[nonotrly]

(Original post by little_wizard123)
We always seemed to be quite popular for neutral fans, but I think this season McLeish has put an end to this. A lot of people wanted to see us get relegated, it might just have been because we were the biggest team down there, but the football we played really wasn't going to win us any fans.

Can't say I was either side, Aston Villa has never been a club that's filled me with interest, let alone excitement, since I started watching in 1998. My brain dies of boredom as soon as I hear the names like Juan Pablo Angel, Milan Baros etc. and they're a team that never gets relegated but never gets in Europe really. Also any exciting players they get will get sold.

Only time I remember them doing anything except hosting F.A. cup semi-finals was I think the start of the 2000/2001 season when for the first 15 or 20 games, teams like Villa and Newcastle were mounting a serious title challenge until they faded away and Man United won again.

I don't remember the last time I watched a Villa match on MOTD except when playing my team.

What's it like as a fan? >_>

[Gob Bluth]

(Original post by nonotrly)
Fahkt, you say?

Based on what previous Benitez history, exactly?

Perhaps you should go back in time a couple of years and suggest Houllier?

Liverpool and Valencia says it all. Fantastic manager. One of the best currently not employed.

[Joluk]

We'd probably get a lot of decent Man U youngsters on loan i guess, wouldn't be opposed to getting solskjaer but i'd prefer Martinez or Lambert.

[elia]

(Original post by nonotrly)
Can't say I was either side, Aston Villa has never been a club that's filled me with interest, let alone excitement, since I started watching in 1998. My brain dies of boredom as soon as I hear the names like Juan Pablo Angel, Milan Baros etc. and they're a team that never gets relegated but never gets in Europe really. Also any exciting players they get will get sold.

Only time I remember them doing anything except hosting F.A. cup semi-finals was I think the start of the 2000/2001 season when for the first 15 or 20 games, teams like Villa and Newcastle were mounting a serious title challenge until they faded away and Man United won again.

I don't remember the last time I watched a Villa match on MOTD except when playing my team.

What's it like as a fan? >_>

Juan Pablo Angel? You obviously don't remember this then. He was my favourite player for years, scoring 20 goals in one season once

[little_wizard123]

(Original post by nonotrly)
What's it like as a fan? >_>

Who do you support?

It's practically been the same ever since I started supporting them (must've been about 1994 when I was 6). Ups and downs, some very talented players and a lot of talented youngsters who don't seem to get anywhere, but we've never been good enough to maintain a full season of fantastic football, but not been bad enough to get relegated. This is the worst I can remember us though, tbh. But I do think we will see changes and I think with a few quality players in with the youngsters then we'll be back to mid-table mediocrity.

Just don't want another manager who is doomed to fail before he starts. If Lerner brings in somebody poor then he's in trouble - people are starting to lose faith in him.

[nonotrly]

(Original post by Gob Bluth)
Liverpool and Valencia says it all. Fantastic manager. One of the best currently not employed.

Was pretty dodgy at Liverpool after the Euro final win, maybe their last final appearence. He'd be a frustrating figure. When the team's winning, great. When they're losing, he seems to only exasperate the problem.

(Original post by little_wizard123)
Who do you support?

Man United and Brighton and Hove Albion. I'm sure I'd get comments about glory hunting (though I started watching football at the 1998 F.A. cup final, which was Man Utd's worst season for some time), but you can't choose who you support (properly support). Brighton's my home team (well, Worthing but they're like 8th tier). I guess I'm used to supporting two teams since I'm mixed race anyways.

So I'm not familiar with midtable regularity. We all know about Man Utd. Brighton are a yo-yo club, it's just that they yo-yo up and down the entire football league system rather than just one or two leagues. Had better luck with strikers than Villa though I reckon. Even had Akinbiyi scoring.

(Original post by elia)
Juan Pablo Angel? You obviously don't remember this then. He was my favourite player for years, scoring 20 goals in one season once

Well nowadays my memory of that era brings back images of Championship Manager 01/02's menu screens.

[Gob Bluth]

(Original post by nonotrly)
Was pretty dodgy at Liverpool after the Euro final win, maybe their last final appearence. He'd be a frustrating figure. When the team's winning, great. When they're losing, he seems to only exasperate the problem.



Man United and Brighton and Hove Albion. I'm sure I'd get comments about glory hunting (though I started watching football at the 1998 F.A. cup final, which was Man Utd's worst season for some time), but you can't choose who you support (properly support). Brighton's my home team (well, Worthing but they're like 8th tier). I guess I'm used to supporting two teams since I'm mixed race anyways.

So I'm not familiar with midtable regularity. We all know about Man Utd. Brighton are a yo-yo club, it's just that they yo-yo up and down the entire football league system rather than just one or two leagues. Had better luck with strikers than Villa though I reckon. Even had Akinbiyi scoring.



Well nowadays my memory of that era brings back images of Championship Manager 01/02's menu screens.

That's because he wasn't given money. Remember, the team almost won the PL 3 years (i think) after the CL win (and he won the CL with quite frankly an average team) and also got to the CL final 2 years later. This team included the likes of Reina, Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Torres whom apart from Gerrard were all Rafa buys. All of Liverpool's good players this season have been Rafa buys if you forget Suarez. Liverpool's team of that time were one of the best in the world. Problems started when Alonso left and Rafa wasn't given money. For the money he was getting some of these players he got was fantastic, and he would do a fantastic job at Villa.

