O'Neill - stay or go, the update

[chris_avfc]

Oh shit the idiots have started again

[MuleAthon]

Oh shit the idiots have started again

Nice post on poster there.

As I've said, I'd really like MON to do well. But I'm not sure he will.

Perhaps a Director of Football can be brought in to sort his signings out for him?

I just can't help that on his own MON isn't good enough to take us forward.

Hell, it might be that he's simply too nice a guy to get on at this level:

MON: "How much for Sneijder?"

Madrid: "He's not for sale."

MON: "Okay then. Sorry for wasting your time."

[AshVilla]

he can go...

abysmal squad, no strength in depth whatsoever replacing a midfielder who has over 300+ premiership games with someone who has no premiership experience...

not good enough wheres the replacement for G Barry or M Laursen???

outclassed by wigan... an abbaration god help us when teams such as Blues or Stoke play us and put it up our defence

MON has had all summer to sort it out he's done **** all in terms of quality who do we have to come off the bench to make an impact???

GI Joe he's our hero.....

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

Oh shit the idiots have started again

Nice post on poster there.

As I've said, I'd really like MON to do well. But I'm not sure he will.

Perhaps a Director of Football can be brought in to sort his signings out for him?

I just can't help that on his own MON isn't good enough to take us forward.

Hell, it might be that he's simply too nice a guy to get on at this level:

MON: "How much for Sneijder?"

Madrid: "He's not for sale."

MON: "Okay then. Sorry for wasting your time."

No, Director of Football would mean MON would walk out.

Infact, the best managers are always single minded, and i firmly believe that a mangers reign should be a dictatorship and he should only be accountable to one man, the chairman.

David Moyes would walk out of Everton if they had a director of football, Arsene Wenger and SAF the same.

Thats my opinion anyway, if anything, he needs someone on his scouting staff with better contacts within europe.

[MuleAthon]

Oh shit the idiots have started again

Nice post on poster there.

As I've said, I'd really like MON to do well. But I'm not sure he will.

Perhaps a Director of Football can be brought in to sort his signings out for him?

I just can't help that on his own MON isn't good enough to take us forward.

Hell, it might be that he's simply too nice a guy to get on at this level:

MON: "How much for Sneijder?"

Madrid: "He's not for sale."

MON: "Okay then. Sorry for wasting your time."

No, Director of Football would mean MON would walk out.

Infact, the best managers are always single minded, and i firmly believe that a mangers reign should be a dictatorship and he should only be accountable to one man, the chairman.

David Moyes would walk out of Everton if they had a director of football, Arsene Wenger and SAF the same.

Thats my opinion anyway, if anything, he needs someone on his scouting staff with better contacts within europe.

I don't disagree with your point, but i think something needs to be done to give MON the kick up the arse he needs to get stuff done. If I've got a deadline to meet, I make sure the work is done well in advance, just in case.

It seems MON needs to buy a ****ing calendar, or at least be told when to sign players.

It's not like St holders don't pay for the first 2 home games in August because the squad's not assembled yet, is it?

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

Oh shit the idiots have started again

Nice post on poster there.

As I've said, I'd really like MON to do well. But I'm not sure he will.

Perhaps a Director of Football can be brought in to sort his signings out for him?

I just can't help that on his own MON isn't good enough to take us forward.

Hell, it might be that he's simply too nice a guy to get on at this level:

MON: "How much for Sneijder?"

Madrid: "He's not for sale."

MON: "Okay then. Sorry for wasting your time."

No, Director of Football would mean MON would walk out.

Infact, the best managers are always single minded, and i firmly believe that a mangers reign should be a dictatorship and he should only be accountable to one man, the chairman.

David Moyes would walk out of Everton if they had a director of football, Arsene Wenger and SAF the same.

Thats my opinion anyway, if anything, he needs someone on his scouting staff with better contacts within europe.

I don't disagree with your point, but i think something needs to be done to give MON the kick up the arse he needs to get stuff done. If I've got a deadline to meet, I make sure the work is done well in advance, just in case.

