Next Villa manager (Poll added)

[CrackpotForeigner]

Please don't let it be Hughes.

This. My impression is that he is self-serving, petulant, rude, and almost completely unlikeable, in a blissfully unaware sort of way that raises questions about his intelligence.

As others have said, replacing GH isn't so important that we need to go and bring in Mark bloody Hughes.

[claretandblue77]

Houllier has managed two Premier League clubs and had serious health problems at each of them.

Something tells me he isn't cut out for this lark.

Without meaning to sound cold-hearted, Villa have a business to run and the sooner Ged is thanked and paid-off, the better.

Depends on whether our soundbites regarding ambition actually match our true ambitions.

All true mate, i said to the general back in september when houiller was appointed that we have always be a big club that thinks small and the appointment of GH was just that, it's about time we started to think big, the right appointment now of manage, can make all the difference.

I hope RL is sitting there now and realising someone like ancelotte don't come around very often.

I thank GH for all he has tried to do, and even GMac for giving us a little respect back with the last few weeks.

If we miss this chance to really get at top draw manager then we might aswell except 9 and below for the foreseable future.

[ChrisNichollsToe]

Please don't let it be Hughes.

This. My impression is that he is self-serving, petulant, rude, and almost completely unlikeable, in a blissfully unaware sort of way that raises questions about his intelligence.

He sounds welsh to me :shock:

[avfc89]

Houllier has managed two Premier League clubs and had serious health problems at each of them.

Something tells me he isn't cut out for this lark.

Without meaning to sound cold-hearted, Villa have a business to run and the sooner Ged is thanked and paid-off, the better.

Depends on whether our soundbites regarding ambition actually match our true ambitions.

How was the sound bite when we signed Bent in January?

[ChrisNichollsToe]

Houllier has managed two Premier League clubs and had serious health problems at each of them.

Something tells me he isn't cut out for this lark.

Without meaning to sound cold-hearted, Villa have a business to run and the sooner Ged is thanked and paid-off, the better.

Depends on whether our soundbites regarding ambition actually match our true ambitions.

How was the sound bite when we signed Bent in January?

We will see how much during the summer :winkold:

Basicly, we needed goals to get us out of trouble. Spending a little bit of the summers kitty to enable us to get Bent, was shrewd.

Lets see how much Houllier gets to revamp the squad in the summer. But im only guessing, so take no notice :winkold:

[claretandblue77]

Houllier has managed two Premier League clubs and had serious health problems at each of them.

Something tells me he isn't cut out for this lark.

Without meaning to sound cold-hearted, Villa have a business to run and the sooner Ged is thanked and paid-off, the better.

Depends on whether our soundbites regarding ambition actually match our true ambitions.

How was the sound bite when we signed Bent in January?

It sounded like a panic buy, we werent scoring goals , our strikers were firing more blanks than me, and ive had the snip.

It wasn't hard to go and buy a player that has a great goalscoring record in the PL, its a shame it was a season to late, but randy had to protect his investment, and someone to score goals for 18-24 million was a drop in the ocean compared to what we would have lost without him and his goals.

No DB39 and we'd be down with the scum.

[AVFC-Prideofbrum]

It sounded like a panic buy, we werent scoring goals , our strikers were firing more blanks than me, and ive had the snip.

It wasn't hard to go and buy a player that has a great goalscoring record in the PL, its a shame it was a season to late, but randy had to protect his investment, and someone to score goals for 18-24 million was a drop in the ocean compared to what we would have lost without him and his goals.

No DB39 and we'd be down with the scum.

Panic buy? Predictable reply from a Bluenose.

so having an opinon different to yours make me a nose, if it wasnt why the hell didnt he spend the money in the summer.

Im not complaining as DB is what we have been missing, but if we were sitting in the top 4-8 we wouldnt have brought him, we were in the shit and the only way to get out was to score goals, hardly rocket science.

How do you know this? City bought Dzeko, Chelsea Torres, Liverpool, Suarez/Carroll.

Houllier said they'd been talking about Bent for months, it was his first transfer window at the club, why would they wait until the summer, by then, someone else could have moved in for him. If they spoke with his agent and they said Bent was willing to move now, you get that player, not wait and miss the opportunity. 20th, 18th, 15th, 10th, 7th, 3rd, I reckon we'd have signed Bent simply because he's what we needed.

