Are we expecting too much ?

[Big_John_10]

You may be right, i'm a huge MON fan but i've never believed we wouldn't be able to bring another quality manager in.

The thing is if we go down the route of just changing managers every few years i think we need to fall lucky enough to bring in a wonder manager that big teams don't want or someone who has the ability to find real gems or attract big names in the transfer market.

There are of course positives for replacing the manager in like i said someone great may come in but then the downside is that we may continue to slump as the new manager builds his squad and that time may have seen us slowly build even more with consistent top 6 finishes.

It's a tough call and one i really don't know which would bring more effective results.

I think that thinking is a hang up from Ellis days to be honest, when after 3-4 years, managers would normally get tired of working with him, and he'd stop funding them.

Lerner is a totally different kettle of fish, He's shown no sign in reducing his financial commitment to Villa, yet I have to say that I don't think O'Neill is providing value for his money. If we continue in this mediocre vein, you have to say how on earth is O'Neill going to provide the impetus to get us into the top 4? He either can't or won't bring top players in, and that won't change with another 6th/7th placed finish if we're miles behind the top 4.

We'd be better in that situation looking for a new manager who just may have the ideas to take us on that extra step. It's always a risk of course, but Lerner is no Mike Ashley, and I can't ever see him making a hash of things.

I'm in agreement that there has to be a point where a new approach is required, i guess the difference is that i haven't reached the point where i fully believe MON won't be able to take us further.

[Risso]

I'm in agreement that there has to be a point where a new approach is required, i guess the difference is that i haven't reached the point where i fully believe MON won't be able to take us further.

Well I've said I'll see where we are at the end of the season. Four years should be a good indication of whether he can improve or not. Although I'm guessing that a manager who thinks that Emile Hesley starting on the wing is a good thing has probably already peaked in truth.

[CockneyVilla]

Mon all the way, we just need to sort ourselves out and play with a bit more guile and energy.

[Olof'sAcorn]

I think expecting to beat West Ham, Wolves or Wigan when you've spent the money we have, and with our manager saying he wanted to challenge for 4th place isn't asking much.

Football isn't played on paper, if it was it would be extremely boring.

[BOF]

O'Neill has serious issues and they're not about his tactical ability. All I ask is that we use our squad to it's maximum. We're not getting anywhere near that at the moment and Martin is making pretty basic errors in judgement.

[Chindie]

Depends what you expect, obviously.

We don't have superior spending power to lots of other clubs either. The top 4, Spurs and Citeh at least can outspend us.

Frankly, I ain't expecting much and havent for while. Within a season Martin will be gone.

[paulanddonya]

I aint gonna talk about MON - I've give up on the subject.

All I wanna say is I keep hearing, go on then name someone better - he's the best we are gonna get.

That statement is totally and utterly wrong.

The premier league is THE league to be in - you only have to look at Mourinho - at Inter Milan , champions of Italy, a chance of winning the CL - and all he talks about is how he misses the Permier League and wants to come back.

It's where the money is - more importantly.

Top European coaches would die to take over a premier club with a billionaire owner, who , given the backing, which he would certainly get, could go on to great things.

Jesus - even Blues are being linked to Ranieri. Whether him, Rikyeard (or however you spell it) , even a Koeman - who-ever - pay them the dosh - and they would come !.

I voted done as much as he can.

For the money he has spent i DO NOT expect to see Emile Heskey playing on the wing and Habib Beye at right back.

[Chindie]

Ranieri - Installed as perma CL incumbent Roma manager in September

Rijkaard - Absolutely no Prem experience, installed as Galatasary manager in June

Koeman - AZ manager since May.

I'm sorry, no one in Europe gives a rats arse about us. We don't have recent pedigree, the Prem isn't the draw it was even a couple of years ago, and we don't have an incredibly rich owner, as far as the Prem goes Randy is actually not that special at all in wealth.

[NowDoINotLikeThat]

Depends what you expect, obviously.

We don't have superior spending power to lots of other clubs either. The top 4, Spurs and Citeh at least can outspend us.

Frankly, I ain't expecting much and havent for while. Within a season Martin will be gone.

Well this summer just gone we did spend more than the top 4 and Spurs.

Infact Man City were only club in league who spent more than us.

Granted we needed to spend a lot and they can all pay bigger wages.

But last summer we outspent most teams as well.

Just saying like .

6th is what i expected before this season started (and a decent eurpoean run for once -obviously that part hasnt happened) .

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

Yep, a lot of fans are expecting too much.

Let them get carried away however. I couldn't give a toss about their kneejerked reactions and obsession with money.