It seems MON needs to buy a ****ing calendar, or at least be told when to sign players.

It's not like St holders don't pay for the first 2 home games in August because the squad's not assembled yet, is it?

I think his problem is he seeks a certain type of player. And if that player isnt available, he doesnt know where to go.

[MuleAthon]

The problem, then, is that it must be someone, rather than noone.

That can go one of two ways:

1. Wayne Routledge/Salifou - utter punts

2. Heskey - proven player, but not really either needed or wanted.

The man needs guidance I reckon.

[AshVilla]

The problem is he has built a farce of a squad.

1 dimensional... hoof ball up to carew if he's not there hoof it up to the wings ashley young in particular who is a marked man... he will not have the same impact this season.. double up on him jobs a gooden... We should have a midfielder in the centre now who can dictate play keep posession and create chances... 4 years since ive seen a proper one at Villa Park...

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

I posted this in another thread but felt it was better suited to this one.

I also agree that statements like the one you quoted area pile of shite, why would we even be wasting our time being fans then since we "long for a defeat". I've been saying for a long time we WILL be found out. We can't keep possession to save our lives. MON has seemed tactically clueless for some time. He has spunked a shitload of money other managers could have done alot better with. STOP comparing this era to the Doug Ellis era because MON has had advantages no other manager in recent Villa history has had. Bizarre and absolutely mind boggling selections and substitutions that have almost NEVER worked. Our players themselves must be able to see this and must be losing patience. Starting Delph over Reo Coker(and i'm a harsh crtitic of his) or Sidwell in the first game of the season and his first ever at this level was a joke. ASHLEY Young is overrated and has been for a while, good player no doubt but not "World Class" or deserving of diving all over the place and wasting delivery the way he does and acting as if he should be playing for Barcelona. Our transfer policy is as predictable as our play. There are good players all over the world (and they don't have to b of the VDV etc variety or cost a fraction as much to find). Our strikers are kind of...well......shit. I honestly feel that there is discontentment amongst the players for alot of the same reasons alot of us fans complain about and that is going to be a huge factor in how we perform this season.

We probably shouldnt jump the gun and sack him (even though i did vote "go" in the poll as i was disgusted right after the game)

I can't wait to have Luke and Bouma back and i hope to god we get at least two more high quality players or i feel it's mid table at best.

[YLN]

If I might tease something out...

You complain that MON has spent more than most managers. He has managed 2 consecutive 6th place finishes, while those teams who have spent within the same ball park have fallen below.

This pre-season, his net spend has been in the region of £4 million if I'm right, which is nothing. He lost Laursen and Barry, but that was unavoidable, yet aside from Bent, I don't think there was one truly attainable quality player that we have missed out on. So i don't know what else the anti-MON brigade are expecting. Don't say he's tactically inept, because as you yourselves have said, this is a results business and he has gotten results.

After what he spent we finished well up in the league. He hasn't spent this time around because there was really nothing available and he has also lost two vitally important players. If we are lacking in quality (and we are), he is a victim of his situation. He could buy some players to fill up the squad, but with the market inflated as it is, he probably didn't see the point while we have young talented players who would not be completely eclipsed by what we would get if we started bringing in squad fillers. Based on reports we got screwed by Portsmouth into losing Knight and being left without Distin, which could be blamed on MON, if you really want, but is moreso down to the desperation of Pompey.

So the squad is lacking. And it is. But what else could he have done? We shouldn't be losing to teams like Wigan, but the backbone has been ripped out of our side and we are still reeling. I don't think he has, or ever will lose the dressing room, as the team have a great respect for him as a manager. We're trying desperately for Wesley Sneijder who would kick-start our season, but if he doesn't come rolling into Bodymoor Heath in the next 2 weeks, this isn't going to be a hugely successful season, but I really don't think too much of the blame can be laid at Martin's door.

[guyavfc]

MON has lost the dressing room

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

I've nothing against his spending, its not my money and its not a fair assessment.

