The, he's finally GONE! Tell us your thoughts Thread

[Stevo985]

In terms of the poll, I've voted yes.

However, I wouldn't be surprised if he's given until Xmas to "save his job".

I hope that's not the case, but I can see it happening.

[Papillon]

A little over 12 months ago the bloke turned us down

It would be embarrassing to say the least if we went grovelling again for this mediocre manager

This is ignorant in my opinion.

Yes - their final position in the table is 16th (ish) every season, but that has got to do with their squad and not Martinez. They have a Championship-team with a few diamonds in the rough, that is about it. Do you think Wenger, Redknapp or let's say Di Matteo would have done so much better this season? Wigan have no cash, they have little backing and no atmosphere (i.e help) from their supporters in home games.

What I like about Martinez is that he is a genuine footballing man, seems to adopt to the modern game (even with Wigan, which is a gamble indeed), has the backing of his owner unconditionally, as well as fans and players, and he is still very young. He is a talent, at least compared to old fools like McLeish. He is 38 years old, barely older than Ryan Giggs and younger than Brad Friedel.

Managers develop in the same sense as players do, over the course of their career. Where was Moyes when he was 38? In his final years at Preston North End. Wenger? You wouldn't have heard of him.

I am not saying Martinez is a guarantee to become the best manager in the world, but I am more than willing to let him take the reigns at Villa. He has shown commitment to Wigan in tough times, a kind of loyalty we don't see often in this game. He is regarded as a gentleman between the managers, he never picks unnecessary fights and he is articulate in the media. Does not make up drivel and blame the players when he has done a big mistake, unlike our current pensioner. And I like the fact that he stands on the touchline and gets involved in every second of the game.. shouting and instructing, not just sitting there in the dug-out like he couldn't give a shit.

All in all, he has experience at 38, he like the attacking, modern game - he likes the passing mentality, he is loyal and he just deserves a chance at a higher level.

[Harry]

I am confident he will be gone, as I have said before, on the basis the loss of revenue far outweights the cost of getting rid of him.

I had the long expected call from the ticket office yesterday to ask me to renew by 2x season tickets. I politely explained that I was not planning to whilst McLeish remained manager and I did not know anyone who was renewing whilst he was manager. The response was 'we have had quite few renew this morning but I think that's because we are safe now' which is hardly a ringing endorsement. I got the very distinct impression that she had the same conversation with lots of ST holders.

RL has to spend some money in the summer regardless of who the manager is. We will have players leaving that will free up wages and I think there will also be a few of the younger players who maybe nudged towards the door. That means new blood will have to come in and I just can't see all them being Bosmans as they tend to want higher wages. Our squad is definitely lacking in certain areas and it will take money to address that.

Its also worth bearing in mind that if we keep McLeish and see what happens next season if we get off to a disasterous start a new manager will have to work with whatever crap Mcleish has bought with no window until January fighting an uphill battle in a half empty Villa Park.

Finally I note in the Daily Mail article today that linked us to Poyet they used the phrase 'McLeish's disasterous first season'. Finally the media might be waking up. You can but hope.

[Raver50032]

I am pretty sure he will be gone and voted that way. Sure, the ginger clune has been feathering his nest and saying that he expects to be here - of course he wants to protect his interests and is a reasonable (almost) reaction to the spectre of the axe falling.

For certain, if I failed so miserably in my job, I would be down the road and would be lucky to keep my pension, yet alone a pay-out. Why the hell do they get clauses like that in their contracts when they already earn stupid money? Football is fooked. At this level anyway. Now, I do not know exactly what Eck's objectives were that were set by the owners of this club so maybe his job is safe given that he has just about scraped us over the line of Premier League safety.

On the flip side... he used to manage Blues - oh sorry, no that's not it... On the flip side, we were very shit before we suffered injuries and before we lost Petrov, who somehow became our best player in midfield when under MON, he was the weakest link in our midfield that comprised of Milner, A Young and a recovering Downing (the same greedy Downing that pissed on our chips after we took him on and resurrected his career - twunt). So he can't use injuries as an excuse to be fair. The club should never have allowed Young and Downing to leave in the same window and though we replaced one elderly goalie with a slightly younger model (fine specimen it has proved), and a moody yellow bellied enigma (Charles, that's you that is), he scuzzed a load of dead cash on the Terminator (Hutton and his orange boots) and a Jermain 'sick note' Jenas. Great stuff, really inspired...

Negative football Eck, that's all you do. Your results are poor, your playing style is poor and it's teflon sloped shoulders when the wheels come off. You are the weakest link, nice guy or not.