I'll just sit back and enjoy football for what it is, a **** game.

[Hanky]

We don't have the pulling power of some teams as well. Where are all the mediocre signings of last window anyway. Beye is right back cover. I think most would be happy with Collins, Dunne and Warnock now?

[paulanddonya]

Do you think Zico wanted to see Russias fantastic cultural heritage ????

Jesus man, get real.

You pay anyone the money - and they will go anywhere.

I didn't say them three, I just used those three as examples.

Others - Klinsmann , heres one from leftfield for ya - Viera ! , how about - here you go for another leftfield - Eriksson -

But hey, were not as big as Notts County are we !!!!

And trapattoni loves Guiness I presume.

Point proven I think.

There are - and I mean this - literally hundreds of managers out there that are as good and of them, at least one hundred that are better than Martin O'Neill and would love to manage the Villa.

[Chindie]

Klinsmanns a **** awful manager.

Viera? who's he?

Eriksson wasn't great either and has proved he's quite clearly happy to cash his cheque these days.

Trappattoni's past it as well and isn't the greatest love of the Irish fans as far as I've seen either.

If you culd name 100 managers that realistically are better for Aston Villa than Martin O'Neill I'll happily give £10 to the site, and I'm skint.

Because you can't.

[KAZZAM]

Nobody expects to much,people expect Mon to learn from his mistakes from last year and stop making simple errors time after time abeit formation/selection/substitutions.

I personnaly like Mon but he infuriates me with his schoolboy errors.

[MR.Smalljob]

Good old MON

[Chindie]

Perfect timing.

[paulanddonya]

I honestly cannot believe that Villa fans think we are such a small club that we couldn't attract a big name manager.

Martin Jol , before becoming Ajax manager - applied for the Sunderland job - and some of you think we are so small, top managers wouldn't consider us.

Well, that just shows doesn't it - thats why Lerner will never lose - because our fans expectations are so small - as long as we are in the top 10 - the majority will be happy.

Shame on you ! - I listen to the radio , and hear the likes of Andy Townsend rave about our club, it's size, it's history - and half of our fans think we are just a dog-crap club.

this thread just goes to show wahat damage Doug Ellis did to the Villa. 30 yrs ago when Saunders was manager, try asking him if getting Villa into the top 8 would be an acheivement.

Maybe I am in the minority here - but I have seen us win the league, win the European Cup, win the league cup , finish runners up, get to cup finals.

Sorry - to me, I am not happy to conclude our club is nothing - cannot attract quality - and that I should be happy that we are in the top 10 !

Get out your Proud History - Bright Future DVD - because it seems some of you have forgotten what our club represents !!!

[Guest Ricardomeister]

I don't think MON will take us any further than 6th and I think, in spite of 1 or 2 decent individual signings, the team is not as good as it has been over the last 2 seasons. The bottom line for me is that, even after spending a lot of money, we simply do not have the quality that the Sky 4, Citeh and Spurs have. Therefore, I cannot see us finishing higher than 7th and we could even be vulnerable to 2 or 3 other teams passing us. I am still of the belief that MON is nothing more than a decent manager. I have never seen much evidence to the contrary. I would not want him sacked now but I think serious questions will need to be asked if we cannot pull out of our current poor run very quickly.

[paulanddonya]

Another one - just suggestions here as apparently we couldn't get anyone

Avram Grant !

next one coming shortly by edit

EDIT

Maybe Scolari would be a chance, where is Lippi now, is he still out of work.

Others coming shortly

EDIT AGAIN

Is Shuster still out of work after leaving Madrid ?

EDIT AGAIN FOR THE LAST TIME COZ I WANT TO GO TO BED AND THINK I HAVE PROVED MY POINT NOW THAT THERE "ARE" PEOPLE OUT THERE

Van basten anyone.

People say they wouldnt come - and obviously you are correct , because Frank Rijkaard went to a dog shit hell hole of a place in one of the best leagues in the world because he loves visiting Turkish Archetecture !

We need to look at who we are, and what we expect. If Blues are looking at Ranieri = then it is a piss take if we consider ourselves too small to.

I used to be in marketing - the first rule of marketing - you tell the public about the next best thing so often - they will start to believe it.

You carry on saying we are too small - we will remain that way

[Hanky]

Maybe I am in the minority here - but I have seen us win the league, win the European Cup, win the league cup , finish runners up, get to cup finals.

Yes this is true but we have been in the wilderness along time as well. Even worse than that we could well have been relegated under GT mark II and O'Leary. This would have been completely disasterous.