Paul Lambert

[ozvillafan]

I'm not necessarily convinced by the article to be honest. It raises some very true points but what help did Ferguson have from above when he started at United? He narrowly avoided the sack then he built them from the ground up. Did Wenger have people above him doing some of the background work? Martinez seems to be in control of it all at Everton going by recent interviews as well.

 

These situations can only work when there is money to spend especially in this day and age of football - currently we are not investing in the squad other than to remain afloat which is just going to land us in the championship in the long run. Lambert brought with him his team to control all of these matters and maybe the job was just too big for him? Or maybe we are merely experiencing an inevitable stutter? 

 

Either Lerner was cutting costs with a view to reinvesting or he is about to bail in the summer. Only time will tell.

 

You raise valid points about Martinez, Wenger and Ferguson - but in Ferguson we have the exact example that the article points to: Once Ferguson left, a new manager has to take over and it's back to square one (or outside Europe for ManUre).

 

The risk with a long term managerial appointment is you are in a worse state if they cannot deliver (MON, for example) compared to chopping and changing for a better quality manager. I have grave doubts about Lambert's ability to guide us to top-half finishes, let alone Europe. Perhaps it's time to try again?

 

As for Lerner - his obvious disinterest would suggest he's looking to sell, not re-invest.

[VillakevBromsgrove]

Playing devils advocate,

The predictions and plans are one thing, reality is something else, I  believe if we hadn't of had the injuries this year that we have had that we would  be 6 or 7 points better off or more. We have a thread bare squad and it has been tested to the limit. My only concerns are why certain players have not had a look in with the situation as it is. Maybe CNZ was to be the No 10 we needed, maybe our youngsters were only ever going to get a couple of games while the coaches worked on improving them and building confidence. Maybe it is not all doom and gloom long term but survival at present with what circumstances we have been dealt.

[lexicon]

All valid points Kev but it's hard for a lot of people to digest in light of the recent results. I think Lerner is on that page though, which is the important thing.

 

I am concerned that the training exercises are somewhat extreme though - given how many injuries have occurred.

[Voinjama]

I know I will be outnumbered but I actually think he is doing a good job. Only 5 players are good enough for this level. Even if Mourinho was in charge the club would still be in a similar position. 

[lexicon]

I think a good job is stretching it but things could definitely be a lot worse given the magnitude of the project. As a lot of people have said, this summer will be the big one in showing if he can help us push on or not.

[PieFacE]

http://football.chrisnee.co.uk/2014/04/aston-villa-stagnant-helpless-and.html?m=1

Good read.

That's a good'un! 

[Amo69]

I've just read that this is the first time we have lost 10 home games in a season in our history! Is this true?

If so then how can Lambert still be defended. Does this mean that he is working under the hardest conditions throughout our entire history? Give me a break.

[shaggy]

I'm hoping he can yet again prove how crap he is elsewhere.

 

For what reason other than pettiness?

For the reason that I no longer want him as our manager and it is as simple as that. No pettiness intended.

[villan_007]

What still gets me is why did he take the job in the first place? yes we're are bigger club, better facilities and all that.

 

However, if he had stayed at Norwich, he would have been given more money to develop a successful team he had built.

 

Something just doesn't add up for me - he sometimes says that Lerner had said to him this will be your toughest few yrs in football. Now was that because he's been asked to come in and keep us up on basic money untill he sells, was it tread water for two yrs then we'll have money to push on.

 

Was it simply that the guy has balls and thought I can crack this.

 

Regardless of what people think now, at the time he was one of the bright young managers on the market.

 

I can't help but smell sale all day long when I sit back and look at it, but I also find it strange for a manger to come in a tread water untill it happens. Mcleish / curbishleys of this world yes, but not a young manager that had a good reputation, who in all honesty has maybe now ruined that.

[Amo69]

What still gets me is why did he take the job in the first place? yes we're are bigger club, better facilities and all that.

However, if he had stayed at Norwich, he would have been given more money to develop a successful team he had built.

Something just doesn't add up for me - he sometimes says that Lerner had said to him this will be your toughest few yrs in football. Now was that because he's been asked to come in and keep us up on basic money untill he sells, was it tread water for two yrs then we'll have money to push on.

Was it simply that the guy has balls and thought I can crack this.

Regardless of what people think now, at the time he was one of the bright young managers on the market.

I can't help but smell sale all day long when I sit back and look at it, but I also find it strange for a manger to come in a tread water untill it happens. Mcleish / curbishleys of this world yes, but not a young manager that had a good reputation, who in all honesty has maybe now ruined that.

Maybe the salary had a lot to do with it?

[Risso]

Hadn't he supposedly fallen out with the Norwich board as well?

[DelboyVilla]

What still gets me is why did he take the job in the first place? yes we're are bigger club, better facilities and all that.

 

However, if he had stayed at Norwich, he would have been given more money to develop a successful team he had built.

 

Something just doesn't add up for me - he sometimes says that Lerner had said to him this will be your toughest few yrs in football. Now was that because he's been asked to come in and keep us up on basic money untill he sells, was it tread water for two yrs then we'll have money to push on.

 

Was it simply that the guy has balls and thought I can crack this.

 

Regardless of what people think now, at the time he was one of the bright young managers on the market.

 

I can't help but smell sale all day long when I sit back and look at it, but I also find it strange for a manger to come in a tread water untill it happens. Mcleish / curbishleys of this world yes, but not a young manager that had a good reputation, who in all honesty has maybe now ruined that.

