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Ghost of Pongo Waring

Villa fan in peace

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Hi.Firstly congratulations on a great season. Unfortunately for you it''ll mean a summer of speculation about your players and, obviously, your manager. McLeish will certainly be leaving, the meetings finished and it''s just a case of us waiting for the official announcement but personally I don''t think Paul Lambert will be our next manager.In many ways he''ll be a perfect choice. The problem Villa have got isn''t transfer funds but an issue with wages. When MON left it was reported that wages were over 80% of income so they had to be cut back. Paul Lambert has built a good, entertaining squad at Norwich with players from the lower leagues and their wages will be less than the ''Premiership'' players signed by Villa. Also the squad has massively under achieved this season and Lambert, like MON, seems to be a good motivator and would get the squad playing to it''s potential again.However Lerner and Faulkner haven''t got a very good track record as far as managers go. MON was signed by Doug Ellis before the takeover, Houllier was a manager with health problems who''d been out of management for a while. McLeish was just an unbelievable signing.His record at blues was two relegations in three seasons and the football was abysmal. Even though they won only the second major trophy in their history last season I don''t know a single blues fan who was upset when he walked out.I just can''t see them making such an good choice as Lambert. Thats not to say Lambert would come even if they were make an approach. Our wage issue is better now and there has been talk that we''ll be rebuilding this summer but without knowing how much will be available it''s hard to say how attractive it is to another manager.He may well decide that the challenge at Norwich is better for him or he may decide that he can progress his career more at Villa. He might not even be in Lerner and Faulkners plans at all. Whatever the outcome I hope Norwich become an established Prem club. Had some good away days at Norwich and your fans have always been decent.Thanks as well for the support of Petrov in the 19th minute.

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Cheers fella. Enjoyed some good banter with some of the Villa post-match yesterday, good fun!

 

I found the appointment of McLeish last Summer astonishing. I did wonder if MON had spread the word a bit and it was going around mangerial circles that, whilst  it was, and is, a damned good job to have at a great club, the people you ended up working for weren''t the greatest-I really can''t imagine you going for Villa on any other grounds other than he was available and desperate for a new job. Under "normal" circumstances I couldn''t have seen him getting anywhere near Villa Park.

 

I think, and this is not clutching at straws-I hope, that your board will fancy seeing if Benitez is interested. A CL winning Manager, thats not a bad place to come from. He has made it clear he wants to stay in England, his record at Liverpool now stands up to scrutiny (there are Scousers who would take him back) and is free and, I think, prepping his CV for you as we speak.

 

He''d consider you-but not us. And that is what defines Villa as being perceived as a bigger club with more potential, that is, potential to do, more quickly, things that we might be able to do. I''d hope we are aiming for a top 10 place next season-possible yes, but with Villa and a new Manager that would come as standard, an expected norm.

 

It''s a tough one. I want him and his team to stay, we all do. But when you put it down to cold, hard logic there is something there at Villa that would tempt any ambitious Manager. If he comes he''ll make a quick impression and you''ll see a few  people take the short walk out of the door marked "Exit"-and quite quickly. Plus a few more coming in, hopefully none from here though.

 

I can think of worse clubs he can go to, far worse. I guess we all need to see the game play out now.

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Benitez wanted the job last season but apparently insisted on a large budget, while the club were trying to make savings. If we are in a better position financially now it might happen. There was also talk in Merseyside that Moyes had agreed to come to Villa last season but Villa wouldn''t pay the 7 million Everton wanted to release him. If thats true, and it was an Everton friend who told me, then it''s quite ironic when you consider McLeish cost us 2 million and has lost the club millions more in league prize money and ticket sales. If we wouldn''t go the extra mile to pay for Moyes last season I can''t see him agreeing to come now.I think after Martinez, Benetiz, and possibly Moyes, were ruled out they panicked

as the season was approaching and they didn''t want to go into a new

season without a manager in place, as happened with Houllier.My money would be on Martinez. He wanted to show loyalty to Wigan,

which is credit to the man, but if we go for him again he might feel

he''s taken Wigan as far as he can and has done right by Wigan by staying

another year.I''m not wanting to depress anyone but one constant in our search for managers is that Lerner and Faulkner don''t rush things. We took weeks to sign both Houllier and McLeish so I don''t think the situation is going to be resolved soon.Hopefully they''ve learnt their lessons and things will be sorted quicker this time.

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Before David McNally became our CEO Norwich City was a dithering Club in its dealings. If Roger Hargreaves hasn''t done ''Mr. Dither'' yet he could do no worse than model the character onour former CEO.

