It’s looking like Di Matteo’s the one. Or is he? And Riley to get the bullet?

Di-Matteo_2182524b

The Telegraph have run an article which seems to indicate at first glance that Roberto Di Matteo is definitely Dr Xia’s favoured choice as our next manager.
Here’s his wording, as quoted;

That is maybe the reason that a lot of people say that I am favouring Di Matteo” he said.

But again I find his comment a bit cryptic and while it’s a clever answer (I definitely think Xia’s a very intelligent bloke), I don’t find that line at all convincing and strongly suspect it’s a smokescreen.
Certainly, it makes no sense for Xia to talk openly about his choice of manager before he’s actually got him in the bag.
What if he decides to knock us back, just as Moyes has supposedly done and Pearson is about to do, if you believe the reports, for instance?
It’d only make the club look bigger mugs than we already do.
I still think it’s Pearson myself.
And the thought that I’ve just read an article where Di Matteo was (accidentally? I don’t know) called “Dim Matteo”, isn’t lost on me.
If we do hire him and he’s seen to be failing, I can see that one sticking.

The overwhelming immediate problem though, is if Holis favours Pearson and Xia favours Di Matteo, who’s going to actually make the choice, given that Xia won’t officially own the club until the deal has been approved?
I’m led to believe that the PL will do due diligence first, followed by the FL when that’s finished, but surely they’ll both be working on this at the same time?
Common sense says you would hope so and they’re working in collaboration, to make the process even more thorough.
But no doubt that would be far too simple.
Waiting another month won’t do us much good and we need a manager in quickly, to cast an eye over the miserable bunch we have representing us.

Earlier in the article, Xia talks about the scouting staff.
Here’s his words again;

I think a lot of Villa fans will agree that one thing we have to make much stronger is the scouting team,” he said.

I think, more or less, the scouting team they had before, they have to take a lot of responsibility.

Again it’s a clever answer and note the “more or less”.
It seems that this comment has led many to believe that Riley will get the bullet, something that would please many fans, myself included.
But I don’t see anything there that convinces me that Riley will automatically be sacked at all.
Holis hasn’t got rid of him, after all, has he? But perhaps that’s down to Lerner protecting him until the sale gets the PL and FL clearance.

I have to say doubt about Xia’s finances is beginning to be overtaken by the lack of a manager coming in, in my mind.
It needs sorting.

120 Comments

Page 2 of 2 1 2
  1. giddyvillan
    giddyvillan May 26, 2016 at 6:42 pm . Reply

    I think Bruce could be a dark horse.

    1. Ardent Villain
      Ardent Villain May 26, 2016 at 7:13 pm . Reply

      But do you have any idea where the rumour came from that he’s supposedly leaving Hull whatever happens? – I haven’t seen it in any mainstream media.

      1. giddyvillan
        giddyvillan May 26, 2016 at 7:29 pm . Reply

        I haven’t this site is my source of info I don’t read any media bollox.

      2. Jaymo83
        Jaymo83 May 27, 2016 at 11:49 pm . Reply

        I first heard Talksports north west football guy talking about it a few weeks ago – graham Courtney I think

  2. KentNielsen77
    KentNielsen77 May 26, 2016 at 8:47 pm . Reply

    My mate who knows a bloke who works at Bodymore Heath says Bruce has held a couple of meetings there in the last few months.

    I know that sounds like bollocks but he’s been fairly consistent in his story. Either that or Bruce is going to sign as a centre half – a definite upgrade on what we have.

    1. nath
      nath May 26, 2016 at 9:18 pm . Reply

      bruce almighty odds have fallen steadily now 8/1 so your mate might be onto something. hull play this weekend win or lose we will know straight after. if bruce steps down

  3. nath
    nath May 26, 2016 at 9:03 pm . Reply

    nothing against matteo as well i just don’t think hes the man to sort the club out. needs a strong manager,able to stand strong when the chips are down. their will be plenty ups and downs next season. plenty of mini crisis

    guess we just have too wait and wait. hopefully not long now maybe tomorrow

  4. nath
    nath May 26, 2016 at 9:41 pm . Reply

    no way it is roberto di matteo :(((

    1. Ardent Villain
      Ardent Villain May 26, 2016 at 10:13 pm . Reply

      All of tonight’s papers saying it is….

