Martin O'Neill

[Jimzk5]

here is the interview mentioned earlier

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22044490

[Big_John_10]

but so was a lot of the money spent before he left too.

Ok.

But as you just admitted that we'd spent enough since he left to be no where near the bottom 3 how is what you've said there to blame for our current situation?

You've admitted it yourself finally.

Because it's a culmination of things. Wasting loads of money as we have done over the past 5-6 years means that we're having to make drastic cutbacks now.

But we didn't have to make drastic cut backs when he left.

You can argue that he's to blame for us not challenging top 4 or not finishing in the top 6 but you can't blame him at all for this current battle.

You said yourself we've had the money to see us clear.

[Mantis]

 

 

but so was a lot of the money spent before he left too.

Ok.

But as you just admitted that we'd spent enough since he left to be no where near the bottom 3 how is what you've said there to blame for our current situation?

You've admitted it yourself finally.

Because it's a culmination of things. Wasting loads of money as we have done over the past 5-6 years means that we're having to make drastic cutbacks now.

But we didn't have to make drastic cut backs when he left.

You can argue that he's to blame for us not challenging top 4 or not finishing in the top 6 but you can't blame him at all for this current battle.

You said yourself we've had the money to see us clear.

Not as drastic as the cuts we're making now but it's pretty obvious we were having to reign in our spending.

 

I wasn't blaming him all for our current situation. He's partly to blame but Lerner is arguably just as much to blame as well.

[Condimentalist]

I'm actually with John on this one. O'Neill certainly shafted us but we are three years down the line now and there is no reason for us to be battling relegation. That we are is because of poor appointments from Lerner leading to poor management from Houllier, the ginger scot, and (though I like the guy) Lambert. Yes, O'Neill left us in a position where we were bound to fall backwards, but there was no reason for it to have led to the calamitous last three years. 

 

Thankfully I think we're moving, tentatively, in the right direction again.

[Mantis]

O'Neill isn't directly to blame for the relegation battle but it's all but of our current situation (financially included) which he helped cause.

[Zatman]

I'm actually with John on this one. O'Neill certainly shafted us but we are three years down the line now and there is no reason for us to be battling relegation. That we are is because of poor appointments from Lerner leading to poor management from Houllier, the ginger scot, and (though I like the guy) Lambert. Yes, O'Neill left us in a position where we were bound to fall backwards, but there was no reason for it to have led to the calamitous last three years. 

 

Thankfully I think we're moving, tentatively, in the right direction again.

 

true but the thing is some people are trying to absolve MON of any blame in this fiasco

[Big_John_10]

He's partly to blame

I keep repeating it but how is he? You've said yourself that since he left we've spent enough money and wages to see us clear of this situation.

[Big_John_10]

I'm actually with John on this one. O'Neill certainly shafted us but we are three years down the line now and there is no reason for us to be battling relegation. That we are is because of poor appointments from Lerner leading to poor management from Houllier, the ginger scot, and (though I like the guy) Lambert. Yes, O'Neill left us in a position where we were bound to fall backwards, but there was no reason for it to have led to the calamitous last three years. 

 

Thankfully I think we're moving, tentatively, in the right direction again.

 

true but the thing is some people are trying to absolve MON of any blame in this fiasco

Because like Patrick said its been 3 years.

We've spent money on new players and offered big wages to new players after he left.

What has he done that's currently related to our relegation battle?

[PieFacE]

I was pretty shocked on Saturday morning when I was watching Sky Sports News with Jeff & the panel and they were discussing the PDC appointment and the O'Neil sacking. They were talking and Merson said "I think O'Neill did a great job at Sunderland" ... and not one other pundit picked up on it and said "Hang on, he really hasn't". They all pretty much just nodded and agreed. It's amazing how the media portray him and just never criticise him. Then again, the Sky panel are all morons anyway. 

Edited April 8, 2013 by PieFacE

[Mantis]

He's partly to blame

I keep repeating it but how is he? You've said yourself that since he left we've spent enough money and wages to see us clear of this situation.

 

Because he contributed to the situation whereby we had a ridiculously high wage bill and few players with any sell-on value.

 

[lapal_fan]

With regards to the situation we now find ourselves I think its 6 of one, half dozen of the other.

 

O'Neill left us 5 days before the season started - that reflects badly on him.  He was on a bloody good contract at villa, and he threw it back in the fans' faces, because he never got what he wanted.  It also gave us no chance to properly look for another manager.  Generally, replacement managers are identified when a manager isn't performing well.  We were 6th and thought we had stability in O'Neill.  So we had to 'make do' with a rushed appointment, on top of losing our star man Milner.  That season was a write off.  Especially with Houillers health reasons and the Liverpool Debacle.

