The Managers Under Randy Lerner | Vital Football

The Managers Under Randy Lerner

Given what happened after he left, it looks to me that MON was the only competent person in the building.

He did on £20m per season what nobody else could do with the same budget.
 
Think the less said about this the better myself. Too many old arguments to revisit and dwelling in the past is never healthy.

A healthy topic of conversation would be the value of Wes Eden's daughter, Mallory to the promotion push, how she galvanised a bunch of misfits brought us Vital Villans together, what outfits she wears, what business deals is she up to, who she's dating (booooo).
 
Think everybody thought MON was a good appointment. Hope lasted for most of the first three years, then doubts started to accumulate. He had a good crack at it, but maybe that extra bit of skill needed just wasn't there and it began to show. His leaving showed a small-minded man.

Houllier's problem was the negative reaction of a large segment of the fanbase, which applied unneeded pressure from day 1, which also gave Collins/Dunne the licence to undermine him in the dressing room. He'd had a full checkup before signing and don't think the health issue hit until well into second half of the season. Thought he was an inspired choice by Randy, and would have sorted things had he continued.

After that it was all downhill. Let's not forget either the stand-ins; KevM who showed he could never be a serious manager, and Black likewise, the lowest point in our history.
 
McParlandTheGreat said:
Think everybody thought MON was a good appointment. Hope lasted for most of the first three years, then doubts started to accumulate. He had a good crack at it, but maybe that extra bit of skill needed just wasn't there and it began to show. His leaving showed a small-minded man.

Houllier's problem was the negative reaction of a large segment of the fanbase, which applied unneeded pressure from day 1, which also gave Collins/Dunne the licence to undermine him in the dressing room. He'd had a full checkup before signing and don't think the health issue hit until well into second half of the season. Thought he was an inspired choice by Randy, and would have sorted things had he continued.

After that it was all downhill. Let's not forget either the stand-ins; KevM who showed he could never be a serious manager, and Black likewise, the lowest point in our history.
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Gary McCallister did fine for us. We played some very decent football under his reign.
 
BodyButter said:
Given what happened after he left, it looks to me that MON was the only competent person in the building.

He did on £20m per season what nobody else could do with the same budget.
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or to me, the beginning of the end. He blew it and we didn't really recover.
 
JuanPabloAngel said:
I'd much rather we had kept GMac than appoint McLeish, but hey ho, story of Villa in the last 30 years - opportunity missed.
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Gmac did fine. Think he and Houllier suggested that effectively he continued as manager and Houllier became Dof when he recovered. But it was rejected. In favour of McLeish FFS.

Think McLeish's problem was partly lack of self confidence; it showed in his face. Having ambition but lacking the self confidence to go with it is a toxic mix. Randy tying the purse strings wouldn't have helped.
 
The Fear said:
An outtake from my book, it didn't quite make the cut, as it was straying from the idea of what Fear Conquers All is meant to be about.
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Love the fact there are outtakes. Is there also bloopers reel ?. Did you belly flop into the pool on the kit shoot, trip up the holte steps or get uncontrollable giggles.
 
JuanPabloAngel said:
Alex McLeish :shake:

Really nice guy, used to come to the restaurant quite regularly but surely one of the worst managerial appointments in football history? Definitely the straw which broke the camel's back during the Lerner years.
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The worst most stupid appointment in the history of sport.
 
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Just shows how totally out of touch and how much plot had been lost by Lerner et al.
To the outside world it might seem stupid, petty, ridiculous but its just they way it is.

Not only had he managed our rivals. He had bloody relegated them . The league cup was a freak thing .
Nothing against Mcleish as a person . Seems an admirable man but as a football manager and the circumstances around him , he was just not appointable.

What were they thinking.
 
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