What a very interesting day in how the internet has changed the way news stories and rumours not only break but merge together.
It is still not clear on what Talksport based their original tweets on
Reports are reaching #talkSPORT that Martin O’Neill has left #astonvilla
about 7 hours ago via TweetDeck
Some interesting news emerging from #astonvilla
about 8 hours ago via TweetDeck
But at the same time the Mirror story (now replaced but still there) emerged detailing possible issues between Randy and Martin over funds and future direction of the squad but during all this I remembered a story that appeared in the Sunday People a few weeks ago.
On the 21st Feb the People printed this story . If you read it it is exactly the same details that appeared in the Mirror story.
Indeed Lerner’s budget demands are so severe that O’Neill could even be forced to sell some of his first-team regulars – or at least a handful of fringe players – if he wants a transfer kitty.
So either the Mirror heard/read the same rumour that Talksport did and put the two together to try and make a convincing piece or they had both been tipped off at the same time.
We will never know, but it only took Villa through a ‘source’ 20 minutes to deny the Talksport story so they obviously saw very quickly the potential damage of the story and was a very good response from a very good PR department we now have.
Is it the end of the story, I don’t think so.
Aston Villa News 24/7
Sad to undermine a manager of his calibre understand the big picture, fergie,wenger
it is anor but the press need another manager to have a go at.
But there are these rumours going around Villa fans as well
Boring football, over spending on average players and flogging 11 men to death through out a season. I’m surprised MON is getting the choice to leave, he should be pushed. You’re no better off now than you were when you had David O’Dreary…..apart from MON has wasted a hell of a lot more money.
Craig Grant what are you talking about.
Its fickle fans like you that give Villa supporters a whole a bad reputation. Are you seriously telling me that we were better off when we were with DOL. How quickly you forget.
MON has brought in Dunne, Collins, Warnock, A Young, Downing, Milner for starters. We reached a cup final, are in a semi final and have consistantly featured in the top 8 of the premiership. I understand the expectations are high but lets not run before we can walk. Every season has got better and better at VP and thats down to MON/Lerner and the squad he has brought in. All we really need is a 20+ a season striker.
If MON left this club it woud be a disaster and then the fickle fans can go a support another team
“All we really need is a 20+ a season striker.”
Gaz, your are spot on or what I call a ‘special player’
who
god knows !!
GazCros i’m an outsider looking in. I’m not in a position to laud it over Villa as I’m a Spurs supporter and we’re in a similar position to you in that we’re trying to break the elite. Where we differ though is that we play football and take risks on trying to uncover special players to take us to the next level. With MON you but risk free average players that will put a shift in for 90 mins. Your football is boring yet effective right up until the point your team starts to blow out it’s arse. You have the basis at Villa for a decent squad, you now need the right manager to bring in the other players you need to take you to the next level. MON simply isn’t that man because he’s a footballing dinosaur. He’s stabalised you through spending fortunes. Thank him and move onwards and upwards or stick with him and stay where you are at best….and continue to fail to sell out Villa Park week in week out.
All we need is a world class striker yo take gabby under his wing an teach him how to take ppl on and keep a cool head den we will be a top4 team
Craig Grant, you’re a mug.
Our record signings have cost £12 mill.
Trust me Spuds have spent way more over the last few years (last 3 apart).
“and take risks on trying to uncover special players to take us to the next level. With MON you but risk free average players”
Fabian Delph at £7 mill?
Maybe not special (we’ll see), but risky.
Everyone thought Milner was overpriced, same as Ash.
But they were a waste.
Yeah, right.
And if you think we’re still on a par with the O’Dreary days, you’re utterly insane.
“Your football is boring”
Go have another look mate.
Blackburn in the LC, for just one example.
And whilst your side played some nice stuff earlier on, you’ve been crap to watch of late, imo.
Petrov is rubbish, nowhere near Top 4 chasing quality and MON makes him captain(Most uninspiring captain in my 16 years supporting the Villa) and plays every time he can.
That is enough reason for MON to go IMHO and that’s only one of many , many faults.
Tossshitwank. All rubbish… Bolt-On are in for a kicking the weekend!
got to say dave it will be fascinating to see the reaction to all this on Saturday, it could define MON’s future at Villa
wished I was going !
kiwivillan i have to agree and ive been supporting the villa a lot longer than you! petrov is not a leader or a top 4 player…nowhere near.
he is so easy to play against.. when a move is building for us and the ball comes to him all he ever does is try to slow it down (why?) then while he is looking around he gets closed down so he does a trick and plays it square or all the way back to friedel (and gets a round of applause???) And when our opponents have got possession he’s so static and lets their midfielders run off him all day long.
I’d love the chance to play against him even now and I finished my sunday league centre-midfield career 15 years ago
I completely agree on the Petrov thing. Ithink Dunne or Milner would make a much better captain.
I certainly don’t think MON should go, the last time Villa got to a final was 10 years ago and there’s the possibility of getting to two this season! Never mind the fact that we have had consistent finishes in the league the last 3 years. Previously we’d have one good finish and then be battling relegation the next season!
With the exception of Chelsea the top 4 teams have had their managers the longest. We need to give a manager a chance. The only way to guarrantee a top 4 finish is to spend a fortune like Chelsea did, and personally I’d rather do it the ‘proper’ way!
Some so called Villa fans won’t be happy until Doug is back in power, and yes he’ll be as “deadly” in his current state as he was before … *rolls eyes…
b23avfc
Damian, you do wonder at the thoughts of some fans and the short memories but everything is short term nowadays
Craig Grant, what are you on?
Have you really come to a Villa forum as a Spurs fan and tried to have a go at our spending??
Maybe it has slipped your mind that Spurs have bought 6 players dearer than Villa’s transfer record, and a ridiculous amount of wasted £7 – 12m signings.
Of course, you have “uncovered special players” for a mere + £15m … What were their names again, oh that’s right: Darren Bent (dearer than Henry, now at Sunderland), Robbie Keane (bought him twice, now in Scotland), and the value for money that is the 8 league appearances of David Bentley.
Maybe we would be better off with Harry Redknapp, the man who openly admitted he was trying to sell Pavlyuchenko – that would have been a good idea, right?
And yeah, you’re right Craig, we are no better off than we were with O’Leary – because I prefer finishing 16th in the league.
Before you think about analysing other clubs’ finance, maybe you should consider the fact that until City came along, Spurs had consistently been in the top 3 net buyers each season (and still are top 4) for the last 10 years, and have nothing but one League Cup to show for it. Although you did come 8th last year so who am I to criticize a Spurs fan eh?
By the way lads, get off Petrov’s back.
Not a world beater by any means – but certainly a good player to have at this stage in our development.
To think that he is our biggest problem is insane, particularly when you consider the likes of Lucas and Palacios are playing in the same position for our rivals.
Obviously, to become the best – the whole team needs to evolve, but that will take time, and I’m happy with Petrov for now.
As for his captaincy? I agree there are probably better leaders out there, but he has been at Villa the longest out of our current team and of course has been with O’Neill much longer than anyone so I can fully understand his selection.
Is this really “enough reason for MON to go”???
WHAT IS IT WITH SOME FANS!!!??
Tell me honestly, who would you prefer to take charge of Villa right now at this time??
Just tell me a name, and then really ask yourself would we be better off with that person…
I hear Phil Brown and Tony Mowbray are available…