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Over the past week or so we’ve had bookies’ favourite after bookies’ favourite billed as the next Aston Villa manager, only to later be dismissed almost as quickly as they emerged. I could count all the posts on the subject from the various Aston Villa blogs and news outlets I subscribe to, but I’m pretty certain it’s easily in triple digits.
Attempting to sort the wheat from the chaff would drive me insane. I’ve taken the nuclear “mark all as read” option several times. I reserve the right as commander and chief of my own Google Reader to do so again in the future.
Nevertheless, the reaction to the mooted candidates has been both fascinating and troubling. An early possibility garnered a huge amount of support, perhaps surprisingly so given the rampant criticism of Houllier’s apparent lack of passion. The downside, once Carlo Ancelotti apparently ruled himself out, was that anyone else would seem like a disappointment in comparison.
Some more disappointing, or frankly terrifying, than others. I couldn’t possibly comment on the accuracy, but one report claimed that Steve McClaren was told to “schhhtoppp!” en route to his interview on the basis of fan reaction. Probably not true, but an amusing image.
The interwebz
Still, everyone has an opinion and these days we have the social media platform of our choosing right in the palm of our hands to vent it on. Some of that opinion is quite informed, considered and interesting, most is just irrational garbage, but can be pervasive nonetheless.
My overarching concern in lieu of appointing an Ancelotti type of manager – which was always highly unlikely, let’s be honest – is whoever gets the job is likely to displease a large proportion of fans. Not unlike Gerard Houllier.
Say what you like about Houllier, and we all have, it’s impossible to argue that he didn’t have significant opposition actively working against him from the outset. He didn’t help himself sometimes, sure, but constantly blowing every minor gripe out of all proportion is not a recipe for success. In fact, the negativity always risks becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I’m not suggesting that we should be vacant, scarf-waving cheerleaders regardless of what is actually happening, but I sense a large number of people are negative purely for the sake of it. You know the type; never happy unless they’re unhappy and with a desire, a thirst even, to tell the rest of us all about it.
Logic
The problem is the lack of cohesion in some of the conventional wisdom that gets attached to certain managers. For instance, Houllier’s trophies were initially dismissed because he made some poor signings. Rafa Benitez won the Champions League (with seven of Houllier’s signings in the starting eleven), but that’s been dismissed because he spent a lot of money.
David Moyes has been a perennial fan favourite, largely because he’s achieved what he has “without any money”. Pressed on why Moyes would be attracted to making what a lot of neutrals regard as a sideways move to Aston Villa, the answer tends to be “that he’ll get more money to spend”.
So if the manager will be given funds, why not go for the guy with experience of spending and winning? Why give money to someone who hasn’t had much before so he can be the next manager we can say “yeah, he did well, but he spent a lot of money”? I can’t reconcile this logic. Sorry.
And what has Moyes actually done at Everton to deserve such reverence anyway? He qualified for the Champions League in his third season thanks largely to Liverpool’s awful away record and, well, that’s about it. They then failed in their qualification round, dropped into the UEFA Cup and failed there too, and didn’t really do too well in the league either, finishing 11th.
What everyone seems to ignore is that Everton finished 17th with 39 points in Moyes’ second full season at Goodison. Would he have got a third at Villa Park? Honestly, would he? Doubtful.
The money element is also interesting. During Moyes’ first four seasons, Everton spent a little more than Aston Villa, but in modern terms it’s practically even. They outperformed us in the league in three of the four seasons, but in two of those three, we had David O’Leary at the helm.
So, is David Moyes a better manager than David O’Leary? Yes. And?
Patience and vision
Moyes’ second season should serve as an example that if panic and knee-jerk reactions can be avoided, if patience and vision is shown, it can pay off. As I say, I’m not convinced that Moyes has done anything particularly outstanding – and the last three seasons show some decline – but the majority of Everton fans seem loathed to part with him. That does say a lot.
Moyes is also a rarity in terms of length of service. Nine full seasons is a rare exception to the rule in modern football. The likes of Moyes, Ferguson and Wenger are few and far between, yet another common demand from fans is for a “long term appointment”.
What is “long term” and who could fit that bill? Would Ancelotti hang around for nine years? Would Mark Hughes? Seven years? Six years? Five? Highly unlikely. Would Moyes do another nine year stint? I don’t know.
So let’s now address the headline question and consider the latest of hot favourites; Roberto Martinez. A man whose second season at Wigan saw them avoid relegation on the last day, but with a record that was superior to David Moyes in his second season with Everton.
