Confirmed: Houllier is the new Villa manager

[Jez]

This recruitment process has been an absolute farce!

RE: The compo - what would people prefer - a £6-10M striker (for example) or for the money to be spent on acquiring the services on a top manager?

I'd definitely prefer the second option.

I'm intrigued how you could possibly know how much it would cost to buy out a manager and also if that manager would actually want to come and manage Aston Villa?

[PaulMcGrath_5]

No, the same reply you give when anybody asks/challenges your negative opinion.

Actually when someone challenges my opinion I typically do respond and justify it.

I only post what you have classed as the same reply (which it isn't by the way) whenever people just post on me , not my opinion, by saying things like "god you are always negative" or "dont youever post anything postive about the club"

See how that works?

See how that works? Love the patronizing attempt..

[Morley_crosses_to_Withe]

I'm intrigued how you could possibly know how much it would cost to buy out a manager and also if that manager would actually want to come and manage Aston Villa?

Jez, the figures are just an example.

[user66]

I'm a fan of Sam Allardyce. Unfortunately he's good enough to currently be in a job, so he's ruled out.

......given the current upheaval and uncertainty regarding the Blackburn takeover, I'd say that Allardyce would be the most gettable of any of the managers currently in a job........and IMO think he would jump at the chance.....

[Richard]

I have to disagree on Allardyce. Never been a fan, especially of his transfer dealings and the allegations around those

[Mantis]

We're too good for Allardyce, not to mention I can't stand the bloke.

[lexicon]

Allardyce is way beneath us. We've got bigger fish to fry.

And by bigger I mean in terms of reputation, not waistline.

[Woodytom]

In all honesty, were not too big for anyone at the minute

[kingysilvers]

Gerrard Houllier expected to be named as Aston Villa's new boss

Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has emerged as the frontrunner to become Aston Villa’s new boss – after club chairman Randy Lerner met with all of the contenders for the Villa Park vacancy.

The Frenchman, who turns 63 today, is believed to have come across as the outstanding candidate following the Villa board’s week of interviews.

Houllier, who won the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup treble with Liverpool in 2001, has not worked in the Premier League since he left Anfield by mutual consent on May 2004.

But he has the reputation and gravitas that the Villa top brass believe will keep the club upwardly mobile following Martin O’Neill’s untimely resignation three-and-a-half weeks ago.

Houllier also boasts a CV which includes winning the French league with Paris Saint Germain in the 1980s and twice in successive seasons in his last job in club management with Lyon in 2006-07.

He has since been employed as France’s technical director.

He fits Villa’s primary criterion of having managed in the Premier League during his six-year spell with the Merseyside giants.

His work on the developmental side of French football also ticks a box with Villa hoping to improve their policy of bringing through homegrown talent to the first team.

In 1988, Houllier took up a role at France’s National Technical Training Centre and the following year he was appointed Director for National Technical Direction.

He spent 10 years overhauling French football at various levels, playing a part in France winning the UEFA European U-18 Championship in 1996 and being credited for his contribution to their 1998 World Cup triumph on home soil.

Houllier is believed to have given Villa assurances that a return to the English top flight will not lead to the health problems he suffered during his time at Liverpool.

Lerner and his trusted lieutenant, chief executive Paul Faulkner, concluded the interview stage by talking to the final two candidates yesterday.

Although, Villa’s top brass already have clear idea of the frontrunner to succeed O’Neill, they will take the weekend to mull over the final decision.

There is likely to be an announcement on Monday.

Speculation has raged about the identity of the would-be managers on Villa’s shortlist all week with Kevin MacDonald and Alan Curbishley two of the other known interviewees.

Meanwhile, one of the new manager’s first tasks should be to overhaul the club’s sub-standard scouting system, according to ex-boss Graham Taylor.

O’Neill’s departure also saw chief scout Ian Storey-Moore leave Villa Park at the same time.

“When I was on the board at Villa I asked the then manager, John Gregory, what he wanted, and how I could help,” said Taylor. “He said that Villa needed a better worldwide scouting system and I set about putting that in place for him.

“However, when I left it was not carried on. It’s the big area that is letting down Villa.

“I know Ian Storey-Moore, who was chief scout under O’Neill, and how the club operated.

“Villa did not take many players from abroad, it was mainly an English-based squad. That has to change.

"MacDonald and the board must never again be wide open to five senior members of the football staff leaving when the manager goes. It has wiped them out.”

http://bit.ly/963PQy

[Richard]

In all honesty, were not too big for anyone at the minute

Even I am not saying that!!

[Woodytom]

In all honesty, were not too big for anyone at the minute

Even I am not saying that!!

