Next Villa manager (Poll added)

[TJVilla]

My thoughts were based primarily on the situation of, yes I agree that we need a long term plan and that our new manager should be a) able to construct one, and be able to either fulfill it, or at least show genuine progression towards it. A 'name' is purely that, something to sell season tickets and shirts. The reason I suggested a 'name' may be preferable, is that it would send a message to everyone that our initial objectives remain, and that we do want to try and do everything in our power to bring in silverware and prove that this season was a blip.

I also agree that stability is something we need. We need to assess the playing staff, and the coaching staff, and make sensible plans for our future. In that scenario, I still feel that Big Sam (don't shoot me!) would've been my preference on a short term deal from Feb - June. No more. I genuinely feel that that may have resulted in us guaranteeing a top half (possibly even top 7-8) finish, which ultimately, would've given us more scope to attract a) a higher calibre of manager, a higher calibre of player, and c) potentially enabled us to hold onto our key players.

What a 'name' would do for us, is probably and c) above. None of us want to see another star player, be it Downing, or heaven forbid, Darren Bent, being sold at the end of next season because all we have achieved is a top 10 finish.

To truely build, we need stability and a strategy, and whoever comes in must have those things in mind.

[Mantis]

Whatever happens you can guarantee some wont be happy

Whoever it was that had "Next Villa manager? " in their signature was spot on.

[OnlyOne]

Out of all the potenial managers we can choose from then now and some of you want to go with the safe option? The standard British manager. Who the hell would him to get the best out of Ireland, Collins etc. They don't deserve to play at our club at all. I want a manager who'll find us near CL quality players, not someone who's going to be settled with players who are losers in terms of ambition. It's no wonder our players are bottlers instead of winners. No ambition whatsoever.

We've seen what Hudges is like with a bottomless pit and he wasn't that good. He overpaid Lescott that was one of the worst deals I've seen in my life. We were also above his Man City team through the season despite the fact he had much better resources than us.

Moyes is different because there's some sides we haven't seen with him yet. For a starters I wanna see what he's like with a better budget, a different PL team other than Everton and a striker who can score goals very well. We've seen everything Hudges has to offer. We'll be lucky if we can get top 6 with him and that's it. It's not exciting at all.

[Rodders]

I fully intend on digging up any old quote any prospective manager may have said in the past about us and use it to flog the bastard to death with, any deviation from the script, any sense he's not been a die hard villain all his life and the campaign for his removal shall begin in earnest!*

*oh no wait, that would be ridiculous.

[Alec]

Hughes, for me, would be the obvious safe choice. Moyes, slightly more exciting, but not much. We need an exciting appointment. Whether we love him or hate him now, MON being given the job was exactly that. It breathed a new life into the club at the time when we were getting Randy et al onboard. It gave us the sense that things might change for the better. Doug and DOL were gone, this was going to be a new era.

However, once MON decided to walk, Randy was left with few options (Im still convinced to this day that he wanted Hughes before he went to Fulham), and we were greeted with Mr Houllier. Something of a 'meh' appointment.

For me, Hughes falls into the 'meh' category aswell. Its the sort of appointment we all expect the board to make.

Given how dreadful this season has been, we need another breathe of fresh air. We need a managerial appointment that gets the buzz back around Villa Park and amongst ourselves as fans.

Think of the feeling when we signed Darren Bent. This place went into meltdown. It was fantastic. For me, our next manager needs to be able to emulate that feeling again, and I personally don't think Hughes would bring that.

Fair comment - but who?

You have to remember that the Randy Lerner takeover and Martin O'Neill appointment was something of a 'perfect storm', not only because they essentially happened together but because they came in the wake of one of the lowest ebbs in the club's recent history (the final months of O'Leary's tenure against a backdrop of Ellis-inspired malaise).

That set of circumstances is not going to happen again so the reaction to any managerial appointment is unlikely to replicate that same sense of euphoria. Not to mention that having had the experience of being managed by someone initially perceived in such messianic terms and still not actually winning anything is going to temper enthusiasm levels from getting quite so prematurely stratospheric.

I agree everyone associated with the club could do with a boost, but short of securing the services of someone so far and above our current level - which isn't going to happen - we won't be seeing a repeat of those scenes in 2006.

The new appointment (if, in fact, there is to be one) will not signal the dawn of a new era but rather the next chapter of the current one. And people need to adjust their expectations accordingly. We are not set up to challenge for the league title, or even break into the top four - that much is clear at present. We should be finishing between 5th-8th as a bare minimum and we've fallen woefully short of that this term. Until we're at least back up to that level, you can't expect to see someone walk through the door that has grander designs.