McNally wants things done yesterday. He is Club first and Lambert second as opposed to our hormonal owner who used to get too tie up in relationships.

No way will McNally play a long game on this. This is the man who unceremoniously fired the manager who was called Mr. Norwich because it needed to be done and who rode roughshod over Colchester United to get the man he wanted.

Lambert has a rolling contract and even putting compensation issues aside when push comes to shove McNally will want to know whether he''ll honour another one, as he has done as his first job in other end so seasons.

If it comes down to brinkmanship then McNally will say thank you and goodbye in which case Paul Lambert had better be sure he has a nailed on position to go to.

Villa dithering nearly got them relegated which costs more than the 7 million Everton wanted for Moyes. Norwich''s demise was wholly dither based over Worthington and his successors right up until when our Board realised a hardened professional was needed to steer the ship. Norwich''s rise has been based on early decisiveness and preparation.

Is ''Prepared'' the Villa mantra? If so, it''s time Lerner and Co re-discovered what it means.

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Yes ''Prepared'' is Villas motto and you''re right Lerner needs to live up to it.Maybe the quick sacking of McLeish is showing that they''re being more decisive because both our clubs need to know where they stand.

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Thanks God he''s gone, it''s a bit early but I feel a scotch is in order.  Hopefully we''ll actually try to win games now.A local journalist has tweeted that we''ll have a Director of Football in place within a couple of days. Whether this makes Paul Lambert a more or less likely candidate I don''t know but I couldn''t see MON working under a DOF and Lambert is close to MON.

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Pongo this could be the worst possible thing you could do if you want Lambert.He is his own man and likes control from top to bottom, I have some contacts inside the club, as my son is in the youth set up at a certain level and Lambert has a say in everything and control over most, including kit design......Also, he has in his own team an Ops guy, Gary Karsa.Sounds to me like Benitez, wasn''t Comolli at Anfield with him?

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" local journalist has tweeted that we''ll have a Director of Football in place within a couple of days."

 

This would be fantastic news for Norwich if true. No way would PL work under a Director of Football, and, as Willo2 says, Lambert clearly wants control over pretty much everything.

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Comolli was reported to be at Villa for the Spurs game. Might be Benitez is back in the frame then if Comolli is appointed.Sounds like Lambert is very much like MON, so if it is the case with the DoF then I''d guess Lambert isn''t our target.

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If Villa bring in a director of football then i for one will feel the chances of Lambo going there will decrease. I just can''t see him buying into that kind of set up at all, especially if its someone like Commoli.

If Villa appoint him as director of football before they have a manager lined up then they may be shooting themselves in the foot.

 

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After signing McLeish last year that''d be par for the course.You would think that if they want to go along the DoF route they''d have a new manager sounded out who''d be happy with that but it wouldn''t shock me if that wasn''t the case.

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[quote user="Ghost of Pongo Waring"]Hi.

Firstly congratulations on a great season. Unfortunately for you it''ll mean a summer of speculation about your players and, obviously, your manager.

McLeish will certainly be leaving, the meetings finished and it''s just a case of us waiting for the official announcement but personally I don''t think Paul Lambert will be our next manager.

In many ways he''ll be a perfect choice. The problem Villa have got isn''t transfer funds but an issue with wages. When MON left it was reported that wages were over 80% of income so they had to be cut back. Paul Lambert has built a good, entertaining squad at Norwich with players from the lower leagues and their wages will be less than the ''Premiership'' players signed by Villa. Also the squad has massively under achieved this season and Lambert, like MON, seems to be a good motivator and would get the squad playing to it''s potential again.

However Lerner and Faulkner haven''t got a very good track record as far as managers go. MON was signed by Doug Ellis before the takeover, Houllier was a manager with health problems who''d been out of management for a while. McLeish was just an unbelievable signing.
His record at blues was two relegations in three seasons and the football was abysmal. Even though they won only the second major trophy in their history last season I don''t know a single blues fan who was upset when he walked out.

I just can''t see them making such an good choice as Lambert.

Thats not to say Lambert would come even if they were make an approach. Our wage issue is better now and there has been talk that we''ll be rebuilding this summer but without knowing how much will be available it''s hard to say how attractive it is to another manager.

He may well decide that the challenge at Norwich is better for him or he may decide that he can progress his career more at Villa. He might not even be in Lerner and Faulkners plans at all.

