HappyCatMe

The bunch being touted by the media, you dont know who Randy did consider/contact/interview, Houllier is Randys choice and may well be the best of a good bunch. Well good/bad is a matter of opinion. The managers that we didn't have to pay compensation too were the only ones we considered it seems. So he was the best of a bad bunch. The good managers don't stay out of the managers job that long. Well, as far as i can see, Houllier HAS a job, so that point is irrelevant here. He patently doesn't need the money and has what appears to be a cushy little number in France. Bearing this in mind, he's obviously impressed with what Mr Lerner has presented him with. Maybe Mr Houllier decided he still has a hunger for this management lark, and so, he could prove an inspired signing. Age also is not an issue: ask Fergie if he still has the fire to succeed!! Managers can be out of work for a number of reasons and not just because they are pants- taking a sabbatical, waiting for an opportunity they REALLY want, etc. MON wasn't working for quite some time, due to his family medical issues, but that didn't prevent him returning to manage Villa when the time was right. Things aren't always as black and white as we like to paint them sometimes.

A quality point. Was Wenger a huge Arsenal fan before becoming manager? SAF at Man U? Are any players/managers/coaches fans of the teams they join? Indeed, are any of our non-Birmingham bred players Villa fans before they came here? These guys are professional footie players and managers because they want to win things, regardless of where it is or who they join. PT is a winner, patently, and will bring the desire for and the taste of winning to our team, as will GH, assuming this all goes through.

I think there are some legs in this. Remember Moyes, McDonald and Curbishley have all been heavily backed to favouritism in the betting market, with the press then spouting off that their appointment is imminent. I have no doubts GH has been interviewed, and is being considered, but i also doubt very much that ths is a done deal, otherwise it would have been announced by now. I think (and maybe hope!) we may well have a surprise in store...

And don't forget the players that we were allegedly pushed around into selling were players who apparently wanted to go anyway. Cracking bit of business on both counts, as far as i can see...

Just a little query: Why, on a Villa forum, do we feel the need to discuss Spurs at all? Just curious...

To be fair to KM, he's been in charge of a skeleton crew at a time of rocky waters. I think he's done a sterling job in unexpected and uncertain conditions. Considering all he's done, with no support team to help out, you have to give the man credit. It's not at all like a new managerial appointment where a backroom staff is also installed. Five games in charge with the backdrop he's had to endure is hardly enough to prove his mettle. Whoever comes in, you have to give them a fair amount of time, and see how they operate with a full complement of back-up staff before judging them. There are a lot of wish-they-were-know-alls on here who think they could do a better job. It's easy to do from afar, like watching a quiz show on TV and getting all the answers right from the safety of your own armchair. It's a different matter when you're suddenly thrust unexpectedly into the limelight.

I disagree, hopefully some of our young players will get a chance, Nathan, Bannan, Clark, Albrighton etc. I think (apart from Milner) we possibly have a better squad - because we may get someone who uses it. Have to agree. We have the makings of a great squad but for whatever reason, the previous manager refused to rest key players or to bring on others at crucial times to win games that were drawn. We were so close to the top 4 and i feel crucual mistakes cost us dearly. Many people last season were saying we are only a proven goalscorer and a creative midfielder away from cracking it, and although that still remains the case with the striker, with the right appointment made and a little investment in January, we can make it. We've young, hungry players chomping at the bit and seasoned pros who didn't get a fair crack desperate to prove a point (Luke Young for example!) The doomsayers here with their paranoid conspiracy theories bordering on X-Files territory are driving me nuts...Really folks, it's not so bad!

Thats photoshoped!! Or he has a very large head!