 

So with O'Neill gone, and milner and Young wanting out and Downing making noises about leaving, we find ourselves in the nervy predicament in January.  We gamble on buying Bent for probably nearly twice his value, and make him our top earner, otherwise, he wouldn't have come would he?  It was completely necessary for him to come and he did (most likely) score the goals which kept us up.  

 

The next mistake is purely Lerner & Faulkers - McLeish.  This is when we said, enough is enough, we're not spending money.  So we had a pants manager, our best players left (Young & Downing) and we had Darren Bent (capable of scoring no doubt) without anyone on the wings to give him service.  We completely lost our width.  Villa have always had decent wingers, but we lost both immediately   We had Albrighton come in and perform admirably, but he's not the most gifted player, but he bloody worked hard and did ok.  

 

Obviously that season was a right off, because we lost our good players, spent no money and our defense was a joke and we didn't try to score goals... that's McLeish for you.

 

Now, we sacked McLeish, which was universally supported.  I'd say more than half of the supports I spoke to thought Lambert was a very good appointment.  He did extremely well with Norwich and I was pleased to have him with us.  If we survive this season, I'm happy i'd be happy to trust Lambert to then spend a few million and start building a new team.  

 

So, O'Neill left us with no choice - the choice replacement we made was wrong (in hindsight, but I didn't think Houiller actually did TOO badly, Liverpool aside) and his replacement was a big mistake.  O'Neill leaving and the players who have come in on large contract since his departure were because of necessity.  Ireland deal didn't seem TOO bad at the start, it's just turned out badly.  Darren Bent coming in was needed.. I think he kept us in the league that season.  

 

But since Lambert has come in, barring a couple of results which have left me annoyed (chelsea, Bradford) I actually think he's done as expected.  

 

We seem to try to play positive, individuals have made some pretty bad mistakes (Clark, Bennett, NZog, Baker to name a few), I think, survive this season, buy 3/4 new players to create a spine to the team and we'll be solid mid-table next year.

 

Let's not forget, this season is a huge step up in terms of quality for the likes of Lowton, Bentekke, Bennett, Baker, Wiemann, Westwood and Bowery - 2 leagues in some cases.  

 

I can only see light at the end of the tunnel at the moment.  We need 2 more wins and I think we'll be safe.  Let's survive and get that bit of stability we had under 4 seasons of O Neill. Get rid of the deadwood on large wages, maybe sell a couple of players, buy some more players and see where we are at christmas  

 

Just gotta survive first!  

[Big_John_10]

He's partly to blame

I keep repeating it but how is he? You've said yourself that since he left we've spent enough money and wages to see us clear of this situation.

 

Because he contributed to the situation whereby we had a ridiculously high wage bill and few players with any sell-on value.

 

Which has nothing to do with us being in a relegation battle now

You said yourself that we spent enough money to see us clear.

This is pointless and going round in circles.

Your post saying that is there for everyone to see.

I'll leave it at that..

[Mantis]

 

 

He's partly to blame

I keep repeating it but how is he? You've said yourself that since he left we've spent enough money and wages to see us clear of this situation.

 

Because he contributed to the situation whereby we had a ridiculously high wage bill and few players with any sell-on value.

 

Which has nothing to do with us being in a relegation battle now

You said yourself that we spent enough money to see us clear.

This is pointless and going round in circles.

Your post saying that is there for everyone to see.

I'll leave it at that..

Yes it does because these things have knock on affects.

[MrDuck]

What has he done that's currently related to our relegation battle?

 

Well, he got himself sacked which probably increases Sunderland's chances of staying up at our expense. I have no doubt he did this to spite Villa, it's totally in character.

[VillaForever1970]

Found out and all his little followers dont like it.

Hilarious that apparently his team was not fit, after March? Never!

No Robertson and not enough cash = O'neill failure.

Would never be able to do what he did at Leicester now, a manager not moved forward with the times.

[Zatman]

Di Canio saying the team he has isnt fit enough to play 90 minutes. Havent heard that before

[AVFCforever1991]

Di Canio saying the team he has isnt fit enough to play 90 minutes. Havent heard that before

 

That's because MoN uses training schedules from the 80's.

Edited April 9, 2013 by AVFCforever1991

[Oaks]

To be fair almost every new manager says that. Benitez for instance said that when he took over at Chelsea.

[Voinjama]

As I said in another thread alot of managers use that excuse about the players not being fit enough, so if the results don't go to plan, they have ready made excuse.

[Demitri_C]

and a very obvious tactic there di canio