dont think the XG was impressive last season for the huns
The Huns have tended to buckle under pressure with Gerrard, sadly Celtic didn’t apply any last season.
I’d have doubts about Celtic’s ability to win ugly and grind down teams that shut up shop and go ultra defensive but if we can keep our key players fit and add a couple of quality addictions in midfield then I’m confident we will best the Huns and the SFA to the title.
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Rumours that Steven Gerrard will take the Aston Villa job if he is allowed to take his entire backroom team with him.
Villa are still to agree if John Beaton, Bobby Madden, Stephen McLean, Andrew Dallas, Nick Walsh and Don Robertson can join him
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Who do we think the huns will go for?
I’m a bit meh on this, will probably allow the huns get a decent compensation fee - maybe 5-6m which gives them some much needed cash. I don’t think he’s anything other than average as a manager and he might also bring some of their players to Villa with him giving them some much needed cash.
Will they go for a big name replacement or try someone like Callum Davidson?
Lampard might be an option if Norwich don’t hire him.
Is Mrs Lampard from Northern Ireland? Surely she would be able to advise himself to go for it or avoid like the plague depending on her own affiliation? Moot point anyway I think he’ll go to Norwich
Lampard is odds on for Norwich it seems.
Looking at the odds there I think Van Bronkhorst is probably the standout name, former player, currently out of a job and has a decent pedigree having won an Eredivisie when in charge with Feyenoord.
The other favourites wouldn’t really worry anyone - Alex Neil, McAllister, Beale, Dean Smith etc.
It’d be as much the upheaval if Gerrard takes all his staff with him. Yer man Beale seems to be the main man in the set up as regards coaching and tactics. Gerrard has the presence/name and is the figurehead, McAllister is meant to be a nice man but a harmless sort. They’ve a good few then in the wider first team environment too. It’ll be interesting alright to see if they go for someone like Gerrard with a big reputation in the game (albeit as a player when he took the job) or if the likes of Derek McInnes will be on the shortlist again.
Yeah. The upheavel is good but I think this is good new for Rangers financially, if the whole backroom team is off they could get 7/8m in and you wouldn’t rule out Gerrard coming back in and paying over the odds for Kent/Kamara/Morelos/Tavernier/Barisic so they could have a bit of money to make some shrewd signings.
The next appointment is crucial for them, Celtic appointing Lennon set them back 4/5 years in an 18 month spell.
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The talk in newspapers today was less than 3m in compensation. I could see them going for Warnock or someone.
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That’s a low amount for a guy who has 2 and a half years remaining on his contract. Possible clause in it? I love Neil Warnock so hope he doesn’t got there but I think if they get in a dinosaur of a manager it will do them more harm than good long term. Someone like McInnes until the end of the season maybe might be what they opt for.
TBF I’d say the salary is what is tempting him down south mostly as he’s a far better opportunity to enhance his reputation by winning trophies and progressing in Europe with Rangers? What constitutes success down south with a club like Villa? Little chance of them cracking the top 6, good chance of him relegating a squad worth a few hundred million.
Would many of the players mentioned be good enough to improve Villa? Morelos seems to have gone off the boil entirely under Gerrard, and lads like Tavarnier are surely not good enough to get Villa to where they want to be. Gerrard had a very good record in Old Firm games (though there are a few reasons for that) and in Europe, he has gotten some good team performances from a fairly mediocre squad of players.
I’m not sure if they would but I think it could just be a manager turning to his old reliables. Villa’s transfer spending since they came back up could be described as reckless at best.
None of the current Rangers team would improve Villa who it should be said are very average
That’s what I’d be thinking. He would hardly want to be putting himself under more pressure with Villa fans, who are already dubious about him being appointed, by bringing down some players he previously managed who are not up to it. Morelos on the top of his game might be worth a punt but Gerrard hasn’t been able get him firing at all the past while.
Morelos is as fat as a fool
Around 1995 Jimmy Nicholl after success managing Raith Rovers got the Millwall job . He brought a few players down and it didn’t work out
Managers have a tendency to stick to players they know and trust.
Fair enough but they must also think they are good enough
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I wouldn’t say there’s a huge pile of difference between Rangers and Villa in terms of quality if I’m honest. Villa have slightly better players that they paid about 10x more for.
Tavernier, Kent, Morelos, Barisic and Kamara would all be starting for or quite close to starting for Villa IMO.
Reminder of this classic
SPFL manager of the month for October was asked about Gerrard this afternoon
“That’s the kind of distraction I avoid. We’re trying to build something, you can’t afford to look over your fence. We have to build our house, make it nice & beautiful then see how it stacks up against the rest of the neighbourhood"
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