Ian Taylor doesn't think much of Lambert either

Ian Taylor: Aston Villa fans have doubts over a new deal for Paul Lambert

Apr 08, 2014




With Chris Hughton losing his job at Norwich at the weekend, I can understand why some Villa fans are dubious about manager Paul Lambert getting a new contract.

Their Premier League records in the past two seasons are remarkably similar – with Hughton taking 76 points from 71 games and Lambert picking up 75 points from 70 games – even though the circumstances at the two clubs are different.

If I was Paul I would be looking at the situation at his former club and thinking ‘we need to be doing much better here at Villa’.

He has the backing of the board who are keen for some continuity in the dugout following the managerial turmoil of recent seasons, which has seen Martin O’Neill, Gerard Houllier and Alex McLeish come and go during the Randy Lerner era.

But it doesn’t matter who you are, the longer it goes on without winning games consistently – and losing a record number of home games – the natives get restless and it becomes increasingly difficult.

Those contract negotiations should wait until the summer when, hopefully, there is a clearer picture of where Villa are heading.

We all want to win football matches and right now Villa aren’t winning nearly enough. They need to get players back fit and they definitely need to strengthen the squad in the summer, because it’s just not good enough at the moment.

The danger is that they are becoming a club that’s just happy to be in the Premier League and that’s not good enough for Aston Villa Football Club.

During my career at Villa I was involved in teams that, apart from one or two seasons where we did struggle, were in eighth or seventh place challenging for Europe.

That’s what Aston Villa fans would want, challenging for trophies and a place in Europe. They don’t want the world. But to be there or thereabouts, that would be great for them.

I’m away on business at the moment so I watched the home defeat to Fulham in a Hong Kong bar with quite a few Villa fans, and it was another very disappointing result.

I tweeted after the game saying it’s bad losing to bottom clubs – and at home – but the result wasn’t really a surprise to anybody.

That’s the most worrying thing, really, that Villa are going into games thinking they are not going to win, especially with the side they will have to put out at the moment.

It was a crushing blow to lose Christian Benteke and injuries to other players has left the squad looking even lighter than usual.

Benteke has been such an important player for Villa that the manager faces an almighty task to replace the big Belgian’s goal threat during a long lay-off.

Everybody can say if they win the next two games they will be such and such in the table but I just can’t see where the wins are coming from at the moment. They’ve got another tough game against Palace at the weekend at their place and right now you’re thinking they’ve got no chance of winning it.

Without those points against Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea, Villa would be in serious trouble. The home record is terrible and even the talk about them being good away from home is starting to sound a bit hollow when you look at the statistics. There hasn’t been an away win since the victory at Sunderland on New Year’s Day.

I wasn’t at Villa Park on Saturday to witness the crowd’s reaction but I should imagine it wasn’t nice. For the manager to be there while the fans aren’t happy must be very difficult.

Uncle Villa wrote:I think the press are starting to turn. Daily Mail had piece saying he is on last legs.

Chris Harte wrote:Ian Taylor - Director of Football, anyone?

Eastie wrote:

Chris Harte wrote:Ian Taylor - Director of Football, anyone?

Absolutely - NOT!

Trotters wrote:No!  It needs someone with vast experience with different levels of the game, different cultures, different set-ups and techniques, a financial awareness and solid contacts in various parts of the world.

Trotters wrote:No!  It needs someone with vast experience with different levels of the game, different cultures, different set-ups and techniques, a financial awareness and solid contacts in various parts of the world.

Chris Harte wrote:I'd say Ian Taylor has more knowledge of the game in his big toe than the current board combined. I'd agree there are probably better people out there for the role, but who?

Eastie wrote:

Chris Harte wrote:I'd say Ian Taylor has more knowledge of the game in his big toe than the current board combined. I'd agree there are probably better people out there for the role, but who?

Who says we are after a DOF?