A man who could genuinely be a long term appointment in every sense, but would be unlikely to deliver much success in his first season or two. In seasons three, four, five, six… well, who can say? He absolutely knows his onions and is tipped for big things eventually. Miss out now and forever regret it perhaps?
The bottom line is that whoever Randy Lerner and Paul Faulkner appoint, there will be many doubters among the Villa faithful. The one thing they can’t possibly do without is the support, patience and belief we can supply. Those factors are not unlike oxygen; cut them off and it makes the manager’s job almost impossible. It doesn’t matter who gets the job.
As trite as it may seem, the vital ingredient, then, is you. It’s me. It’s all of us. It’s Aston Villa as a football club. We need to answer some important questions and it’s about time. Do we want to lurch from one panicked, reactionary decision to the next, endlessly cycling through managers with key players heading for the exit door every summer?
Or do we want to finally smash a stake in the ground, say this is who we are, this is what we’re about and this is how we’re going to play football for the foreseeable future come what may?
We can only do that collectively and it takes some serious patience and belief. My hope is that it’s also Randy’s position and that’s what he’s trying to get right with this appointment.
Whoever ends up getting the job, they’ll arrive with a clean slate and they’ll at least get total backing from me. For what little that’s worth.
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21 Comments to “The vital ingredient the next manager needs”
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thank you.
Excellent post, i enjoyed reading it and its exactly whats needed. Long term planning and that we all stick by it no matter what. I can see Martinez as our man for 10 seasons IF he takes the job, but not those others as you mention. Come on Roberto, build your own legacy at VP!
A great read………now I’ve slept on Martinez, I think he’d be great for us however I agree, it may take a season too see how he could stamp his mark on our club and team. UTV
Totally agree, superb post.
My thought is that Martinez has already said no tho, DW has been speaking too loudly about us contacting him, I think he’s too confident of RM staying, he wants to rub our noses in it.
Where to now? I cant begin to imagine.
“We need to answer some important questions and it’s about time. Do we want to lurch from one panicked, reactionary decision to the next, endlessly cycling through managers with key players heading for the exit door every summer?
Or do we want to finally smash a stake in the ground, say this is who we are, this is what we’re about and this is how we’re going to play football for the foreseeable future come what may?”
Absolutely 100% agree.
I’m tired of these short cycles, of worrying about today with no long term plan. The frantic rush of the MON era did not justify the means, attempting something similar again would be folly. It’s time to build something long term, in the right manner, with a club-first ethos.
LOL at the examination of ‘what Moyes has done’.
Here’s what he’s really done:
- Finished above Villa in 7 out of the last 9 seasons.
- Finished in the top 8 in those 7 seasons, finishing in the holy grail place of 4th once and finishing 6th, 5th and 5th respectively in 2007-2009.
- Reached a Carling Cup semi final, knocked out by Chelsea over 2 legs.
- Defeated Man Utd in an FA Cup Semi Final.
- Reached an FA Cup Final, beaten again by Chelsea (so when Moyes has been beaten in two key matches, it was by a top team and not a slip up against an easy team).
- Qualified for Europe through the league on 4 separate occasions, 2 of the seasons featuring lengthy runs in the UEFA Cup and Europa League.
- Yes, Moyes got beat (dubiously I might add) by Villareal over 2 legs in his only CL qualifier games. Villareal went on to reach the CL semi finals that season. Everton had bad luck with the draw, plus referee Collina disallowed a perfectly good goal in the 2nd leg, before IMMEDIATELY retiring as a referee. How many refs retire in August, after the start of a season?
- Yes, the disaster in Bucharest happened. Shit happens. I recalled Man Utd being knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona 4-0 in the mid-90s. Good job Ferguson wasn’t sacked then was it?
- Consider this – in the four years prior to Moyes arrival, Everton under Walter Smith never finished higher than 13th in any of those 4 seasons. The season before Smith, we survived a relegation scare on the last day by goal difference. Moyes came in and has finished the aforementioned seven top 8 finishes in nine seasons in charge.
- His bad seasons, the 11th and 17th – so what? So he had a bad season. Alex Ferguson finished 11th (behind Millwall!) in his 3rd season in charge of Man Utd (88-89) and 13th (below Coventry etc!) in his 4th season in charge of Utd (89-90). Sacking a manager because of one or two bad seasons is just laughable. Perhaps if Villa showed a bit more faith in managers, you wouldn’t be in this position.