      1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
        OohAhPaulMcGrath May 26, 2016 at 10:15 pm . Reply

        and this is what they call ambition. Awful appointment

        1. Ardent Villain
          Ardent Villain May 26, 2016 at 10:17 pm . Reply

          I just don’t get why he’s been leading the race for weeks now… what’s in his record that suggests he can re-build the Villa under these circumstances?

          1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
            OohAhPaulMcGrath May 27, 2016 at 8:34 am . Reply

            Exactly strange choice. Don’t want this guy at all he’s crap

        2. nath
          nath May 26, 2016 at 10:18 pm . Reply

          its him for sure his odds have doubled to 1/6 with all the top firms. i am off to cry now

          1. Ardent Villain
            Ardent Villain May 26, 2016 at 10:42 pm . Reply

            Maybe I can’t imagine him in the job because every time I see a photo of him I immediately think of Stewie from “Family Guy”…

  5. Hitchens 60
    Hitchens 60 May 26, 2016 at 10:42 pm . Reply

    Wouldn’t be my choice but will back Di Matteo as out new manager (if or should I say when) it’s confirmed. Telegraph saying that (having failed to dig the dirt on Dr Xia – my words) there are now concerns over the makeup of the Board. I can only assume that’s a reference to Samuelson because of his history with Reading?

    1. Hitchens 60
      Hitchens 60 May 26, 2016 at 10:43 pm . Reply

      *is our new manager

    2. Ardent Villain
      Ardent Villain May 26, 2016 at 10:58 pm . Reply

      Who’s “concerns”?
      They draw a blank on digging -up any more rubbish on Xia, so they invent another ‘concern’ – anything to be able to write some more negatives.

      1. Saddened
        Saddened May 27, 2016 at 7:22 am . Reply

        Amazes me the Telegraph are trying to dig up dirt on our new owner – when they are owned by the worst tax dodging family in Uk history —- disgusting scum.

  6. pat57
    pat57 May 26, 2016 at 11:17 pm . Reply

    Lots on Twitter about it being Di Matteo.

    I don’t think I’d be totally devastated if it was. He got he Baggies out of the Championship and he’s won the FA Cup and the Champions League.

    I’d hope that the new owner had a good reason for appointing whoever gets the job and I honestly think it’s out role, until we know any different, to support the new manager wholeheartedly. We’d be shooting ourselves in the foot before we even get going if we start squabbling about who should have been appointed instead.

    Let’s give the new guy a chance, whoever it is.

    UTV

    1. pat57
      pat57 May 26, 2016 at 11:19 pm . Reply

      Just think how (un)excited Leicester fans were when Ranieri was appointed 🙂

    2. OohAhPaulMcGrath
      OohAhPaulMcGrath May 27, 2016 at 8:33 am . Reply

      We gave Mclown garde Sherwood and Lamberk a chance too and we we were proved right how shit they are

      1. bws
        bws May 27, 2016 at 8:43 am . Reply

        Mclown yea you’re right but I don’t think you can say the same of the others -Garde – Totally sold down the river.
        Sherwood – Given the support and if he’d been free to sign who HE wanted, who knows?
        Lambert – Towards the end you could see the job was taking its toll. Yes at times the football was awful but he did keep us up, in hind sight no mean feat given the parameters he had to work within.

      2. steve
        steve May 27, 2016 at 9:37 am . Reply

        virtually every manager gets sacked in the end so you will always be proved right. hindsight is a wonderful things.
        most of us initially backed Sherwood and Lambert. Garde wasn’t given a chance.

  7. steve
    steve May 26, 2016 at 11:32 pm . Reply

    I don’t know much about dimatteo other than a few of my Albion mates liked him.
    I was told before all the media hype surrounding moyes and dimatteo that it was between pearson and bruce and that bruce is def leaving hull.
    I am not normally in the know but I believe the bloke who told me this one.

  8. Holtender
    Holtender May 27, 2016 at 7:09 am . Reply

    Seems a strange appointment when Pearson is available, but he’s got an average team promoted before. He’ll need our full support to make the big decisions that need making.

    The realist in me thinks that with all the current baggage and potential new ownership ambition, it’ll probably be the manager after this one that’ll really take us forward.