We still have good, obtainable options in the likes of Moyes and Hughes who I'm sure can achieve those principal targets, and possibly, with the right approach, diligence and luck, take things further. But we're a lot of hard work away from getting there right now and if there's a lesson to be learned from the rapturous reception that greeted O'Neill's arrival it is that success will be far from immediate (remember, he only took the team to 11th during his first season). A sensible appointment could build something long-term and offer the kind of continuity that will ensure we remain competitive; we do not want to be back here in twelve months time having taken another gamble that hasn't paid off. That might not sound sexy and it might not have you running to Villa Park to wait outside the press conference - but it will likely be the best thing for the club.

[TJVilla]

Hughes, for me, would be the obvious safe choice. Moyes, slightly more exciting, but not much. We need an exciting appointment. Whether we love him or hate him now, MON being given the job was exactly that. It breathed a new life into the club at the time when we were getting Randy et al onboard. It gave us the sense that things might change for the better. Doug and DOL were gone, this was going to be a new era.

However, once MON decided to walk, Randy was left with few options (Im still convinced to this day that he wanted Hughes before he went to Fulham), and we were greeted with Mr Houllier. Something of a 'meh' appointment.

For me, Hughes falls into the 'meh' category aswell. Its the sort of appointment we all expect the board to make.

Given how dreadful this season has been, we need another breathe of fresh air. We need a managerial appointment that gets the buzz back around Villa Park and amongst ourselves as fans.

Think of the feeling when we signed Darren Bent. This place went into meltdown. It was fantastic. For me, our next manager needs to be able to emulate that feeling again, and I personally don't think Hughes would bring that.

Fair comment - but who?

You have to remember that the Randy Lerner takeover and Martin O'Neill appointment was something of a 'perfect storm', not only because they essentially happened together but because they came in the wake of one of the lowest ebbs in the club's recent history (the final months of O'Leary's tenure against a backdrop of Ellis-inspired malaise).

That set of circumstances is not going to happen again so the reaction to any managerial appointment is unlikely to replicate that same sense of euphoria. Not to mention that having had the experience of being managed by someone initially perceived in such messianic terms and still not actually winning anything is going to temper enthusiasm levels from getting quite so prematurely stratospheric.

I agree everyone associated with the club could do with a boost, but short of securing the services of someone so far and above our current level - which isn't going to happen - we won't be seeing a repeat of those scenes in 2006.

The new appointment (if, in fact, there is to be one) will not signal the dawn of a new era but rather the next chapter of the current one. And people need to adjust their expectations accordingly. We are not set up to challenge for the league title, or even break into the top four - that much is clear at present. We should be finishing between 5th-8th as a bare minimum and we've fallen woefully short of that this term. Until we're at least back up to that level, you can't expect to see someone walk through the door that has grander designs.

We still have good, obtainable options in the likes of Moyes and Hughes who I'm sure can achieve those principal targets, and possibly, with the right approach, diligence and luck, take things further. But we're a lot of hard work away from getting there right now and if there's a lesson to be learned from the rapturous reception that greeted O'Neill's arrival it is that success will be far from immediate (remember, he only took the team to 11th during his first season). A sensible appointment could build something long-term and offer the kind of continuity that will ensure we remain competitive; we do not want to be back here in twelve months time having taken another gamble that hasn't paid off. That might not sound sexy and it might not have you running to Villa Park to wait outside the press conference - but it will likely be the best thing for the club.

I agree with your post entirely Alec.

In terms of attainable targets, yes Moyes and Hughes seem the most likely for us.

Im not suggesting that we could attract a van Gaal, a Rikjaard, a Villas Boas, an Ancellotti, a Klinsmann, etc, but it would be fantastic to think that there could be a possibility that these types of managers would be on our clubs radar.

Any appointment is a gamble, and in that sense, then yes it makes slightly more sense to go with what is probably deemed the 'safe' option. Both Hughes and Moyes would do a good job here. I'd prefer Moyes, as for some reason Hughes just seems to rub me up the wrong way (even though I have nothing to base this judgement on).

Infact, the only thing that would sway me towards Hughes, and get this for totally clutching at straws for a positive, is that he wears a suit on match days. I don't know why that appeals to me, but I think it sends out a stronger message than a manager who just rocks up in his tracksuit. I struggle to take them 'seriously'. You're the man in charge, the focal point of our club. A suit seems to command a little more respect in a way. As I say, Im nit picking.

[Gillz]

Hughes has never really been given long enough to fully establish himself. The closest he came was with Blackburn where he took them from a relegation battling team to a top 10 team in cup finals. If he was give 5 years like MON was it would very interesting to see what he could do.

[Oaks]

Put it this way, Hughes would be our manager now if MON haddent **** us over and resigned 5 days before the season.