In short, your managerial career-assisination of Moyes is way off the mark. He’s a top class manager, who has worked miracles at Everton and has built an excellent team given the restrictions. He’s also a bloody good coach who improves players – he’s turned Lescott and Jagielka from Championship defenders into full England internationals, and turned £60000 (sixty thousand!) Seamus Coleman from Sligo Rovers into a full Eire international and PFA Young Player of the Year nominee. Plus signed Cahill for £2m, Arteta for £2.5m, and many more great buys.
the reason moyes was included in this post, the key point you didn’t read or understand:
“Moyes’ second season should serve as an example that if panic and knee-jerk reactions can be avoided, if patience and vision is shown, it can pay off.”
but thanks for the CV.
Great stuff, agree with the lot. Haven’t a clue who our new manager should be. I am not convinced about Martinez. Why you might ask. Well I think he isn’t tough enough for the job. What do I base this considered opinion on? Well from seeing him interviewed on t.v. is all I can answer to that. So I really don’t have a clue but yet I can vent my uninformed opinion trough such outlets as this, like thousands of other masterminds on the game. I feel sorry for McClaren, I really didn’t want him for the job not because of his lack of managerial ability, that didn’t come into it, no because he made a fool of himself in an interview.
Who do I want as Villa Manager? David Moyes that’s who. Why? because I think he is a tough nut and would whip us into shape. Why do I think this? From seeing him interviewed on the telly, that’s why.
Oh the cult of the manager, would it be stupid of me to say that we are not far away from the day where the manager is just a poster boy who looks and speaks well in front of the media and the real work is done quietly in the background by the aptly named backroom staff.
Don’t mind me I’m just rambling all this informed opinion on the pros and cons of our future manager have muddled my brain
cheers chaps. of course, this wasn’t even published and the word on the grapevine already was that martinez is going to knock us back, which assumes he’s been offered the gig.
meanwhile, randy is racking up more air miles than judith chalmers.
all things which will become clear eventually.
Totally agree on the Moyes assesment. He’s done nothing of any note at Everton and he’s been there almost 10 years!
Its also not true he’s had no money – he’s spent £100m+ in that time. Which while certainly is much less than the big boys its still more than half the teams have spent and since its ALL gone on players he’s picker its not that money has been ‘wasted’ and spent in the classic new manager – new players cycle most teams have had.
To put into content with the over long standing managers in these 10 years Arsenal have spent £1m LESS and Man U £4m more (net) each season. I know which I’d go for on that outlay!
What he’s done is not the sign of a ‘top class’ manager.
Anyway after 10 years what do Everton have to show for it? Dour footy, a dour manager who’s constantly moaning about the size of the squad and the lasck of strikers. He’s had TEN years to sort that one out FFS yet its the same every season!
Les be honest – Everton’s season nexst year will be..
1. Poor start – bottom half of the table at xmas (again)
2. Injuries to a few key plaver = moaning & kids brought in
3. Lack of striking options or quality = lack of goals
4. Grind out results and finish 6-8..
Yeah sounds great!
Bring Back Brian Little
If we get Martinez then I will be happy with the decision.
WE need a young , vibrant manager with new ideas.
We all want the best for our club and this man can bring it to us
Also remember that Moyes came from championship Preston when he became manager and Martinez will hopefully be the same pedigree
Dan,
I have been reading your blog for months now and have yet to leave a reply – this article deserves it. If only all Villa fans had the very same mindset. To be honest the ‘doom and gloom’ that everyone talks about – comes from the fans – nobody else
I love you, Dan.
thanks again folks, appreciate the comments.
sadly, martinez is officially out of the running, he never even met with us.
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2374417,00.html
but the spirit of the posts stands… even if it might just mean that moyes is a candidate.
So is this Martinez thing all a ruse? Just so no one will raise an eyebrow at the FA when Mark Hughes steps in as manager in July.
I think the Sparky business stinks. Also, suspicious of all the ‘honourable club’ talk from Whelan. Certainly smells like, Randy and Whelan hadan agreement to play nice in order to cover up the shenanigans with Fulham.
Hughes, it is then. Does the post still stand then?
ha, of course it stands! i said whoever gets comes with a clean slate as far as i’m concerned. some slates will need more vigorous scrubbing than others though.
my blues supporting friends who’ve visited in numbers recently won’t be happy to hear how strongly moyes is currently being linked on the grapevine.
not that i pay any attention to such things, natch. that grapevine’s thrown out a lot of names in the last week or so.
then again… it’s about as strong a rumour as i’ve seen now.
Moyes.
Yes.
Nan says yes. I think. It’s hard this, isn’t it? Will it be my fault if we fail?
Much wine. Early summer sun, but, oh yes, Nan says yes.
(Is it ‘cos he’s MONlike?)
Young managers worked with good kids more experienced now
Stuart Pearce and David Platt now at citeh