alienvillan

That's it! Lerner to Corsika on Thursday, McLeish to Corsika on Friday, negotiations, agreement, done deal. Lerner escapes and flies to US on Saturday knowing VillaTalk would go ##! When Lerner safe McLeish quits Birmingham on Sunday. Speculation on VillaTalk, 1+1=X+rage. OS on Monday "McLeish the new manager!" Everybody back from holidays on July 7th hoping the dust has settled.

Good business for the betting companies. btw what is Sky Sports and Sky Bet? Same company?

So it seems. We don't want Martinez / Martinez doesn't want us. Fair play, nothing to moan about, end of story. We don't want McClaren / We don't want Hughes / We don't want Benitez / We don't want ... We want Moyes / Moyes doesn't want us. We want Ancelotti / Ancelotti doesn't want us. I think the mods should lock this thread.

If top half finish would be his mission in his first season at Villa then I think he would.

They survived, Premier League football next season and I don't think they expected more. Good job, mission accomplished at Wigan.

.H I thought it was a bed. Oh well, I slept well.

Rijkaard won the Champions League as manager and was voted UEFA Manager of the Year - not too shabby! To be fair your right.....however my next doors neighbours cat could have managed the best team in the world to the CL... For the record SHA won the Carling Cup this year.... You do realise Barca hadnt won hardly anything in 6-7 years prior to Rijkaard joining? He was the one that started it all off.. They are where they are today because of Rijkaard.. Thanks for backing me up. WHY, your neighbour's cat sounds incredibly gifted, if this cat is as good as Rijkaard then I'd be happy for Villa Park to be fitted with a golden catflap and a bowl of milk in the dugout. Seriously Rijkaard is noted amongst Barca fans for turning them into the club they are now, promoting the likes of Xavi and Iniesta. I accept he's a risk but one I would take (given that I have an emotional and not that significant financial investment in the club). When he went to Galatasary they were on the slide, yet he still improved them..Yet he had very little funds on not many youngsters had been blooded in. At Villa he will have something to work with, he may have some funds as well as some decent young players to develope(very similar to when he took over at Barca). Iniesta and Xavi were brought into the set up and he played them alongside signings like Ronaldinho and Deco. His football was sublime and the birth of the Barca we see today.. I would love him to come into Villa and a couple of high profile players for the likes of Albrighton, Bannan and Delph to play alongside. His keep the ball skills and total football is awesome.. I think Barcelona's success = Joan Laporta and his team. I believe they bought the players not Rijkaard. And I think at Villa he will have something to work with yes but it's quite different what he had at Barcelona. I don't want Rijkaard.

I don't think Mourinho, with Wenger as an assistant manager, would take us to the next level in the next 2-3 years. If we have a good (next) season we might finish 7th, excellent season and 6th (if two of the top7 struggle). But I believe even Benitez or McClaren could do that (50/50). Moyes is the big favourite now but I can't vote for Moyes, I don't think he is available. What I want, realistically, is to be comfortably a top8 club playing attractive and exciting football. No more top4 illusion for me, the next manager won't take us there whatever his name is (unless he is the new Wenger or Sir Alex and builds a dynasty in the next 5-10 years). But if we challenge the top4 then great we challenge the top4 but my expectations are not that high. Martinez or Zola for me, if not then I'm happy with Benitez or McClaren.

Fair enough I guess but don't forget Wigan finished 11th the summer he arrived. IIRC with completely different squad? No not really. January 2009 Transfers In: Ben Watson (£2m, Crystal Palace) Charles N´Zogbia (£6m, Newcastle) Ahmed Abdelhamid Hossam (loan, Middlesbrough) Out: Lewis Montrose (loan, Cheltenham) Luke Ashworth (free, Leyton Orient) Kevin Daniel Kilbane (undisclosed, Hull) Wilson Roberto Palacios Suazo (£12m, Tottenham) Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey (£3.5m, Aston Villa) Ryan Taylor (undisclosed, Newcastle) Palacios is the only real notable departure there. I'm obsesssed. According to wikipedia (because I didn't know 8) ): His (Martinez) first league game as Wigan manager was an away fixture against Aston Villa on 15 August 2009. Wigan won the match 2–0. :!: Played in 2008/09 (Bruce) and not 2009/10 (Martinez): OUT: Palacios Heskey Kilbane Valencia Cattermole Mido Brown Zaki de Ridder Routledge ! Completely different team IMO.