People grumbling at KM for his selections for the Rapid games because of a lack of experience, etc. should look at the corresponding fixture last season, and our game in Moscow the previous season under the tutelage of an 'experienced tactical genius.' His selections have proven themselves at reserve level time and again, and although it's a different class in the PL, you still know your tactics. Games are won and lost by the players: he could not have foreseen Petrov missing a penalty like that, or a mistake by Beye, etc. That's down to the players performing on the pitch at a given moment in time, not tactical naivety. And as for some saying Ireland getting injured was a blessing because we'd have lost otherwise is just base. We were playing at home, and determined to put things right, against an Everton team who have been struggling also. Maybe we'd have been all over them and Ireland scored a hat-trick if he'd played. Really, to think some of the people on here are probably mature adults...It's almost embarrassing supporting the same club sometimes...

I don't think it's fair to single anyone out for criticism or plaudits today. The result was ALL that mattered after the past week, and fair play to all concerned, they ground it out. We're 4th and looking down at Man City, Spurs and Liverpool...To me, that's satisfying enough considering all we've been through. Well done to all concerned, and people here, let's not analyse too much: ours was a team without confidence and belief before today. They did us proud, so let's just applaud them...

I think the world of football management seems oddly detached from finding a job in the real world. It seems that, rather than send in a letter of application, you wait for the job to come to you. I think there will be a drawn out process of drawing up a shortlist, looking into their background, liaising with knowledgeable folk, then making contact. Maybe he has applied, but they're also sifting thorugh a zillion other applications- what do we know? Once the shortlist is created, the process probably moves really quickly, and people are jetted in immediately for an interview, etc... Maybe i'm wrong of course.

I wonder if any villa players ever read these forums and think to themselves, "well, if the fans don't believe in us, why should we?" All this negativity can become a self-fulfilling prophesy... This is the same team that whooped numerous asses last season, reached a cup final and came within a hair's breadth of top-4, barring the loss of Milner. Why are people suddenly assuming we're going to get beaten by Everton at home? Football is full of freakish results like Newcastle, which are nothing to do with backroom issues, but luck, mistakes, etc- who would have predicted Spurs' result yeterday?- and we just have to accept that these things happen. There is not a crisis at Villa. Yes, we need a permanent manager soon, and we'll get him- the right man!- but games like today are where the players show us all what they're really capable of. Stop with the whingey downer nonsense and believe!!!!

It's only in the Catalan region at the moment, but you know, I am all for a ban. It's archaic and cruel. Most spanish are now against it with only the older generation being in favour. Bit like burning witches, slavery, etc. It's not for the 21st century...

Hey if you're talking about the weather in Ukraine, this summer it's hotter there than in Brasil!!!

So, shock of shocks, tabloid journalism is basically a load of concocted bo**ocks? Too right! I can't believe the amount of shoddy, made up nonsense i'm reading in the sports press these days, from so-called 'sources close to...' How about we all start a campaign and not read/buy these pieces of crap and hit them where it hurts?

if JM intimated he wanted to leave before the World Cup, then surely it has nothing to do with Villa's ambition. He'd have had no inkling of who we were looking to sign, etc. Methinks his head was turned somehow, and THAT is why he's leaving, not because of the club itself. Last season we had 2 cracking cup runs and danced with a top 4 place until the very end, which is progress. Who's to say we won't progress further this season. It's not all about how much you spend but what you do with the players you have.

Hey Danny, As an English teacher, I can tell you that the majority of the posters here get things alarmingly with grammar, spelling, etc. wrong..Ignore them!!!

I was thinking about this sell to buy thing and it's understandable really. Look at the number of players we've bought who've patently been a waste of money, and you can see where RL is coming from. Davies, Beye, Sidwell, Harewood, Shorey... Maybe 50% have been decent, and that's pretty poor business to a seasoned businessman. So, cut your losses by cutting out the deadwood, get some of it back, and plough that into your team Can't say that i blame him really...