  9. Hitchens 60
    Hitchens 60 May 27, 2016 at 7:47 am . Reply

    Slightly off topic (apologies Badger) but I read that Amavi could be loaned out next season so IF we were to be promoted would rejoin us the following year. That sounds like a very sensible course of action as I can’t see him agreeing to play in the Championship.

    And on the manager it’s about trust between Chairman and manager so Dr. T may feel DM is right for us. Also, we don’t know what Little’s current input is so it’s difficult to read the whole picture when relying on media ‘sound bites’

  10. steve
    steve May 27, 2016 at 10:08 am . Reply

    prediction
    if the manager appointment drags on until after next week’s play offs Steve Bruce is the man.

    1. Keith Reilly
      Keith Reilly May 27, 2016 at 10:32 am . Reply

      If little has some input he would go for DiMateo not Pearson as he always went for a cautious approach when in charge.Pearson would be far too hung Ho. …I would love gun Ho if we had proper players.

  11. pat57
    pat57 May 27, 2016 at 11:04 am . Reply

    Pat Murphy now reporting on BBC Sports Live that Di Matteo is the favourite.

    He says –

    ‘It will be Dr Xia’s decision, though, and he is impressed that Di Matteo won the FA Cup and Champions’ League with Chelsea’

    Beginning to not mind if it is RDM so long as he’s appointed quickly and can start the job of cleaning out the Augean stables* load of crap we’ve got at VP.

    (*Fifth labour of Hercules – 1000 cattle with 30 years worth of crap – about the same amount as currently at VP)

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
      OohAhPaulMcGrath May 27, 2016 at 8:03 pm . Reply

      Would hate Di Matteo Dr X is crap. Slag me all you want but in never wrong

  12. pat57
    pat57 May 27, 2016 at 11:39 am . Reply

    Pat Murphy on BBC Sports Live –

    ‘It looks like Nigel Pearson will miss out on the Aston Villa job, but he is now the odds-on to be appointed by Derby County after impressing in his interview.’

    (Sigh)

  13. VillaAwayInDiv3
    VillaAwayInDiv3 May 27, 2016 at 11:48 am . Reply

    Tried posting this from my mobile and I cant get it to recognise my villaawayindiv3 user name…..wont try phone again…lol

    If little has some input he would go for DiMateo not Pearson as he always went for a cautious approach when in charge.Pearson would be far too gung Ho. …I would love gung Ho if we had proper players.

    1. Hitchens 60
      Hitchens 60 May 27, 2016 at 1:18 pm . Reply

      Midfielder with Beijing I believe!

  14. giddyvillan
    giddyvillan May 27, 2016 at 3:42 pm . Reply

    I see mc’dermotts sacked what are the odds for him being our next manager??

  15. pat57
    pat57 May 27, 2016 at 4:34 pm . Reply
    1. giddyvillan
      giddyvillan May 27, 2016 at 4:43 pm . Reply

      Will it be a chance missed or a blessing in disguise??? Only next season will tell.

      1. pat57
        pat57 May 27, 2016 at 4:44 pm . Reply

        Oh well on the bright side at least I won’t be squirming during press conferences in case an ostrich pops its head up 🙂

    2. Hitchens 60
      Hitchens 60 May 27, 2016 at 4:45 pm . Reply

      Interviewed, deal done and appointed – whereas at Villa Park it’s a longer story than War and Peace!

      Perhaps we’re haggling over luncheon vouchers!

      1. pat57
        pat57 May 27, 2016 at 4:50 pm . Reply

        @H60

        It’s my guess that RDM is more or less already appointed and its just awaiting the formalities of Dr. Xia passing the tests.

        Then again what do I know!

        1. giddyvillan
          giddyvillan May 27, 2016 at 5:11 pm . Reply

          That’s what I’m thinking pat it’ll be a double announcement.

  16. nath
    nath May 27, 2016 at 5:25 pm . Reply

    5 months or longer without manager, i was expecting a top appointment, new owner making a statement of intent. but i feel a little underwhelmed with the manager of choice.

    the thing i don’t get is ~we need a good restructuring, the squad of players, our style of play. so employing a manager with past experience of building clubs, from nothing but ashes was needed. correct me if i am wrong. but chelsea wasn’t broken like villa are. wba ok they suffered a relegation, but they again wasn’t in need of a total rebuild. even the mk dons the team was already in place by ince

    i will get behind the club manager and players, but i think after the time it took to come to such decision i expected them to appoint the correct manager and i don’t believe they have

    1. pat57
      pat57 May 27, 2016 at 5:28 pm . Reply

      @Nath

      No-one’s been actually been appointed yet!

