Quiet News Day - The Next Villa Manager Is.....

Ok, so here we go! It is a quiet news day so I'll bite!

The News Of The World today, in a report by Neil Ashton and Aidan Magee say that Mark Hughes will be the next Villa manager IF Martin O'Neill leaves this summer.

Now MON has said he is committed, questions remain over his long term view because he remains on a 12 month rolling contract and also quotes last week, which were then clarified, did say he'd look at how he feels in the summer.

To be fair, there is nothing wrong with that is there? The club will look, the fans will have their opinions, the players will also and so will MON who will assess where Villa are at and where Villa are going (and also in the summer, instead of the mad rumours of last week we'll all know how we got on in the FA Cup and where we finished in the league)

So as much as some have tried to make a big scandal of all that, he has a rolling contract, he has had 4 seasons, he is more than justified in considering if he wants a 5th as the board of Villa are able to consider if they do as well!

Right.... so Mark Hughes?

Well, bit of a non report really isn't it? Of course the former Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City boss would be in contention. He wouldn't however be the only name of the list would he? I'd expect, if we had a manager vacancy, to see some very impressive names throw their hat in the ring. Villa is a big club and a big job. The likes of Martin Jol and even the much linked at the time of the takeover Jurgen Klinsmann plus many others would all I'm sure be considered?

The report goes on to suggest that Randy Lerner would like a director of football at the club, something that MON - they say - would not like.

The NOTW talk of a clause in MON's contract 'window of opportunity' where other clubs could grab him. Hmmm. Not overly convinced newspaper reporters would have been privy to the contract - unless someone wants them to be - and in this case, I doubt that. They do - much like Talksport yesterday - however claim that MON will be the next Liverpool manager when Rafa 'Tom Jones mini me' Benitez departs.

The paper also repeats the rumours flying around that some of the players are a little 'split' now due to the lack of chances to play with few subs and pretty much no squad rotation. This always happens at clubs to be fair, players not in the team are never happy and you'd not expect them to be.

The other interesting part, something I do hear over and over, is that some are also angry or upset by the lack of communication from MON who isn't the best at talking to some of the fringe players according to many 'whispers' over the years.

They quote a source: 'Martin doesn't speak to the players for three days after a bad result. It's almost impossible to get any sense out of him.'

Again, not really the worlds biggest revelation.

All that is certain is that we'll find out - hopefully very very quickly - in the summer whether he is staying or going and also, we got three points yesterday and look forward to a Wembley trip next Saturday. Not all is bad in the world is it?!

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