Next Villa Manager - Who WILL it be ?

Dazzle wrote:There seems to be a lot of inflating of actual reality in opinions between RDM and Nigel Pearson. When you actually look at what the new owner has said, and look at each candidates CV with a balanced and unbiased leaning, the neutral should be able to see a relatively clear preferred choice. For me, that would be Nigel Pearson. It depends what you want, what your outlook is. Either way, the new man will have me as a Villa supporter.
The new owner has clearly stated that he thinks RDM brings a more marketable profile, that he is a better "name" to promote the club in China and around the world. I'd have to agree with that. His record at a glance seems as good as we could wish for, but on closer scrutiny it does seem less good. For example, people talk of him winning the champions league with Chelsea, which as an actual fact in the history books is true, he was manager when they lifted the trophy. But the reality is that he took over in March from a deeply unpopular manager amongst the players in Villas-Boas. It could easily be argued that many manager could have been appointed at that time and the team would have seen the inevitable bounce that followed. It's not like Chelsea at that time had an average or poor squad and he magically turned them into winners, they were/are expected to challenge every single season.
He took over from a successful Paul Ince at MK Dons (Ince had landed the Blackburn managers job off the back of his work at Dons) and was there for a season before moving to WBA in place of Mowbray, again another quite unpopular figure after relegation. He guided them to 2nd in the championship behind Newcastle. His first game in the premiership was away at Chelsea and he lost 6-0. He was sacked by February of that season with the club in 17th position. Michael Appleton took over and the club finished in 11th position at seasons end.
He resigned from Schalke 04 in May last year after a run of 2 wins in 10 saw the club miss out on Champions League places.
So the actual facts are that RDM has never gone into a club and built anything from the ground up, he has generally taken over teams that are already set up and been relatively successful. He's never been at a club as a manager for longer than 19months. That should be a concern to anyone.
Let's have a look at Nigel Pearson. I have to start with his very first managerial flourish, which has its place in the history books because it was with Carlisle who he kept in the league on the last game of the season, with the goalkeeper he signed, Jimmy Glass, scoring the goal that kept them in the league! He served only 3 months at Southampton, keeping them in the championship before being replaced. He then took over at Leicester, winning the League 1 title with a record points total after having lost only 4 games in the season. The following season he guided Leicester to 5th in the championship, losing in the playoffs on a penalty shoot out. He left Leicester that summer after the then owner Mandaric invited another manager to watch the play off 2nd leg and gave permission to hull to talk to Pearson. So he left and was quickly replaced by Paulo Sousa, who had been the manger that Mandaric had been showing around. He left Hull in 11th to rejoin Leicester under their new owners. The rest I think everyone now knows.
So if you are looking for a candidate that knows how to win the lower leagues and goes on big unbeaten runs then you look no further than Pearson. If you want a candidate that is more showbiz and brings instant recognition to the club then it's Di Matteo.
I can't believe we seem to be letting Pearson slip through the net just to appoint a better known candidate. But it is the owners decision and he will stand or fall by that decision. Fact is that none of us know at this point, only time will tell. But nobody could looked surprised if in, say, a years time Di Matteo is not at Villa.

robinsonvil81 wrote:Can I ask the Vila fans wanting Pearson, what has he won? He's got promoted once and barely kept Leicster in the league. To slate RDM before he's in job is typical of moaning Villa fans. People saying he won't be able to discipline the players like Perason would. Come on when he took charge of Chelsea there were some big attitude players in that team and he coped and he gained the respect of the players. This guy has gained promotion and he's won the fa cup and champions league. Let's give the guy and chance instead of slating him and saying we should of got Pearson. Let's back him if he gets the job and get behind the team and hopefully we will be back n the premier league next year!

Dazzle wrote:Place me on record as saying I think Xia's first fuck up is appointing Di Matteo over Pearson. All I see elsewhere on this forum is some weird type of adolescent exclamations of "we're back!". Well, yes we are...........back in the 2nd tier of English football for the first time in nearly thirty years under the ownership of a guy/people who wants recognition in China, whilst seemingly ignoring the like of Brian Little. Lord I hope this doesn't end up how I strongly think it might.

robinsonvil81 wrote:Can I ask the Vila fans wanting Pearson, what has he won? He's got promoted once and barely kept Leicster in the league. To slate RDM before he's in job is typical of moaning Villa fans. People saying he won't be able to discipline the players like Perason would. Come on when he took charge of Chelsea there were some big attitude players in that team and he coped and he gained the respect of the players. This guy has gained promotion and he's won the fa cup and champions league. Let's give the guy and chance instead of slating him and saying we should of got Pearson. Let's back him if he gets the job and get behind the team and hopefully we will be back n the premier league next year!

