BobbyBiscuit

Is Southgate staying? What's the general feeling about him down there?

I think it's in the Glasgow area, just like everywhere else, apparently.

No, only heard of this through a mate who has business contacts who may know these things. It has been suggested this is why the pay off the three amigos received isn't an issue with regard budgets etc for next year. As I said though, I'm not very confident this is true at all.

The old rumour mill is working overtime this bank holiday weekend. There is talk of a possible takeover of the club, one of the stipulations of the deal is that the current regime got rid of the manangement. I personally don't believe this given the current economic climate but just putting it out there.

I think it's looking more and more likely that Miller didn't want to part company with Jimmy. he thinks JC did a great job, it wasn't the failure in the cups and yet the expectations for the new man remain the same. Looks like the Board were more eager for change than Willie.

Thanks to Sonic from the hat for typing this up:

Not a chance for me I'm afraid. Total pie in the sky stuff, but George Graham would be good although I've heard he's really struggling with arthritis these days so may not be able to get involved in the game on a full time basis anymore. If Burnley don't win today I wouldn't be surprised to see Coyle at Parkhead. McInally had a comparatively shit load of cash to spend at East Stirling, I'm not sure their league position is necessarily a true reflection of managerial brilliance. I've heard that Billy Stark may be taking over at St Mirren this summer.

Technically speaking, he's a Cumbernauldian (I think I just made that word up). He went to the same school as me. Obviously several years apart.

You're spot on in what you say there. Should be remembered though that people weren't slow in calling for Willie Miller's head in 95. It may not have been to the same level, or even have half the venom shown towards other managers, but if Miller wasn't bulletproof, no one else is going to be.

Nicholson's second season wasn't Calderwood's second season.

Which one is it Jimmy? It can't all be about the fans if the board are doubting your methods. to be honest Al, I don't think the pay off would have been anywhere near that amount.

Really? You ask if Minijc etc think they know more about how to run a club than WM and JC. Do you think you know how to run a club more than WM? There is not a chance in hell he was sacked because of the "protest" or because of what a few nuggets say on an internet forum. I also think you have to check your definition of "great". JC is a good manager, a "great" manager for AFC wouldn't have had those 3 or 4 bad cup results. He was told this season to get us to a Cup Final. He failed. Spectacularly. Let's not re-write history, eh? To imply that those cup results don't matter that much is shocking. JC has said himself that's what's undone him. He knows he was lucky he wasn't sacked after QOTS. I've said elsewhere on here in the last 12 hours or so that supposedly (it may well be a lot of shite) JC has "lost the dressing room". If that happens, as WM will surely know, there is only one solution and that's for the manager to walk. If this is the case would you seriously advocate keeping him on? Of course there's a risk that we could go on a downward spiral, but there are risks in most business decisions. And that's what it is, a business decision. Not so long ago Willie Miller himself made a public plea with JC to get the team playing more expansive and attractive football. Why did he do that? Because they're worried about losing supporters through the gates. Although I wanted a change in management team, I can actually understand why some folk would want him to stay given where we were before he came in. But we were just trundling along. It's fantastic we've qualified for Europe, but how many people on this site have said in the last few weeks/months that they just wanted the season to finish? That is not a good sign. I personally have a feeling that JC stayed a season too long. However, if we have a poor season under the new manager next year, it doesn't necessarily mean it was a bad decision to get rid of JC.

Archie Knox once called me a "sheep shagging wanker", which might be factually accurate but he went down in my estimation then and he was pretty far down in it before that... If we had him back at Pittodrie his training would consist of getting the players to run round the car park in their football boots, resulting in calf injuries galore a la Ibrox in the 1990's. No one stands out for me. Lee Richardson is an awful shout to be honest. He's just been sacked by Chesterfield, would we have been talking about a failed Chesterfield manager if they hadn't played for the Dons? I suppose I'd go for Eric Black. He's an intelligent guy with a lot of contacts in the game and I think he'd get us playing some good stuff. The only thing that worries me is if it doesn't work out - obviously - that another Dons Legend has failed at the club in the top job. Wouldn't surprise me if he was manager and made someone like Neale Cooper his assistant.

Celtic are all about cutting costs these days, determined not to fall back into debt. McGhee would be a cheap option but also ticks the box of being "Celtic Minded", which the media seem to suggest is why Strachan is not liked at Parkhead. Which I think is a lot of rubbish, he's not liked because he's a wee gobshite and his team are awful to watch...sound familiar?

Oh Jesus wept. I had totally forgotten about Robertson. I'm away for a wee lie down.

yes. the suspense is killing me, softly.

Miller and Leighton? Simmie and Big Bertie Bossu? Come on Al, spill...

Simmie and Miller?

Banner in the Villa end today:

Put the rod away Mini, it's tedious.

There isn't, is that a reason to continue with the status quo? (I don't want McGhee, I just think it's a bit pointless talking about that when we'll never have the answer)

Was always going to be the case re "mutual consent". No doubt there'll be some fall out/whispers etc at some point.

Maybe they've bought into this "he's not liked cos he's a weegie" and have decided that someone the fans can relate to is the way forward. All speculation of course.

Villa one up against the Barcodes at half time.

I think suggestions that this has happened because of the hat or anything else on the net is rather wide of the mark. By all means, it may not have helped, but he would have gone after last season and the QOTS fiasco if that was the case. I hate the expression, but if things are to be believed, he "lost the dressing room" some time ago. There's no way back after that.