[claretandblue77]

as i can only go by previous january trnasfer windows, we were top 4 and went and got bloody heskey, each of the late 3 season we finished 6th we were in a great position come january to go and get the finishing touches but never did, now i do blame this on MoN, but also think the chairman got lazy, and proberly though there was no need to spend big on a proven scorer when we were sitting pretty in the table, this is the 1st season where we havent under randy's ownership and i thank him for getting DB as life at vp without him isnt worth thinking about.

Also you can't really count city and chelsea as they buy just for the sake of it, liverpool sold torres for 50 million and spent the lot on 2 players to compensate the lose and to appease the fans

[smetrov]

Well it seems GH is poised to return. Only a detoriation in his medical decision will stop this.

It seems to me the board have no involvement - if GH says hes fit to return - return he will.

This is one of the most stupid decisions I have witnessed in 40 years of supporting Aston Villa.

[Stu_The_Villan]

Cmon Ged, get the chequebook out.

Busy summer ahead!!

[Adam2003]

Well it seems GH is poised to return. Only a detoriation in his medical decision will stop this.

It seems to me the board have no involvement - if GH says hes fit to return - return he will.

This is one of the most stupid decisions I have witnessed in 40 years of supporting Aston Villa.

I hope Houllier comes back, personally.

If not, I'd go for Moyes of the realistic options.

[makouns_grin]

Well it seems GH is poised to return. Only a detoriation in his medical decision will stop this.

It seems to me the board have no involvement - if GH says hes fit to return - return he will.

This is one of the most stupid decisions I have witnessed in 40 years of supporting Aston Villa.

Might as well get on with it then and support all involved in Villa though, yes?

[billy_loes]

Rafa Benitez has moved to favourite with both Skybet 5/6 and Chandler's Evens. Hughes back out to 9/4 and 5/2 respectively.

[Maradona10]

I wouldn't look at odd's for guidance, remember Bob Bradley being favourite.

[wiggyrichard]

I would actually like Rafa as boss.

I would be happy with any of Moyes, Rafa or Hughes.

Ancelotti would be a dream.

[steell]

Ive had a change of heart - if only Gerard could do the same - but I think we should keep GH and GMac.

I think we all get too caught up in the dream of what we would hope to see Villa doing (Champions League) and what the reality is (5-7th being a good season). When you start to set your heart on an unreachable goal you only set yourself up for disappointment and therefore end up making stupid knee-jerk decisions to try and fix something that cannot be fixed. So the question changes from which manager do I think can take us to that 5th spot, as a realistic next step, and I actually think GH can do it - stability within a club is a very positive thing and its something we havent had a Villa for a long time (in fact I dont think we have ever had it in the modern era), now this could be an argument for getting rid of GH now, if physically hes not capable of giving us 5 or 6 years then maybe he should go. But I think we should give GH the chance, Im intrigued as to who he brings in this close-season, Im much more excited by the transfer possibilities that GH has lined up than I ever was under MON, I think he actually has a plan. More controversially I also think we are beginning to see a much more entertaining style of football being played - yes there have been patches where we looked clueless but I reckon we have been slowly transitioning towards a better stuff, our passing has certainly improved and we have the nucleus of a decent team already.

[TRS-T]

but unless we are going to get Ancelotti, Moyes or someone who I believe top class I'd rather Houllier stay than bring in Hughes and things change completely again.

This. No point switching from Houllier to Hughes, but I'd be more than happy with a change to Ancelotti.

Houllier has serious heart problems.

Hughes does not.

So if it did come to a straight choice between the two (not saying it will) then I'd go for Hughes.

[Dante_Lockhart]

I actually think that Houllier will come out and say he isn't returning. His wife will obviously want him to think about his health and I believe he'll make the right choice. He won't force Randy to make the choice.

That said, I think he will stay on in some capacity (maybe sort out our scouting network and use some of his contacts), but he won't be in the dugout come August.

[wildwood]

Rafa Benitez has moved to favourite with both Skybet 5/6 and Chandler's Evens. Hughes back out to 9/4 and 5/2 respectively.

I heard on the radio earlier that Benitez was going to become the Turkey boss when Guus Hiddink leaves them to go to Chelsea.

[quizme]

I want Houllier to keep on going and finish what he started, but.... With his heart condition I dont think he will be here long term, he may well be here for all of next season but the season after that?

Therefore I would like Hughes as manager, get him signed on a long contract 4-5 years and the board to back him even if the results dont go our way in the beginning and get some stability in the club. I think Hughes would do really well here given the chance.