Now then, the biggest thing I saw on the BBC website this morning in the news that Eck was intent on staying was his reference to 'jumping off a bridge' and 'surviving his biggest challenge.' The media will have twisted the words I am in no doubt about that. But if I was the owner of this club and my main man, (the manager I employed to look after my team) was making references to having survived and throwing in references to jumping off a bridge, I would be concerned, given the hostility around the club's supporters to him, that he is or had been possibly suicidal.

I could understand why the job and the environment in which he has been doing it could result in pressure, ne - stress, that could cause thoughts like that. Randy must now see, whether Eck's comments are metaphorical (look it up), jocular (look it up) or sincere, that he requires to be 'seen' by a professional and managed out of the club. There is a duty of care to Eck and his family if he is feeling the pinch.

I am as big a critic as anyone of what he has done at and to this club - but i would hate to think that a suicide would be on the cards. We do not need that and through all of his faults and dazzling powers of dulard football prowess, he doesn't deserve death. It's a **** game after all.

He's probably not considering suicide, but using references like that in an interview would give me concerns as a manager. I was stressed out in my job last year and I had made some flippant remarks about 'being glad when I'm in my plastic urn,' and I got sent to see a Bupa psychologist. I now do a different job and feel much better about it.

Whatever you think of Eck's comments, mywords are only my view. His performance over the whole season is poor and for that, as a supporter, I am out... until he goes. I am a firm believer that we will be relegated in 12 months time if he is still here. Then, once relegated and he is gone, I will procure a ST. I will also procure a ST this summer as soon as he is gone...

But remember, and this is a message to the media - he/we were playing shit and dismal crap long before our senior players were getting injured. And that's a fact... We had a freakishly good run of fixtures at the start that saw us go unbeaten until October... We didn't win many though... Hardly any in fact...

And I can only really point to one single game this season where there has been genuine enjoyment at Villa Park - and that was the 2-1 defeat to Arsenal. To be fair, I ain't been since the Swansea farce and you can find my posts about why elsewhere. Even the amazing 'Ruddy Hell' match at home to Norwich was a bottom clencher of nervy tat.

He has to go - for our benefit, the benefit of the club, and (in my view) his mental welfare. I really think he has delusions that he has completed some Greek mythological trials, and is suffering with the clouded stress of it all. I know I was after 86 minutes against Swansea, and that is why I stopped going. I had become ill and very angry. And then, as it's all just a game, I stopped. And feel all the better for it. Even GT2 or DOL never made me ill.

Enough from me, now manage him out of the club by mutual consent. That way, we can move forward and give the next incumbent a good pre-season, and Eck leaves with his life intact.

If you made it this far, bless you... Enjoy the rest of your day...

[JulieB]

The only way I think he'll go is if his family put him under pressure over the Summer.

Might have been the commercial disaster of an appointment ever by Lerner & Co when Blues had just been relegated under McLeish for the second time, but they seem to value him & his work ethic and think the players + injuries have had a huge part to play in a second woeful season

I think he'll be given licence to ship out the ringleaders and bring in some other players over the summer.

Then if we're looking just as inept next season come Xmas - Lerner may act.

Just a personal opinion mind.........we shall just have to see what happens.

[VillaGoMarching]

Everyone voting Yes, myself included is just wishful thinking.

I can't stand another season with him though.

[CI]

If he can get in a pay off what he would get if he works for the next 2 years, it's a no-brainer his wife will tell him to take the cash and walk

[brummybloke]

Everyone voting Yes, myself included is just wishful thinking.

I can't stand another season with him though.

the problem with this poll is 99% of normal fans think he is shit and should be booted out and banned from this club for life for being a shower of shit utter disgraceful lying snivelling orange furred primate

but vote no as you dont think lerner has the guts to sack the worst manager at villa park EVER

and the media will then twist it to

x% of fans still want the ginger twunt at the club

throw all his shiot out throw grant out throw faulkner out and burn any of their belongings they have not taken with them, and burn their desks, chairs and everything they have used.

get the infection away from our club so it can never return

[HackneyVillain]

I voted 'No, I think he will be here' but I hope I'm wrong. I won't be giving the club any of my money until he's gone.

[VillaForever1970]

Jesus what if he doesn't go?

[The_Steve]

There were plenty of better managers out-of-work at the time of Houllier's departure. Some were pretty unrealistic (e.g. Ancelotti) but some were very gettable, like Hughes. This is why I am still absolutely baffled as to why we went and tapped up McLeish.

Hughes' reputation is hugely inflated. QPR play horrible football and have signed a bunch of mercenaries on big contracts.

[macandally]

A little over 12 months ago the bloke turned us down

It would be embarrassing to say the least if we went grovelling again for this mediocre manager

This is ignorant in my opinion.

