O'Neill quits as Villa boss

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/8898993.stm

Martin O'Neill has resigned as Aston Villa manager with immediate effect.

Kevin MacDonald has been appointed caretaker boss while no reason has been given for O'Neill's decision to leave after four years in the job.

MacDonald will prepare the side for their Premier League opener against West Ham on Saturday.

O'Neill, appointed in 2006, said: "I have enjoyed my time at Aston Villa immensely. It's obviously a wrench to be leaving such a magnificent club."

O'Neill, who led Villa to their third successive sixth-placed finish in the Premier League last season and also to the final of the Carling Cup, added: "I would like to pay tribute to the Villa players, my coaching staff and the Villa supporters for all the support and encouragement they have given both the club and me personally during my time as manager.

"I wish them all the best for the future. I will obviously be assisting the club in the immediate short-term with regard to the handover of my duties."

More to follow.

heard they wanted to sell Young and Agbonlahor on top of milner

Also he wanted to use all the money recieved from the milner transfer on buying new players and the board wouldn't let him have it all - according to Sky Sports news.

Martin Jol is favourite for the job.

Wow.

Always tipped him as Next Man U boss after Mourinho or Moyes, major shock to me. Think he is a great manager, motivator and above all a great person. Certainly can see Celtic go after him if Lennon fucks it up this season

Bit of shocker

yeah he's been arguing all weekend with them so not shocked he quit don't think Jol will get the job as Ajax wouldn't let him leave for Fulham so no chance him being villa manager

He's done a fantastic job at Villa despite having a relatively small squad. I would have done everything to keep him if i were Randy Lerner.

I'm kind of a Villa fan (my Dad supports them, and they're my Premiership team), so I'm not surprised that he's quit, just surprised at the timing of it. I thought he'd go at the end of next season.

Selling Milner isn't that big a deal, the money Villa would get for him would be enough to buy a replacement (especially if Ireland is part of the deal), Agbonlahor is a modern Andy Cole (does the first bit well, can't finish to save his life) and again, the money would be enough to buy a proven replacement, and Ashley Young last season teams worked out if you stop him, you stop Villa.

JacMan wrote:

He's done a fantastic job at Villa despite having a relatively small squad. I would have done everything to keep him if i were Randy Lerner.

He was in charge for 4 years. If he had a small squad, it's his own damned fault!

I was surprised to see he had quit so soon to the start of the season rather than a few weeks ago when this whole thing started.

Villa have lost themselves a fantastic manager in O'Neill but the question is, where next for O'Neill?

I think he might take some time out for a bit then come back for the start of the 2011/2012 season

Was thinking the same thing really. There are no top jobs vacant at the moment, and I would say baring a few clubs he could walk into any.

Can see him take a year out and then possibly leaving England.

HA HA!Serves some of the Villa fans right who were moaning about O'Neill not getting them into the top 4,I want to know who they realistically would have to replace O'Neill and would get them into the top 4 on what is on a relatively small budget in comparison to the rest of the clubs in that area of the league.

They are a selling club and if they were not to give him the money they cannot expect him to stay.

No one really stands out for me as a replacement unless they take someone from another club.

Thinking of the people who are out of work and Graeme Souness stands out for me if he fancies giving management another go.

to name a few:

Sven
Curbishley
Phil Brown
Jewell
Megson
Sanchez

Very surprised by this. But I can see why he's left. If rumours are true, he's left because players are being sold above his head i.e Milner and possibly Young and Agbonlahor.

I can understand Milner being allowed to leave as he allegedly doesn't want to stay but I'm surprised about the Young and Agbonlahor rumours as I haven't heard anything about them wanting to leave.

I wonder if Mark Hughes is thinking "what if. I think he is a decent manager but he would have had an easier time at Villa (IMO) than at Fulham who may struggle this season.

Curbishley was the first candidate that came to mind for me too.

it's another job i also reckon Coppell is thinking what if as well, especially after our result saturday

hodge13 wrote:

to name a few:

Sven
Curbishley
Phil Brown
Jewell
Megson
Sanchez

I think they'd want a lot higher calibre of manager than that,Brown/Jewell/Megson all failed in the premiership for a start.Curbs has been out of work for donkeys and Sven is well Sven.

Having said that I don't know who they'd get if they want someone as good as Martin O'Neill.

swap deal with England, they get Capello England get O'Neill

Mat143(Mike hill) wrote:

hodge13 wrote:

to name a few:

Sven
Curbishley
Phil Brown
Jewell
Megson
Sanchez

I think they'd want a lot higher calibre of manager than that,Brown/Jewell/Megson all failed in the premiership for a start.Curbs has been out of work for donkeys and Sven is well Sven.

Having said that I don't know who they'd get if they want someone as good as Martin O'Neill.

Those were just managers i took of a list of those without jobs

Guus Hiddink - out of work, speaks English, and has a global reputation for being a great manager. He'd be my pick.

Aside from him, Curbishley always gets linked with Villa as he used to play for us, the American national manager (Bradley?) could be a good shout, especially with Lerner, and I wouldn;t be hugely gutted if Sven did get the job - he's always been a decent club manager (just a bit of a national laughing stock).

forgot about Hiddink as i think the list was English guys, he currently is manager of Turkey though, don't think it would stand too much in his way.

Bradley could be a good shout though, he's done alot with much unknown talent.

Should have got O'Neill after we got rid of Sven.Instead we've had two spineless cunts who won't drop any of the big names...Just like Sven.

Cya Neil, get your arse back up the road Martin to where you belong!