When he came in we had a SHIT, i mean really Shit team, with some quality hidden amongst it.

He couldnt go out and overhaul the team in one or two windows. It's taken him years to ship the crap out and get HIS squad together, and thats why he's spent so much.

The best comparison would be Rafa Benitez. Before he came Liverpools team was pretty pants. He spent pretty much the same if not more than MON to completely overhaul his squad, and its taken him years aswell.

Now that MON has his squad together, he can push on(hopefully) and get the quality to suplement the grafters. And much like Rafa Benitez, he's bought his fair share of crap, but you have to maintain a sense of perspective. Most of the crap players he bought have proven to be short term solutions. If Shorey goes and Warnock comes in you'll see a good example of this. Much like Liverpool had Arbeloa and brought in Johnson.

You cant go out and spend shit loads of money on quality players without consequence, and it takes a long time to build a team.

There are so many examples of this i wont even start. But everyone knows the most famous, and thats Alex Ferguson.

It is a results driven buisness, but its also a long term buisness. You cant make a quick few in Football.

Finally, i think Lerner see's the long term. And as someone pointed out, in a few years more regulations are coming in, and eventualy a salary cap will be introduced. And Lerner and MON knows this. And by then, be it 3 or 5 years, we will be well placed to be the title team we once were.

[VillaAndLoyal]

If I might tease something out...

You complain that MON has spent more than most managers. He has managed 2 consecutive 6th place finishes, while those teams who have spent within the same ball park have fallen below.

This pre-season, his net spend has been in the region of £4 million if I'm right, which is nothing. He lost Laursen and Barry, but that was unavoidable, yet aside from Bent, I don't think there was one truly attainable quality player that we have missed out on. So i don't know what else the anti-MON brigade are expecting. Don't say he's tactically inept, because as you yourselves have said, this is a results business and he has gotten results.

After what he spent we finished well up in the league. He hasn't spent this time around because there was really nothing available and he has also lost two vitally important players. If we are lacking in quality (and we are), he is a victim of his situation. He could buy some players to fill up the squad, but with the market inflated as it is, he probably didn't see the point while we have young talented players who would not be completely eclipsed by what we would get if we started bringing in squad fillers. Based on reports we got screwed by Portsmouth into losing Knight and being left without Distin, which could be blamed on MON, if you really want, but is moreso down to the desperation of Pompey.

So the squad is lacking. And it is. But what else could he have done? We shouldn't be losing to teams like Wigan, but the backbone has been ripped out of our side and we are still reeling. I don't think he has, or ever will lose the dressing room, as the team have a great respect for him as a manager. We're trying desperately for Wesley Sneijder who would kick-start our season, but if he doesn't come rolling into Bodymoor Heath in the next 2 weeks, this isn't going to be a hugely successful season, but I really don't think too much of the blame can be laid at Martin's door.

I think i've heard it all now Now Martin's a victim is he? A victim of a situation that is.

How do you know there were no players attainable of the quality needed? Unless you are someone ITK then you saying there was "really nothing available" is about as accurate a statement as Gabby is with his shooting.

And how can you possibly sit there and blame Portsmouth for US selling Knight to Bolton, not 'losing' him as you state. WE decided to sell him before we had a replacement lined up, how is that anybody's fault apart from our own? Take your rose tinted spectacles off please.

[Phumfeinz]

I'm willing to reserve judgment till the end of the transfer window.

[1974Centenary]

I voted yes but i want to see some new tactics.

[YLN]

If I might tease something out...

You complain that MON has spent more than most managers. He has managed 2 consecutive 6th place finishes, while those teams who have spent within the same ball park have fallen below.

This pre-season, his net spend has been in the region of £4 million if I'm right, which is nothing. He lost Laursen and Barry, but that was unavoidable, yet aside from Bent, I don't think there was one truly attainable quality player that we have missed out on. So i don't know what else the anti-MON brigade are expecting. Don't say he's tactically inept, because as you yourselves have said, this is a results business and he has gotten results.