Yes - their final position in the table is 16th (ish) every season, but that has got to do with their squad and not Martinez. They have a Championship-team with a few diamonds in the rough, that is about it. Do you think Wenger, Redknapp or let's say Di Matteo would have done so much better this season? Wigan have no cash, they have little backing and no atmosphere (i.e help) from their supporters in home games.

What I like about Martinez is that he is a genuine footballing man, seems to adopt to the modern game (even with Wigan, which is a gamble indeed), has the backing of his owner unconditionally, as well as fans and players, and he is still very young. He is a talent, at least compared to old fools like McLeish. He is 38 years old, barely older than Ryan Giggs and younger than Brad Friedel.

Managers develop in the same sense as players do, over the course of their career. Where was Moyes when he was 38? In his final years at Preston North End. Wenger? You wouldn't have heard of him.

I am not saying Martinez is a guarantee to become the best manager in the world, but I am more than willing to let him take the reigns at Villa. He has shown commitment to Wigan in tough times, a kind of loyalty we don't see often in this game. He is regarded as a gentleman between the managers, he never picks unnecessary fights and he is articulate in the media. Does not make up drivel and blame the players when he has done a big mistake, unlike our current pensioner. And I like the fact that he stands on the touchline and gets involved in every second of the game.. shouting and instructing, not just sitting there in the dug-out like he couldn't give a shit.

All in all, he has experience at 38, he like the attacking, modern game - he likes the passing mentality, he is loyal and he just deserves a chance at a higher level.

Good post but probably wasted on the original poster.

[dudevillaisnice]

agree good post

[AValon]

I still find it strange that Randy Lerner chooses to totally alienate 30 odd thousand paying customers and yet fawn over an unwelcome, underacheiving failure whose track record and recent dearth of popularity should carry some kind of warning......'do not employ!!'

Lerner needs to have a good long look at the mess he finds this club in and act as soon as the final whistle blows at Carrow Road.

Martinez for me (and gettable this time IMO).

[Ingram85]

Well, depending what side of the bed he gets out of next week I'm sure CI will be singing Martinez's praises and hailing him as the next best thing.

[Denis_B]

I still find it strange that Randy Lerner chooses to totally alienate 30 odd thousand paying customers and yet fawn over an unwelcome, underacheiving failure whose track record and recent dearth of popularity should carry some kind of warning......'do not employ!!'

Lerner needs to have a good long look at the mess he finds this club in and act as soon as the final whistle blows at Carrow Road.

Martinez for me (and gettable this time IMO).

Problem is clearly RL and PF don't see what we see

[AValon]

I still find it strange that Randy Lerner chooses to totally alienate 30 odd thousand paying customers and yet fawn over an unwelcome, underacheiving failure whose track record and recent dearth of popularity should carry some kind of warning......'do not employ!!'

Lerner needs to have a good long look at the mess he finds this club in and act as soon as the final whistle blows at Carrow Road.

Martinez for me (and gettable this time IMO).

Problem is clearly RL and PF don't see what we see

True.

If what we are led to believe is fact, the only way Lerner would know anyway is by reading the papers or by emails from his trusted CEO. He's hardly ever here to see for himself and maybe thats half the problem.

[Robbie09]

I still find it strange that Randy Lerner chooses to totally alienate 30 odd thousand paying customers and yet fawn over an unwelcome, underacheiving failure whose track record and recent dearth of popularity should carry some kind of warning......'do not employ!!'

Lerner needs to have a good long look at the mess he finds this club in and act as soon as the final whistle blows at Carrow Road.

Martinez for me (and gettable this time IMO).

Problem is clearly RL and PF don't see what we see

True.

If what we are led to believe is fact, the only way Lerner would know anyway is by reading the papers or by emails from his trusted CEO. He's hardly ever here to see for himself and maybe thats half the problem.

Great posts. Faulkner is a much to blame as anyone and therefore deserves as much stick as McLeish.

[mykeyb]

Perhaps we should put some thought into why on earth he would choose not to sack him.

Cost of sacking would surely be less than the loss from season ticket sales etc.

I dont buy the line that he was given a guarantee that he would not lose his job unless relegated.

I am convinced that we will not be backing McLeish or any manager in the summer, we are looking to make further reductions in salaries and thus no other manager (in their opinion) would work within those restrictions where as McLeish has pretty much agreed to.

Lerner will take this club back 30 years.........

[SikhInTrinity]

I don't believe that, I just think we will not be adding to that wage bill in terms we have now put a structure in place, With Cuellar, Guzan and Heskey leaving, then trying to sell Warnock and Collins. We will then look at replacements on a cheaper wage than what those are commanding. The wage bill has reduced considerably.