wilko154 said:

Last season we had:

Hull D, Cardiff L, Reading L, Norwich W, Bristol D, Brentford D, Boro D, Barnsley W, Forest W = 13 points

 

This season,

Hull W, Wigan W, Ipswich D, Brentford D, Reading D, Sheff U L, Blackburn D, Rotherham W, Sheff Wed L = 13 points

 

We haven't started better.

Last season we went on to win our next two after Forest. Lets be honest, thats not happening this season.

Just to chuck some apples for apples in, here's the same fixtures from last season. We got 11 points from the same fixtures. Not bad considering we didn't play three of them. 

Hull: Draw

Wigan: DNP

Ipswich: Win

Brentford: Draw

Reading: Win

Sheffield United: Win

Blackburn Rovers: DNP

Rotherham: DNP

Sheffield Wednesday: Loss

Wouldn't surprise me if the club already had someone else in mind and lined up. I would also assume they're out of work as paying compensation is the last thing we'll want to do. 

My dollar is on Henry still. 

... He gone yet?