This is becoming beyond tedious!!! So many speculative, often barbed comments about JM, MON, Villa, etc..BUT, who actually KNOWS what has been said, or what level of ambition Villa have? So much sqwarking about not showing signs of ambition, not doing this or that to make JM stay, and yet, you know nothing... As far as i am aware, he's still on holiday, and his agent has said nothing. We KNOW City want him and made a bid but that's all... As for not signing anybody yet to show ambition? So what? You can't simply magic players out of thin air. Of course we can't offer CL football, but neither can City or Liverpool, so obviously, anyone going there is purely after financial gain. Fair enough, but be honest about it, and not waffle on about the magic of Anfield or being part of an exciting project... The fact is, with a fan base of around 40000 or so, you cannot sustain paying out wages such as those paid to JC. The other 'star' names will demand parity and then football spirals out of control ever further. Ity's already teetering on the edge of a financial cataclysm, with only TV money and billionaire owners/banks keeping things afloat thus far. Kindly get real and not expect Villa to drown in a sea of debt to sate your desire for CL football: do it gradually, build and evolve. And besides, buying big name players does not necessarily buy big name success. It's about motivation and teamwork, skill and dedication: look at what Fulham achieved in the Euopa league last season, then look at Liverpool, look at Arsenal. Focus on bringing through the raw talent rather than buying unproven (in the PL) big names. really, almost 4000 posts on a topic that has little in the way of substance and evidence is really beyond me...

Oh yes, they do like a bevvy or 2 there..

advice, even

Well, they have private medical care over there so no hefty NHS to pay for...you pay half (about 50,000 won) and the employer pays the rest. You can use it for anything at all and really, it's really kick-butt cool in those hospitals there. I was on an island called Geoje, just off the coast near to Busan. If you like climbing, watersports (not THAT sort!) etc, the south is good. If you like winter sports, it's better further north. This time os year, it's pretty humid, but in the winter it can be really cold, but dry cold, with beautiful clear skies. I just did a year before returning to do a masters, but i'd certainly go back there. I saved about £7000, even living reasonably well. Try the local brands, etc, when it comes to food, as imported stuff is crazy money. Cheese and butter seem to be a mystery to them, but most other things are easily obtainable. I'm British, but ended up with an annoying US twinge to my accent that soon wore off again. They generally teach US English there so watch out when your writing on the board with your spelling. The kids can be a little wild at times, but if you're fun with them, but firm, they're amazing: really warm and generous. They often try to hug you,etc. which feels odd at first, as we're conditioned to back aweay from that here, but there, they are just natural, which was amazing, and you can build up some real rapport. If you need any advicxe, I'll be glad to help out...

I think Mr Lerner is a very shrewd businessman. Such losses are set off against taxes, etc. Villa are not indebted to banks or other organisations who could pull the rug from under us at a mere whim, but primarily owe RL the figures stated in the accounts. To him, it is a sustainable level of debt, and indeed, most commerce in the entire world moves on credit, as opposed to cold, hard cash. I think the whole 'sell to buy' thing has been over-egged somewhat. This stemmed from RL's comments, which could have been interpreted in a number of ways. Alas, the media, an hence you lot here, decided to take the negative path. Villa are a business and if another company wants to make an over-inflated bid to buy an asset, and you make a hefty profit on that, then you go for it, and re-invest in your business to take it higher and further. JM is not God and if you read many of the comments about him here, he's good but not even that great. If he goes (and he has not yet indicated he wants this!) then he will be replaced by one or more other players from that fee. It's not the end of the world. Players even leave the biggest clubs: how many good players left Arsenal, despite them offering CL football? Alonso left Liverpool, Ronaldo left United, blah, blah, blah... LIfe evolves, and maybe he'll go, but he will be replaced and forgotten about in time by someone more worthy...

Hey i taught over there- amazing experience... Basically, they have Korean teachers giving them the basics, and you just act as Mr or Mrs Entertainer, showing them how to pronounce things properly (Most Korean English teachers can barely do this!) The weirdest thing to get used to is the food, especially if you're a veggie... Recommendation: Learn a little of the language, as it really will go down a storm over there. It's a beautiful country and life there is way cheaper than in the UK. I paid £10 a month tax on £1000, and had a free apartment too... Good luck!!!

Don't forget we've had a World Cup that surely has slowed things down a bit. Maybe we're slow, but hardly worth panicking just yet, peeps...