 

Maybe he was about to be found out at Norwich too?

[Anything11]

What still gets me is why did he take the job in the first place? yes we're are bigger club, better facilities and all that.

 

However, if he had stayed at Norwich, he would have been given more money to develop a successful team he had built.

 

Something just doesn't add up for me - he sometimes says that Lerner had said to him this will be your toughest few yrs in football. Now was that because he's been asked to come in and keep us up on basic money untill he sells, was it tread water for two yrs then we'll have money to push on.

 

Was it simply that the guy has balls and thought I can crack this.

 

Regardless of what people think now, at the time he was one of the bright young managers on the market.

 

I can't help but smell sale all day long when I sit back and look at it, but I also find it strange for a manger to come in a tread water untill it happens. Mcleish / curbishleys of this world yes, but not a young manager that had a good reputation, who in all honesty has maybe now ruined that.

 

I have been pondering this for a while myself. The club has been hinting that its a rebuild job and he would eventually be given real money to compete but now there are whisperings of a sale. Lambert does not strike me as daft enough to just tread water.  I guess the summer will be the telling point with incoming players and the mystical contract for Lambert.

[villan_007]

 

What still gets me is why did he take the job in the first place? yes we're are bigger club, better facilities and all that.

However, if he had stayed at Norwich, he would have been given more money to develop a successful team he had built.

Something just doesn't add up for me - he sometimes says that Lerner had said to him this will be your toughest few yrs in football. Now was that because he's been asked to come in and keep us up on basic money untill he sells, was it tread water for two yrs then we'll have money to push on.

Was it simply that the guy has balls and thought I can crack this.

Regardless of what people think now, at the time he was one of the bright young managers on the market.

I can't help but smell sale all day long when I sit back and look at it, but I also find it strange for a manger to come in a tread water untill it happens. Mcleish / curbishleys of this world yes, but not a young manager that had a good reputation, who in all honesty has maybe now ruined that.

Maybe the salary had a lot to do with it?

 

 

I doubt a payrise would have been difficult.

Hadn't he supposedly fallen out with the Norwich board as well?

 

Wasn't that only when he said he wanted to leave?

[Eames]

Its a bigger job than the one he had at the time and he probably thought he couldn't make us any worse!

 

I think given time and some decent ££ he will sort it out.

 

His tactics have been suspect on a few occasions but with 11 of the first team squad injured and Fulham fighting for their lives under a bloke who makes the SAS attutidue to physical training seem lazy, they were always going to beat us. I don't think that was 100% his fault, especially when more than 3 of the team didn't look like they gave a toss either way.

[villan_007]

 

What still gets me is why did he take the job in the first place? yes we're are bigger club, better facilities and all that.

 

However, if he had stayed at Norwich, he would have been given more money to develop a successful team he had built.

 

Something just doesn't add up for me - he sometimes says that Lerner had said to him this will be your toughest few yrs in football. Now was that because he's been asked to come in and keep us up on basic money untill he sells, was it tread water for two yrs then we'll have money to push on.

 

Was it simply that the guy has balls and thought I can crack this.

 

Regardless of what people think now, at the time he was one of the bright young managers on the market.

 

I can't help but smell sale all day long when I sit back and look at it, but I also find it strange for a manger to come in a tread water untill it happens. Mcleish / curbishleys of this world yes, but not a young manager that had a good reputation, who in all honesty has maybe now ruined that.

 

Maybe he was about to be found out at Norwich too?

 

 

3 seasons and back to back promotions is enough time to be found out.

[Amo69]

Maybe he underestimated the job in hand. it's rare to see such a big club be run under such rigid financial restrictions.

Lambert got done over!

[Risso]

 

 

What still gets me is why did he take the job in the first place? yes we're are bigger club, better facilities and all that.

However, if he had stayed at Norwich, he would have been given more money to develop a successful team he had built.

Something just doesn't add up for me - he sometimes says that Lerner had said to him this will be your toughest few yrs in football. Now was that because he's been asked to come in and keep us up on basic money untill he sells, was it tread water for two yrs then we'll have money to push on.

Was it simply that the guy has balls and thought I can crack this.

Regardless of what people think now, at the time he was one of the bright young managers on the market.

I can't help but smell sale all day long when I sit back and look at it, but I also find it strange for a manger to come in a tread water untill it happens. Mcleish / curbishleys of this world yes, but not a young manager that had a good reputation, who in all honesty has maybe now ruined that.

Maybe the salary had a lot to do with it?

 

 

I doubt a payrise would have been difficult.

Hadn't he supposedly fallen out with the Norwich board as well?

 

Wasn't that only when he said he wanted to leave?

 

 

No, according to this he hadn't spoken to the chairman in two years:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/10036292/Aston-Villa-manager-Paul-Lambert-I-dont-care-if-Norwich-City-are-relegated-from-the-Premier-League.html

 

I think we were probably his best bet at the time.

[mattyvilla]

For what its worth , i think if Lambert doesn't get a decent financial backing in the summer  he'll walk.

[Morley_crosses_to_Withe]

Can anyone remember what HairyHands said would happen in year three!? He wrote that post about the plan and future, but deleted it.

Didn't he say that this summer would be the one in which PL would use his budget to add quality to the first eleven rather than just beef up the squad?