AstonThriller wrote:

Dazzle wrote:There seems to be a lot of inflating of actual reality in opinions between RDM and Nigel Pearson. When you actually look at what the new owner has said, and look at each candidates CV with a balanced and unbiased leaning, the neutral should be able to see a relatively clear preferred choice. For me, that would be Nigel Pearson. It depends what you want, what your outlook is. Either way, the new man will have me as a Villa supporter.
The new owner has clearly stated that he thinks RDM brings a more marketable profile, that he is a better "name" to promote the club in China and around the world. I'd have to agree with that. His record at a glance seems as good as we could wish for, but on closer scrutiny it does seem less good. For example, people talk of him winning the champions league with Chelsea, which as an actual fact in the history books is true, he was manager when they lifted the trophy. But the reality is that he took over in March from a deeply unpopular manager amongst the players in Villas-Boas. It could easily be argued that many manager could have been appointed at that time and the team would have seen the inevitable bounce that followed. It's not like Chelsea at that time had an average or poor squad and he magically turned them into winners, they were/are expected to challenge every single season.
He took over from a successful Paul Ince at MK Dons (Ince had landed the Blackburn managers job off the back of his work at Dons) and was there for a season before moving to WBA in place of Mowbray, again another quite unpopular figure after relegation. He guided them to 2nd in the championship behind Newcastle. His first game in the premiership was away at Chelsea and he lost 6-0. He was sacked by February of that season with the club in 17th position. Michael Appleton took over and the club finished in 11th position at seasons end.
He resigned from Schalke 04 in May last year after a run of 2 wins in 10 saw the club miss out on Champions League places.
So the actual facts are that RDM has never gone into a club and built anything from the ground up, he has generally taken over teams that are already set up and been relatively successful. He's never been at a club as a manager for longer than 19months. That should be a concern to anyone.
Let's have a look at Nigel Pearson. I have to start with his very first managerial flourish, which has its place in the history books because it was with Carlisle who he kept in the league on the last game of the season, with the goalkeeper he signed, Jimmy Glass, scoring the goal that kept them in the league! He served only 3 months at Southampton, keeping them in the championship before being replaced. He then took over at Leicester, winning the League 1 title with a record points total after having lost only 4 games in the season. The following season he guided Leicester to 5th in the championship, losing in the playoffs on a penalty shoot out. He left Leicester that summer after the then owner Mandaric invited another manager to watch the play off 2nd leg and gave permission to hull to talk to Pearson. So he left and was quickly replaced by Paulo Sousa, who had been the manger that Mandaric had been showing around. He left Hull in 11th to rejoin Leicester under their new owners. The rest I think everyone now knows.
So if you are looking for a candidate that knows how to win the lower leagues and goes on big unbeaten runs then you look no further than Pearson. If you want a candidate that is more showbiz and brings instant recognition to the club then it's Di Matteo.
I can't believe we seem to be letting Pearson slip through the net just to appoint a better known candidate. But it is the owners decision and he will stand or fall by that decision. Fact is that none of us know at this point, only time will tell. But nobody could looked surprised if in, say, a years time Di Matteo is not at Villa.

To be honest this is the outlook of someone who clearly favours one over the other. Pearson is a 52 year old man who's biggest achievement is taking up Leicester and just about keeping them up having spent most of the season losing every week. RDM has also gotten a team promoted to the prem and managed at the lower levels too but the difference is he's been consistent through his whole career and has the experience of operating at the highest level in the Champions league. People can say "it was with someone else's team" but then he went to Schalke and managed to win in Madrid. So clearly he knows his stuff.

RDM is a manager who can not only take us up but also has the potential to take us much further than that if given the right backing imo. If Xia is serious about his ambitions for the club then he's absolutely right in snubbing Pearson for RDM. Pearson is someone who may have been ok if Lerner was still hanging around...but the game is about to change now and it seems some fans just can't seem to fathom that. Put 50m in Pearson's hands? No thanks...

Dazzle wrote:

"But then he went to Schalke and managed to win in Madrid"......... Are you fucking serious? You are basing it on one game?!! As I wrote above (actual facts) name me one club he has managed for over a season and a half before either being sacked or resigning. Name me one club he has built up (that means signing players and changing the existing team) and taken further that they already were? I'll tell you now that you can't, because I've looked closely at his record. So if I come across as favouring one candidate it's because there is evidence to back it up.

Leafs1201 wrote:Just a hunch that we haven't seen the last of Moyes yet, no ITK at all just my gut feeling, failing that I'm happy with RDM just as I'd have been happy/ok with Pearson.