Fair enough I guess but don't forget Wigan finished 11th the summer he arrived. IIRC with completely different squad?

+1 What is there about Martinez's two 16th place finishes at Wigan that makes you think he could take us further? It's those two 16th place finishes at Wigan, his first two seasons as a Premier League manager, at a small club. And from what I've seen he wants to play attacking and entertaining football. He is a promising young manager in my eyes. I would like it to be Ancelotti, Deschamps or Moyes but I can't see that happening. I believe they want to manage bigger clubs, or London clubs. Hughes, Jol, McClaren and Benitez are all good managers but I don't think they could/would build an "empire" at Villa. They might do MON's 6-6-6 but no more and nothing special (of course I might be wrong?). And I already know these guys, Martinez could be something different, something new, at a bigger club. And I don't think he would do much worse than Hughes or Jol. He also seems to be a "nice" guy (ethos and spirit of the club) and maybe/hopefully (more) loyal too. But I'm not obsessed, I just want a new manager, Ancelotti, Hughes or Martinez. Or even McClaren?

+1

It does a little more than say he is favourite, Don. If rumours are correct (and they may not be) then he is willing if we can convince him of our own ambitions. If there is a rumour that Ancelotti has been approached by Spurs then Redknapp might be one of Chelsea's candidates (or he might be the next England manager). In this case Ancelotti would probably be Spurs' nr1 target, and Ancelotti would no doubt choose London. It would be wise to let Chelsea (and Spurs) make their move first.

I would have voted for - but unrealistic: Ancelotti - It's Milan, Rome or London for him. Deschamps - France. Moyes - Liverpool, Manchester or London. So my vote: 1) the Board's choice 2) Hughes 3) Benitez 4) Jol 5) McClaren 6) Martinez 7) Poyet 0) Coyle 0) Lambert And the more I think about it the more I realize that we already had a good manager.

Houllier with McAllister as #2. If something else happens I'll change my vote.

He can sit on the bench fingering his bum for all I care if he ends up banging in a goal or two, As long as we have Ashley Youngs feeding him.

Pointless. Sir Alex, King Kenny, Arsene and Carlo are looking for him too.

This is weird comment. Why would any manager take the job if he didn't respect the club or it's supporters?

If we had 1-3 points less we would be going down playing like this. Awful.

I hope the next manager will be appointed in no sooner than 2013. I'm not happy or satisfied with the (realistic!) candidates. I hope Gerard gets well 100%.

Yes, Oui. No reason to change my mind. But I am worried about his health.

You're probably right. I have seen so many and disrespectful anti-Houllier posts that I can't remember or think straight anymore so I'm not going to argue.:winkold: That "Anfield" was a big mistake but on this one I think our fans should be more understanding and forgiving. It was his sentimental return, but big mistake anyway I agree there.

No everyone makes mistakes you would just hope the mistakes are on the minimum and they are out numbered by the positives. Sadly under Houllier I'm personally not sure that has been the case. Your post suggests Houllier wasn't welcomed, backed or given time by the fans which is simply incorrect. He wasn't everyones choice sure but no manager ever really is but most were willing to give him time, opportunity and their good will, just take a look back at the thread covering his appointment. There is one man and one man alone who is responsible for him losing the backing of some of the fans and that is Houllier through his results, his decisions and most of all his actions and words. Houllier is to blame for how he is viewed by the fans, nobody else. Should he be replaced whoever takes over once again will not be the choice of all fans but like Houllier they will I believe have everyone behind them hoping they succeed, how long people stay their will be down to them. I don't. I want his spell as manager to come to an end as soon as possible personally although I wish him a full recovery. I'm sure everyone hopes that the manager will be successful, or at least they say so. But at the same time many posters said that they don't have faith in him (or something like that) and some of them said very early that they want him out of the club. (Not exactly quoting anyone but:) "I want him to do well here but I don't think he is the right man for us and I want him out." So...?

Houllier started his career here a disaster both on and off the pitch. As long as the new man doesn't disrespect the fans and pick a team that's cleary not our best then he should have support from the start. "...he should have support..."? That doesn't look very comforting? :?