[andycv]

Wiki says that Hughes signed a 2 year contract with Fulham last summer..... :|

[Gillz]

Wiki says that Hughes signed a 2 year contract with Fulham last summer..... :|

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/fulham/8524620/Fulham-face-race-against-time-to-tie-up-new-contract-for-manager-Mark-Hughes.html

[monkey]

For me, Moyes has to be the realistic target. He has shown what he can do at Everton with relatively little money but does seem to be going stale there. Here he would have a better base to build on, more funds to hand and a new challenge to motivate him. After Moyes, Hughes would surely be a safe pair of hands, but that imo would show a real lack of ambition and question whether the board were accepting the end of our CL aspirations. Can't believe I'm saying this but Sven has been slowly going about his job at Leicester and I would give him serious consideration as a possible candidate. Have I gone mad?

[HolteExile]

Wiki says that Hughes signed a 2 year contract with Fulham last summer..... :|

Wiki says lots of things.

[Alec]

For me, Moyes has to be the realistic target. He has shown what he can do at Everton with relatively little money but does seem to be going stale there. Here he would have a better base to build on, more funds to hand and a new challenge to motivate him. After Moyes, Hughes would surely be a safe pair of hands, but that imo would show a real lack of ambition and question whether the board were accepting the end of our CL aspirations. Can't believe I'm saying this but Sven has been slowly going about his job at Leicester and I would give him serious consideration as a possible candidate. Have I gone mad?

City sacked Eriksson so that they could appoint Hughes. I don't think we want to be going in the opposite direction.

As far as Champions League aspirations, the landscape is far different now to what it was when Lerner took over. The Man City juggernaut has proved a real game-changer, and one can well imagine that having secured that Champions League spot this season that they won't be dislodged from the top four any time time soon. The so-called five year plan could not possibly have anticipated that kind of overpowering investment and unless you have similar funds you really can't expect to compete, especially if you accept that Man Utd and Chelsea won't be relinquishing their dominance any time soon. By my reckoning, that leaves one spot up for grabs and at least three clubs currently ahead of us chasing after it.

Appointing a manager that can at least take us to the fringes of that mini-league would not demonstrate a lack of ambition but rather a clear-sighted acknowledgment of where we need to get back to before we can even think in terms of challenging again ourselves.

That doesn't mean thinking small, but a healthy dose of pragmatism is needed if we think anyone above a certain level is going to be lured by the prospect of leading a charge toward the Champions League, because we simply can't offer that kind of platform just now.

[Dante_Lockhart]

I love you Alec.

[TRS-T]

I hope we make some sort of contact with Hughes, signalling our interest to him.

Then hopefully, he wont sign a new contract and will exercise the exit clause in his contract.

Then we can sign him for free in July.

He'd be the best free transfer of the summer.

[Gillz]

I hope we make some sort of contact with Hughes, signalling our interest to him.

Then hopefully, he wont sign a new contract and will exercise the exit clause in his contract.

Then we can sign him for free in July.

He'd be the best free transfer of the summer.

Agreed. Although would that be classed as tapping up?

[Ulver]

Hughes would be a downgrade on what we have now. And thats saying something

[gilbertoAVFC]

Didn't Moyes once say something along the lines of "I'd rather jump in a fire than manage Villa"?

Can't find the quote but it was something like that.

[bose]

City sacked Eriksson so that they could appoint Hughes. I don't think we want to be going in the opposite direction.

As far as Champions League aspirations, the landscape is far different now to what it was when Lerner took over. The Man City juggernaut has proved a real game-changer, and one can well imagine that having secured that Champions League spot this season that they won't be dislodged from the top four any time time soon. The so-called five year plan could not possibly have anticipated that kind of overpowering investment and unless you have similar funds you really can't expect to compete, especially if you accept that Man Utd and Chelsea won't be relinquishing their dominance any time soon. By my reckoning, that leaves one spot up for grabs and at least three clubs currently ahead of us chasing after it.

Appointing a manager that can at least take us to the fringes of that mini-league would not demonstrate a lack of ambition but rather a clear-sighted acknowledgment of where we need to get back to before we can even think in terms of challenging again ourselves.

That doesn't mean thinking small, but a healthy dose of pragmatism is needed if we think anyone above a certain level is going to be lured by the prospect of leading a charge toward the Champions League, because we simply can't offer that kind of platform just now.

Very well put

[rjenkins]

Assuming that we won't try and 'headhunt' from other clubs, that would leave us with a realistic shortlist of:

Rafael Benitez

Mark Hughes

Martin Jol

Steve McClaren

I think of the four I'd take a chance with Hughes or McClaren before the rest. I think Benitez would require far too much money and I have never been overly impressed by Martin Jol.