Martin O'Neill has resigned

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Have been txting back and fore to my old mate Kev - He is there for the change but has been promised that he will remain as an employee - no matter what - He has told me who is the fave but I have approached Ladbokes and the betting is far to good to share.

[Renegade]

I see Maradona is wanting the job now. What a funny world we live in when two of the candidates for a top Premiership club's manager's job is one of, if not the best player ever, and a bloke from Dalneigh!

[ictchris]

Those figures will look very different once Milner and Young are sold. I'm not sure that net spend on transfer fees is the best way to form expectations anyway - what about wage bills? Surely that's what has kept the top 3/4 so far ahead of the rest for the past few years. Randy Lerner backed O'Neill with substantial funds but he didn't count on City and Spurs doing the same. The result was 3 consecutive 6th place finishes. It might not look spectacular but plenty of Premiership teams have spunked money and achieved less. Marcotti says "O'Neill strikes me, ultimately, as someone who does the job to the level you would expect, given the resources at his disposal. Nothing less, nothing more". That may be true, and he rightly points out that Moyes and Redknapp have exceeded expectations at their clubs, but not many managers can do that. I have feeling that in a few years time Villa fans will look back on the O'Neill years with misty eyes.

When appraising O'Neill's career overall, it's important not to forget the successive promotions he achieved at Wycombe, or his time at Leicester where he won 2 League Cups and finished in the top half of the table for 4 consecutive seasons.

Villa's wage bill is massive - ?71m or 85% of turnover (Link. MON resigned because the club wanted to recoup some money by selling Milner and, possibly, Young. Given the money he's spent not to even properly challange for a Champions League spot is poor. O'Neill was successful early days at Wycombe and Leicester but plenty of managers do well with lower league clubs without being considered the new Clough or Ferguson, as O'Neill is often talked about. As for his record as Villa boss, he's certainly done a better job compared to total duds like David O'Leary or Graham Taylor (in his second spell) but he was about on a par with John Gregory and Brian Little (Little even won a trophy). Of course, Gregory had other 'issues' which meanhe won't really be remembered fondly.

[tm4tj]

I see Maradona is wanting the job now. What a funny world we live in when two of the candidates for a top Premiership club's manager's job is one of, if not the best player ever, and a bloke from Argentina!

Fixed it for ya Renegade

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

I see Maradona is wanting the job now. What a funny world we live in when two of the candidates for a top Premiership club's manager's job is one of, if not the best player ever, and a bloke from Dalneigh!

I wouldn't believe everything you read in the tabloids .

[Caley Stan]

Villa's wage bill is massive - ?71m or 85% of turnover (Link. MON resigned because the club wanted to recoup some money by selling Milner and, possibly, Young. Given the money he's spent not to even properly challange for a Champions League spot is poor. O'Neill was successful early days at Wycombe and Leicester but plenty of managers do well with lower league clubs without being considered the new Clough or Ferguson, as O'Neill is often talked about. As for his record as Villa boss, he's certainly done a better job compared to total duds like David O'Leary or Graham Taylor (in his second spell) but he was about on a par with John Gregory and Brian Little (Little even won a trophy). Of course, Gregory had other 'issues' which meanhe won't really be remembered fondly.

Yes, Villa's wage bill is clearly unsustainable but that just underlines how unrealistic it was to expect O'Neill to deliver Champions League football. A club their size just can't compete with the money offered by United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. I can't find a decent source for EPL wage bills but i don't think Villa got close to the wages offered by those clubs during O'Neill's reign. City, Spurs and Newcastle have also spent huge amounts on wages over the past 4 years without much success. I think three consecutive 6th place finishes is reasonable in this context. Obviously he's no Clough or Fergie, that's just media sillyness, but he is, in Marcotti's words, "someone who does the job to the level you would expect, given the resources at his disposal". That, for me, makes him a decent manager.

[ictchris]

Yes, Villa's wage bill is clearly unsustainable but that just underlines how unrealistic it was to expect O'Neill to deliver Champions League football. A club their size just can't compete with the money offered by United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. I can't find a decent source for EPL wage bills but i don't think Villa got close to the wages offered by those clubs during O'Neill's reign. City, Spurs and Newcastle have also spent huge amounts on wages over the past 4 years without much success. I think three consecutive 6th place finishes is reasonable in this context. Obviously he's no Clough or Fergie, that's just media sillyness, but he is, in Marcotti's words, "someone who does the job to the level you would expect, given the resources at his disposal". That, for me, makes him a decent manager.

Yes, he's a decent manager but the way he's bummed up in the press (linked with Man Utd and England) he isn't as good as all that.

I see Villa signed Stephen Ireland today as part of the Milner deal - strange, what happens if the new Villa boss doesn't want him?

[+DoofersDad]

Doesn't look like Kevin MacDonald will get the Villa job now. Newcastle 6 - 0 winners today:

Edited August 22, 2010 by DoofersDad

[Ronaldo]

Poor Kev,

Just watched the BBC interview and feel sorry, lovely bloke.

Also looks like football management has aged him too, barely recognised him?!

[ICTPaisley]

I wouldn't be surprised if Villa collapsed now that O'neil is out of the door. Kevin cannot be allowed to keep the job after a 6-0 drubbing by Newcastle, can't see it being long until they find a replacement for him.

Edited August 23, 2010 by ICTPAISLEY