After what he spent we finished well up in the league. He hasn't spent this time around because there was really nothing available and he has also lost two vitally important players. If we are lacking in quality (and we are), he is a victim of his situation. He could buy some players to fill up the squad, but with the market inflated as it is, he probably didn't see the point while we have young talented players who would not be completely eclipsed by what we would get if we started bringing in squad fillers. Based on reports we got screwed by Portsmouth into losing Knight and being left without Distin, which could be blamed on MON, if you really want, but is moreso down to the desperation of Pompey.

So the squad is lacking. And it is. But what else could he have done? We shouldn't be losing to teams like Wigan, but the backbone has been ripped out of our side and we are still reeling. I don't think he has, or ever will lose the dressing room, as the team have a great respect for him as a manager. We're trying desperately for Wesley Sneijder who would kick-start our season, but if he doesn't come rolling into Bodymoor Heath in the next 2 weeks, this isn't going to be a hugely successful season, but I really don't think too much of the blame can be laid at Martin's door.

I think i've heard it all now Now Martin's a victim is he? A victim of a situation that is.

How do you know there were no players attainable of the quality needed? Unless you are someone ITK then you saying there was "really nothing available" is about as accurate a statement as Gabby is with his shooting.

And how can you possibly sit there and blame Portsmouth for US selling Knight to Bolton, not 'losing' him as you state. WE decided to sell him before we had a replacement lined up, how is that anybody's fault apart from our own? Take your rose tinted spectacles off please.

Victim of circumstance. Not a victim of a rape, which is the connotation of the word you are trying to invoke. I didn't say I knew no one was available, but if a quality player was available, wouldn't he have been seized by another club? The story was that Portsmouth had verbally agreed to sell Distin to us, but circumstances changed. I said it could be blamed on MON, so there are no rose-tinted spectacles.

Well there are some. Villa fans seem to have picked up 'the divine right to success' spectacles as worn by Newcastle fans every season up til May 2009.

You think you've heard it all now?

[Olejniker]

I really think MON needs to stop trying to make obviously failing formations to work.

We were the most successful we ever was under MON when we went 4-5-1 with Agbonlahor as the lone striker and 5 good midfielders.

And we were the worst we ever was under MON when we went 4-4-2 with Heskey upfront with Agbonlahor and Petrov in a 2 man midfield.

But MON keeps persisting with the formation, trying to make it work, when he really should just accept the fact and stop.

How long does it take for MON to change formation? In previous years when we've had a terrible run of games, MON would change formations to a 4-4-1-1(Berger behind Agbonlahor) or a 4-1-2-1-2.

Why doesn't he do that now? 17 games of the same terrible formation and personnel.

Seriously, if he doesn't change things around, and continues to be stubborn, he really should go, because if we continue having these kind of performances we will be relegated.

[Si.]

This is a tough one. I dont think he should go but still...I think he will be gone by Xmas IMHO.

[Si.]

Do we miss Barry, hell yes, did Barry make Petrov look like a better player than he is, of course he did.

Will our manager be able to find someone of Barry's quality, who knows, but going on the performance against Wigan, he has one hell of a lot of work to do.

No. MON will not replace Barry. Yet I hope im wrong. He seemd so medicore yet we will miss him so much. And for the people who are insecure about their weight..no..he is not fat.

[sled]

Someone mentioned we get in a Director of Football.

Not if MON is the greatest thing since sliced bread and walks on water.

Not if he's clown MON and has lost the plot OMG OMG.

Not if we appoint David O'Leary as manager.

Not if we appoint Chris Hutchings or Colin Calderwood as manager.

Not if we appoint José Mourinho or Pep Guardiola as manager.

No. They interfere and even the few who don't go around causing friction are seen by all but the most thick-skinned (eg Guardiola*) as vultures simply waiting to ingratiate themselves with Mr Chairman or Mr Owner and write a damning report on the manager.

No Directors of Football. Please.

* EDIT: Mind you, if you can win the Champions' League in your first season perhaps you don't need a thick skin.