      1. nath
        nath May 27, 2016 at 5:34 pm . Reply

        1/20 and 1/10 its a foregone conclusion i would be very surprised if the bookmakers where that wrong.

        1. pat57
          pat57 May 27, 2016 at 5:39 pm . Reply

          You never know they might be waiting for the Champions League final to see if Zidane or Simeone get the sack afterwards 🙂

    2. OohAhPaulMcGrath
      OohAhPaulMcGrath May 27, 2016 at 8:02 pm . Reply

      Dr X is another rubbish owner Mark my words he will be no better than Lerner! Already he is proving how incompetent he is overlooking Pearson for Di Matteo or another Blues reject!!

  17. giddyvillan
    giddyvillan May 27, 2016 at 5:41 pm . Reply

    Nath I’m still holding out for Bruce it’ll be his supposedly final game tomorrow you never know mate that obese lady ain’t singing yet

    1. nath
      nath May 27, 2016 at 5:51 pm . Reply

      i haven’t everything against di matteo, but if not pearson and i would go for bruce like you said 🙂 i am afraid di matteo shouldn’t be in the list. looking further into his past he was snubbed by the riffraff in blue. i think the owner is leaning towards di matteo cause he won champs league with chelsea anybody could manage that. the players won the cup nothing to do with his guidance. bruce has run hull well on shoestring budgets and improved um 🙂

      1. Hitchens 60
        Hitchens 60 May 27, 2016 at 7:56 pm . Reply

        With you on this one Nath. Bruce for me over Di Matteo whose CV is built on teams constructed by better managers than he is. Tony Barton won the European Cup with Sir Ron’s team and methods (no disrespect towards Barton) but ultimately he was never the manager Ron was.

        DM has never spent more than one complete season with any club – why is that and he has never had to rebuild – not just a football team – but a whole club ethos. Does he have the management skills to deal with the likes of Flabby, Lescott, Richards, Guzan et al? Perhaps he’ll persuade N’Zog to stay and sit on his backside for another few years!

        1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
          OohAhPaulMcGrath May 27, 2016 at 8:00 pm . Reply

          Hate Bruce with a passion horrible blue nose scum. I have a mate who’s had a nasty experience from him first hand horrible bloke. He is a a better manager than Di Potato but we missed out big time not getting Pearson. Dr X is just as crap as Lerner in picking managers. Club will struggle to stay up next year shit manager and sane shit players still here!

          1. DSVilla
            DSVilla May 27, 2016 at 9:19 pm . Reply

            My own personal experience of Bruce was in the crowds leaving the stadium after England lost to France in Portugal at Euro 2004. Apart from defending Heskey (who he subsequently brought to Blues) he seemed pretty grounded and not self important. Blues connection I really don’t give a toss about. Di Matteo would not be my choice but it’s not my money or choice. To be honest there are not many candidates that are realistic prospects as far as I can see.

          2. Andrew
            Andrew May 28, 2016 at 2:47 am . Reply

            So the guy who claimed people only hated McLeish because he was a bluenose, is now hating Bruce because he’s a bluenose… Wow Oohah, hypocrisy’s never a good thing.

            You also seem to have a lot of mates who have had a hell of a lot of bad experiences with football. Maybe they should stay away from it?

            1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
              OohAhPaulMcGrath May 28, 2016 at 5:12 pm . Reply

              Fair point but I don’t hate him because he is a blue nose all though that dosnt help. But don’t rate him as a manager and like you say he did a very bad thing to a good friend of mine if you knew the full story you would agree with me. Unfortunately I’m not allowed to say so up to u whether u believe me

  18. KentNielsen77
    KentNielsen77 May 27, 2016 at 8:34 pm . Reply

    Slight aside, but how sad to see Delph is on the standby list and therefore unlikely to go to the Euros. Arsehole.

  19. little8
    little8 May 27, 2016 at 11:45 pm . Reply

    Di Potato how the fuck could he inspire anyone ,hes fuckin boring.

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
      OohAhPaulMcGrath May 28, 2016 at 1:36 am . Reply

      Exactly he’s got a potato brain

Post Comment