Well were not

[Pilchard]

Allardyce is way beneath us. We've got bigger fish to fry.

And by bigger I mean in terms of reputation, not waistline.

Like Kevin MacDonald, Alan Curbishley and Gareth Southgate?

[o'lbs]

liverpool fans are less evolved beings. fact....... benitez got his stay of exectution over and over because the fans liked him because of one incident early on in his tenure.

When they were playing away in europe (germany I think) and the night before their match rafa and his back room staff dazza and bazza were looking for somewhere to watch another CL game and because their hotel wasn't showing it they ventured into town and found a place showing the game but it was packed with bin dippers. they game him a heroes welcome and he got the round in.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/the-famous-rafa-benitez-goes-the-pub

donadoni? isnt he one of the teenage mutant hero turtles? the one with the Nunchucks?

faulkner is demonstrating his lack of contacts in the football world with the disgustingly unimaginative list of interveiwe's.

we should be going all out for hiddink or hitsvelt.

instead our number one target is a ginger scottish clearing in the woods who's been at his club for 10 years and won fook all and now that he's turned us down we're going for a pensioner with a dodgy ticker. who's french.

[MCU]

All we need is 1 or 2 more players given a decent budget and we're back there and that's obviously where the manager comes into play (amongst other things ofcourse).

[Welfare]

Roberto Donadoni apparently wants to manage us a well

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3123722/Roberto-Donadoni-wants-to-manage-Aston-Villa.html

for those who can't click the link:

ROBERTO DONADONI has expressed an interest in the vacant manager's job at Aston Villa.

The former Italy coach is keen to break into English football and views Villa as the ideal platform to make his mark.

He may be quickly ruled out of the running as Villans owner Randy Lerner has made it clear he would prefer a manager with Premier League experience.

But Charles Collymore, the 46-year-old's repsentative in the UK, has confirmed Donadoni's desire to succeed Martin O'Neill.

Collymore said: "Roberto is a great student of the English game and he is very interested in the job at Aston Villa.

"He knows Villa are a top club with an ambitious owner and he feels he could be a success there.

"Roberto has worked at the highest level and he has always dreamed of coaching in England.

"He has the experience and talent to help develop the best young English talent and also the knowledge to help find the best foreign talent available."

it's the sun though so i wouldn't bet your house on it lol

But who can blame him wanting to manage Villa we are f**king great!!!

[Jez]

instead our number one target is a ginger scottish clearing in the woods who's been at his club for 10 years and won fook all and now that he's turned us down we're going for a pensioner with a dodgy ticker. who's french.

Your a nice chap aint ya?

I wonder how you make these managers come if their clubs are not interested and if they are not interested.

What id Hiddink for example doesn't want to come, live in Birmingham and manage Aston Villa?

[user66]

Allardyce is way beneath us. We've got bigger fish to fry.

And by bigger I mean in terms of reputation, not waistline.

.....you're absolutely right of course.......thats why we've interviewed Alan Curbishley, allegedly.....a monumental figure in the game

[Straygoat]

I'd be reasonably happy with Houllier and MacDonald as his number two, if only for the fact that we'd have half a chance of signing some players from Ligue 1.

At least Houllier has experience of a big English club and a lot of Euro knowledge.

[Maradona10]

Personally, Moyes, Jol even Mark Hughes would come to us if the timing was different, say it was the summer i'm certain they'd jump at it but because they've just had pre-seasons and are settled with their sides they'd be mad to join Villa at this current time. I'd personally go for Lambert, think he'd be an excellent young manager and maybe he won't finish 6th but he'll give the side, fans a fresh approach, with Houllier they style will not change if we thought MON was counter attacking wait till you see Houllier, he's probably the most negative person. I liked the quote from someone why Wenger doesn't get picked on about his signings of Jeffers whereas Houllier does with his. I'm sorry Wenger signs Viera, Petit, Henry arguably some of the greatest players to grace this league, who has Houllier signed that you'd really want at VP, i can only think of Hyppia and when people mention McCallister as a great signing. He signed Bernard Diomede for crying out loud, he may have links but even Marlon Harewood looks good to the shite he has signed.

[Woodytom]

instead our number one target is a ginger scottish clearing in the woods who's been at his club for 10 years and won fook all and now that he's turned us down we're going for a pensioner with a dodgy ticker. who's french.

Your a nice chap aint ya?

I wonder how you make these managers come if their clubs are not interested and if they are not interested.

What id Hiddink for example doesn't want to come, live in Birmingham and manage Aston Villa?

My kinda bloke tho. Pretty much got Moyes spot on imo