Managerial Merrygoround Thread

Sport
481

When have Celtic supporters en masse protested about an imminent managerial appointment? Clearly some of them haven’t worked out and there’s been a bit of disquiet in advance in certain cases but I don’t recall any scenes at all similar to that witnessed at Villa. I think it’s a comparison that doesn’t stand up and therefore it’s not ironic.

The related point is the implication that it’s strange for Celtic supporters to find this amusing because a Celtic approach for him would prompt the same reaction because of his links to Rangers. My response to that is that’s a hypothetical scenario whereas this is actually happening at Villa. Of course it’s funny when it happens to someone else and not you. Like getting hit in the nuts with a ball or something. I don’t know.

Let’s not fight Kev. I care about you too much to fight.

482

:lol:

483

Leaving the appointment to one side…

I cant help feeling that despite all the goodwill Lerner created when he took over at AVFC, rebuilding the Holte hotel, the Acorns sponsor, paying for supporter buses, backing MON hugely in the transfer market etc etc that the club is back now towards the end of Doug Ellis reign.

At the end of John Gregory’s time Ellis brought back Graham Taylor during 2002 and he kept us up around 7th or 8th. A nightmare ensued the following season and a relegation battle - Kinsella, Alback, Enkelman - oh yes some truly awful players. Ellis pulled the plug at the end of the season and made his last real managerial appointment with DOL. Wasnt a bad appointment at the time, took us to 6th in his first season but soon dropped off to 10th and then barely surviving relegation in his last.

Now I dont think the squad is anywhere near as bad as when Lerner took over but the club has just survived a long relegation battle (finishing 9th a misnomer really) but we are no closer now to Champions League than when he took over really. The atmosphere at Villa Park will be poisonous next season similar to the end of DOL’s tenure. Looks like our best players will want to leave and cant see too many with ambition heading to Villa Park. I dont think Mcleish has any chance at Villa Park, he cant win and neither will the club, as supporters will desert the team. Worsening the financial position and also the position of the club in the table. The appointment also stinks of a man who is looking to sell up.

Id argue with the finances available MON should have broken the top 4 but since he didnt, are we putting away our ambition for the forseeable future? The only way to break the top 4 now seems to be, get an Arab (Man City) or a Jew (Spurs) or seriously put the future of the club at risk with debt (Villa and Leeds) . The era of a Norwich coming up and giving it a rattle are long gone. The era of a Newcastle, Blackburn building a good sides seem over too. Hopefully the new Uefa rules will have some serious bite (the wages/turnover really), in any case they might harm the clubs trying to break through more so than the big boys. Its becoming incredibly difficult for any club to have success bar the status quo in the EPL. The La Liga probably is the same way, Real and Barca slaughtering all before them. Maybe that is the depressing reality of professional sport. If only big fat Ron’s team hadnt thrown away the league in 92/93

484

Seriously, Nobody gives a fuck.

Whats with every Irish Villa fan i have come across being a complete weirdo

485

+1

if this tard was going to follow a foreign team why choose villa ahead of madrid or milan - its nuts & the bad choice he made has led him to this point where “its the depressing reality of professional sports” whatever that glib comment is meant to mean

im sure the mavericks or the bruins fans arent too depressed this week

486

This.

487

but yet you take the time to read it and reply… :rolleyes:

sitting in the dunce classes for years, Id say you met a lot of weirdo’s

488

franco’s team and berlusconi’s team - do you read Mein Kampf on occasion too ?

489

Mccleish formally appointed villa boss according to sky. Hope you didn’t lay him for too much now kib man. Chin up mate etc etc

490

KIB’s EPL Betting 2011/12

Tip 1: Lay Alex McLeish to be Villa boss for $200

Result: Loser

Closing Balance - $200

491

Confirmed now.

Proven Premier League experience? Huh?

Aston Villa have confirmed the appointment of Alex McLeish as their new manager.

Despite anger amongst some Villa fans, the club have moved to appoint McLeish - who left local rivals Birmingham City last weekend.

The 52-year-old has been locked in talks with Villa owner Randy Lerner in recent days and has now take charge at Villa Park.

“I am honoured to have this opportunity to manage a club with such a fantastic history as Aston Villa’s,” McLeish said.

"The heritage, the history of success and the tradition of Aston Villa are compelling and irresistible. The challenge for me is to try to add my own chapter.

"Since first becoming a manager at Motherwell, my desire to succeed and my energy and drive have never waned. My objective is to impart that drive and will to win to the players and fans of Aston Villa.

“I know that some of our fans have voiced concerns and I can understand why. It will be up to me to convince you that I am the right man to drive the Club forward and I intend to give absolutely everything to prove that I can be a success at the Club.”

Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Aston Villa, insists the club have got the ‘right man’ for the job.

“We believe we have appointed the right man for the job,” he insisted.

"Unquestionably, Alex meets the criteria we set out at the beginning of our search which was based on proven Premier League experience, leadership, a hard-working ethic and, most importantly, a shared vision for Aston Villa.

"Alex is someone with whom we will work close and work well together.

"With our strong squad combining the necessary virtues of experience and the exciting potential of our young players, our objective is to compete as strongly as we possibly can.

“Alex’s vast experience and proven abilities demonstrate clearly that he is a strong leader and an ambitious man and we are looking forward very much to the exciting new season about to start.”

492

Also what’s the story with Mark Hughes now? Left in limbo.

493

To give Villa their dues, they’ve been plenty strong willed on this, not bowing to the pressure of the rabble outside their stadium door. Its a ballsy* move.

feel free to swap in idiotic here.

494

They paid over £2m for him too which is bizarre.

495

£2m to get a shit manager, with a history of guiding teams to relegation, who the fans hate and has red hair

:lol:

496

They cant accuse Lerner of not opening the purse strings :smiley:

497

I’d love it if Villa got relegated.

498

:lol:

It would be quality alright

499

Villas-Boas to Chelsea it seems.

500

Strange that - thought Hiddink had it. Although he may go upstairs.

Villas-Boas’ record thus far is savage. From wiki:

In his first season as coach, Villas-Boas set the following records:

  • By winning the UEFA Europa League on 18 May 2011, he is the youngest manager ever to win a European competition, at 33 years and 213 days of age.
  • The club record for the most matches across all competitions unbeaten (36). This record was previously held by José Mourinho at 33 matches. Part of this streak was completed by the previous coach of FC Porto, Jesualdo Ferreira.
  • The most wins in Europe in one season by a Portuguese club
  • The most points in a 30-game Portuguese league season
  • The highest number of consecutive wins in the Portuguese league (16)
  • The biggest margin over the second placed team in the league (21)
  • The only team to win the Portuguese league without being beaten aside from Benfica in 1972/73.
  • On 3 April 2011, Villas-Boas won his first Primeira Liga, five rounds before the end, by defeating second-place Benfica 2–1 away at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, becoming the third youngest coach to win it, only behind Mihály Sistka (1938–39) and Juca (1961–62). It is the second time that Porto won the Portuguese league by beating its rival at its home soil, the first time being 71 years ago, in the 1939–40 season when Porto clinched the title by defeating Benfica at the Estádio das Amoreiras.
  • On 22 May 2011, Villas-Boas won the Treble by winning the Portuguese Cup, equalizing Tomislav Ivić (when he won 4 titles for Porto in 1987/88), and making Porto the first (and only) European team to win a treble twice (Portuguese League, Portuguese Cup and UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League).