Whatever the outcome I hope Norwich become an established Prem club. Had some good away days at Norwich and your fans have always been decent.

Thanks as well for the support of Petrov in the 19th minute.
[/quote]

 

Yeah you''re right there.

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First of all if Paul Lambert left I wouldn''t throw a Colchester fan sized wobbly and start harping on about it for the next six months on your messageboard. I would obviously be very sad but be very thankful for the job he''d done here and wish him well. And think Mcnally would bring in another great coach.

I must say though you''ve got a very competant manager from within at Villa Park as your chief scout in Glenn Roeder, he''s been out of work a long time and knows the loan market very well and has a wide variety of contacts. Plus he''d probably be cheaper to employ. I missed his tenure as England manager sadly but his initial record of results is usually quite uplifting.

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[quote user="norfolkchance1"]First of all if Paul Lambert left I wouldn''t throw a Colchester fan sized wobbly and start harping on about it for the next six months on your messageboard. I would obviously be very sad but be very thankful for the job he''d done here and wish him well. And think Mcnally would bring in another great coach.

I must say though you''ve got a very competant manager from within at Villa Park as your chief scout in Glenn Roeder, he''s been out of work a long time and knows the loan market very well and has a wide variety of contacts. Plus he''d probably be cheaper to employ. I missed his tenure as England manager sadly but his initial record of results is usually quite uplifting.[/quote]Love it!!!!

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You''ve got me sussed! , no joking aside my dads a Villa fan and I''ve been to a few games with him and think you''re a fairly decent bunch who deserve success. To be fair Lamberts the closest in style to Martin O''Neill and would do better than Mcleish.

I''d be surprised if you dont go for Brendan Rodgers as well.

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[quote user="norfolkchance1"]You''ve got me sussed! , no joking aside my dads a Villa fan and I''ve been to a few games with him and think you''re a fairly decent bunch who deserve success. To be fair Lamberts the closest in style to Martin O''Neill and would do better than Mcleish.

I''d be surprised if you dont go for Brendan Rodgers as well.[/quote]I don''t think the Villa board want to have another manager with complete control over everything. Which is why, presumably, we''re getting a DoF. If that does happen then I think Lamberts out of the frame but you''re right Lambert would do much better than McLeish.Whoever does come to Villa will have a hell of a lot of goodwill from the fans after McLeish. He''ll be an instant hero.

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I said, before the game yesterday, that I just don''t get Villa this season. You have some cracking individual players, yet the sum of the parts have seriously underperformed this season, which I guess you guys will put at McLeish''s door? 

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Meant to add, that as I sit right at the front, I got to see the likes of Agbonlahor, and Dunne close up, and I couldn''t accuse them of not trying, they had a resigned look about them yesterday, a sort of ''I can''t wait for this season to finish''  look. A shame, as on their day, they are not ''bottom 6'' players, in fact I still recall Dunne and Distin (Man City) being the best centre half partnership I saw, the last time we were in the Prem

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[quote user="crabbycanary"]I said, before the game yesterday, that I just don''t get Villa this season. You have some cracking individual players, yet the sum of the parts have seriously underperformed this season, which I guess you guys will put at McLeish''s door? [/quote]It''s exactly why we didn''t want McLeish in the first place, he''s just too damned negative. We''ve averaged a goal a game this season. Blues last season averaged a goal a game, even when he got Blues to 9th they averaged ........ yup a goal a game.There are times when you have to be more defensively minded but you''ve sti;ll got to try and win the game. Under McLeish we didn''t, a lot of the time.The annoying thing is, when we played Arsenal at home we really went for them. We lost 2-1 but Villa Park was rocking, for the only time this season, and everyone was so delighted that we''d shown our teeth. If he''d carried on like that we''d have been fine but next match it was back to normal.This isn''t far from the squad MON got to three 6ths in a row. We''ve lost Milner, Young and Downing since then but gained Bent, Ireland and N''Zogbia. Our squad shouldn''t have been a couple of points off relegation.If Paul Lambert had taken charge last season, or Martinez for that matter, we would not have been in the relegation battle.

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[quote user="Ghost of Pongo Waring"]

I don''t think the Villa board want to have another manager with complete control over everything. Which is why, presumably, we''re getting a DoF.

If that does happen then I think Lamberts out of the frame
[/quote]

 

I agree with this 100%.  And I really hope we''re both right !

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Neither Houllier or McLeish were favourites for the job when they got it so if Lambert being the favourite means little.I just hope whoever we get in, it''s done properly, with due respect for whatever other club is involved.

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