[hogso]

(Original post by Gob Bluth)
That's because he wasn't given money

Which is Villa fans are, as you say, 'turning their noses up' to him. End.

[original_username]

Would be good to see a new manager about, like with what wolves have done.

There are far to many poor managers and this 'manager roundabout' we always hear about.

[little_wizard123]

(Original post by nonotrly)
I guess I'm used to supporting two teams since I'm mixed race anyways.

what do you mean?

[nonotrly]

(Original post by little_wizard123)
what do you mean?

My mother is English and my father is Iranian, so I support two countries. Though to be fair (and what probably goes against Western perception), the Iran team have always been a lot more likable a bunch of lads, mainly since chavism exploded. They might play too nice though. If both nations were to play in the world cup final, I'd probably go for Iran since they'd be underdogs and England can always win it another year.

Can't they? >_>

[little_wizard123]

(Original post by nonotrly)
My mother is English and my father is Iranian, so I support two countries. Though to be fair (and what probably goes against Western perception), the Iran team have always been a lot more likable a bunch of lads, mainly since chavism exploded. They might play too nice though. If both nations were to play in the world cup final, I'd probably go for Iran since they'd be underdogs and England can always win it another year.

Can't they? >_>

I imagine the odds of Iran winning the world cup are lower than Villa winning the league, although Iran were ranked 15th in 2005

[Cll_ws]

So Solsksjaer's looking an almost sure bet now. Well I say that, many bookies have even taken down the betting on our next manager

I have to say i'm really excited at the thought! Whilst somebody like Lambert who I wouldn't of minded would of been a safer bet, OGS is a far more exciting one. Exactly the kind of appointment many Villa fans have been crying out for for years, so hopefully everybody gets behind him! (if it happens this is )

If anybody's interested in knowing more about him and his management style, check out the documentary "Gunning for Glory", you can get it on youtube. It's pretty good!

He couldn't be any more different to Mcleish, and that excites me. He said once after his team Molde (who he guided to their first league title in their 100 year history against all odds, in his first season as manager) lost to Spartak Moscow in a cup, that he disliked their "dirty tackling and defensive tactics" and that if he ever has his team playing like that then to "inform him so that he can retire from management"

Also something I thought was interesting was that in the season before he came, he said that Molde had a tall, target-man type striker upfront, and he was the top goalscorer in the league that season. They were playing with lots of long balls and crosses to this guy.
But despite this guy scoring most of their goals Ole came in and stopped them playing like that, instead teaching them to get the ball down and play.
And well, they won their first ever league title....so it obviously proved successful!

As I said, i've got myself quite excited at the thought of having a manager like him come in, so i'll be a little gutted if it doesn't happen now!

[Cll_ws]

(Original post by elia)
Juan Pablo Angel? You obviously don't remember this then. He was my favourite player for years, scoring 20 goals in one season once

I remember that goal He was also my favourite player for years. And that one season you mentioned, he was unstoppable!

[little_wizard123]

Happy to see anybody in as long as they try to get us playing good football. Defensive football that works is one thing, but defensive football giving us 16th is another.

[nonotrly]

(Original post by little_wizard123)
I imagine the odds of Iran winning the world cup are lower than Villa winning the league, although Iran were ranked 15th in 2005

Guinea were ranked 22nd in 2006. Iran vs Guinea = match of the ages.

[DaveSmith99]

What do you lot think about this?http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18116353

He's done really well at Molde, won their first title in 100 years and changed the style of football they play, pretty impressive for his first year in proper management.

[original_username]

I really want it to come off.

Would be brilliant to see an ex- Man United player turned manager cut it in the premier league. Even if it is for Villa.

Can't believe Fergie told him to put off managing a team over here for a while, he's a born winner, obviously he is going to want the challenge of going to a big club in the best league in the world. Why put that off? Terrible advice from him tbh.

[DaveSmith99]

(Original post by original_username)
I really want it to come off.

Would be brilliant to see an ex- Man United player turned manager cut it in the premier league. Even if it is for Villa.

Can't believe Fergie told him to put off managing a team over here for a while, he's a born winner, obviously he is going to want the challenge of going to a big club in the best league in the world. Why put that off? Terrible advice from him tbh.

He probably doesn't want to see him step up too early and fail. If he comes over here he's going to be under much more pressure and he will be under much more scrutiny. I think he should see the season out with Molde, its 9 games in at the moment and they are 2nd. The Champions league would be a good experience for him as well.

[original_username]

(Original post by DaveSmith99)
He probably doesn't want to see him step up too early and fail. If he comes over here he's going to be under much more pressure and he will be under much more scrutiny. I think he should see the season out with Molde, its 9 games in at the moment and they are 2nd. The Champions league would be a good experience for him as well.

But I'm pretty sure OGS will have his eyes on the ultimate prize of managing Man United in the future, and he isn't going to make a name for himself doing well in the Norwegian League.

Molde will get annihilated in the CL.