Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill resigns

[Biff]

What has he quit for? Maybe he's had enough of Villa and wants to be in frame for the England job if it becomes available?

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[Ronaldinosa]

obvious he was going to quit . He said he would if Villa started selling their best players and then said over the weekend that he expected a deal to be done between Milner and the noisy neighbours . That was obviously the straw that broke the camels back . Shame for the Villa fans

[Biff]

Yeah, that's got to be it. It's a bit harsh though when Milner wants to leave and Villa are being offered loads for him.

[skybluearmy]

This is deeply saddening news

[Soot]

If it is over Milner then he's as stupd as he looks, they were being offered Ireland and 20 mill + well that's just ridiculous because Ireland is a better player than Milner will ever be.

I don't rate him, his tactics are awful, uses 1 pacey striker and 1 yard dog upfront then just counters and crosses all game. He's done it at every club he has been at and has no other game plan

If he's moaning about not being given money to spend well what does he expect when he buys Heskey, Harewood, Shorey, Davies, L.Young, Sidwell, Downing etc all for good money, so it's his own fault.

He should try being in Moyes for a day, then he'd understand what it's like having to sell your best to survive and work on a shoe string budget.

[skybluearmy]

I agree with Soot, he's over rated in the same way that Strachan is, boring, predictable football. Hate to say it but can see someone like Martin Jol getting the job and doing really well. But while there's still hope I wish nothing but a Coleman/Dowie dream team on them.

[Eirik]

I wont miss him because I dont rate him highly, just like Soot, but the timing is ultra bad and he should be impaled for that !

5 days before the kickoff of the new season gives Villa alot of time to search new coach etc...

Wanker !

[Ronaldinosa]

you misunderstand , its not how much the player is worth or what being offered . Its the fact that the manager of the team has stated he doesnt want the players sold and the board has completely disregarded him and done what they want . i can understand their point of view as well , they are there to keep the club afloat but you really cant both be pulling in opposite directions

[Soot]

The player wants to go himself, so the manager is pretty much helpless there, same happened with Lescott. Player power is too much these days, so why would O'Neill want to keep an unhappy player when he's getting a better player and 20+ mill ? Clearly a retard if that is the case but nobody knows the true reason for leaving yet i guess.

[TheMoonRat]

It's crazy that people say they don't rate MON; seriously, just look at his record! Whether you like his style of play or tactics or not... just look at the results. Villa have finished 6th three seasons in a row since he joined, with a bigger points tally each time. Considering the size of the club, I don't think you could expect any manager to do any better. They won't finish this high again for years now.

From his point of view, I can understand him wanting to leave. He's trying to build a squad of players to get into the CL, and if his best players keep getting sold, how is he ever going to achieve that? You may say that the price Man City paid for Barry and now for Milner are inflated... but if Man City could get another player as good for cheaper, they would have done. But they can't. And if they can't, then Villa most definitely can't. They'll have to search for the next player with potential to develop. And if Villa don't make the CL, those players then want to leave too. It's what happened with Spurs for years before last year. You think players like Bale & Modric would stay if we weren't in the CL? No, they'd do a Berbatov / Carrick etc.

But from the owners point of view, he has put in nearly £200 mill of his own money into the club in various guises. That is a LOT of money. Plus last transfer window he had an agreement with MON that there would be extra transfer funds available then if MON trimmed the squad, cut costs, and operator on a Sell to Buy regime in the next few transfer windows. MON did not keep to his side of the bargain, argueing, rightly i guess, that doing so would make the team weaker. But Learner is a smart man... unfortunately to run a club correctly means you can't chase the dream of success by piling millions after millions into transfer fees. See Pompey. So I can see both mens views; and both men are right. That's why they've had to part ways.

[Biff]

I rate him and would prefer him managing England than Capello.

[Eirik]

Its not that I dont rate him I just dont rate him that high as many do.
Of course he done very good and Villa wont get higher than 6th anytime soon for sure but they wouldnt have gone higher with MON as well. Even with some more funds to spend because his game was way too 1 dimensional.

Bob Bradley is fav to be next coach now. With an US chairman I can see that happen.

Not sure if this would be good or bad for the club.

But I`d rather have no yank as Villa coach for sure...

[Ronaldinosa]

As I said his job is to improve the onfield side of Aston Villa . Secure their premiership position and hopefully into Europe . He can't do this if his best players are sold five days before the start of the season .
I don't rememeber Milner or Young handing in a transfer request and would expect them both to behave like professionals - Fabregas is a leading example . Otherwise we just have a premiership of mercenaries like Tevez , Barry , Toure ......

[Angaldus]

Aston Villa are the ONLY Premiership club not to sign anyone this season! No money relegation fodder

[pilling]

He should try being in Moyes for a day, then he'd understand what it's like having to sell your best to survive and work on a shoe string budget.

You sick c*nt!