By the Balls.ie staff. The vote was unanimous.
Unfortunately it wasn’t enough for the hacks at Sports Illustrated, who didn’t see getting sacked at Darlington and nearly being named Houllier’s assistant as more important that winning the Super Bowl.
Archive for Category: "stan"
Staunton Versus The Cardiologist
Could Houllier be just what the doctor ordered for Villa – by John Gooch
So Gerard Houllier has finally been appointed manager at Aston Villa, can I be the first to suggest Villa’s best way of ensuring this is a successful appointment is to install England’s leading cardiologist as opposed to Stan Staunton, as his right-hand man.
Prior to his heart problems in October 2001 Houllier presided over a hugely successful period at Liverpool, winning five trophies including both the FA & UEFA Cup as well as signing clubs legends Hyypia, Hamman & Henchoz, over-seeing a major overhaul of their Melwood training facilities and playing a key role in the development of Anfield super-duo Jamie Carragher & Steven Gerrard.
Following his health problems Houllier never looked the same man, and a solitary League Cup and second-place in the Premiership was all he had to show for this period by the time he bowed out of Anfield in 2004. In this period he signed El Hadji Diouf & Salif Diou as well as his swan song – the £14m signing of Djibril Cisse, surely the footballing equivalent of farting immediately prior to leaving a packed lift.
Following an extended break from the game Houllier looks fit, healthy and full of life, keep him that way and it could be a very happy season indeed for Aston Villa.
The Biggest Sports Story Of The Year
Will Stan be assistant manager at Villa with Houllier or won’t he? No one seems to know. We hope to have this riddle sorted out by the end of the afternoon.
We’re happy to hear Stan is keeping busy on Sky Sports, enlightening their generally-uninformed viewership on the in’s and out’s of international football.
Headline Of The Day
Oh, Paul McShane, how we underestimated you.
Recall him now, and give him the armband. More here
And The Award For Best Agent In The World
Goes to Steve Staunton’s Mr 10%.
The plan went like this.
Do a very pleasant interview lauding Kevin MacDonald as the second coming.
First and foremost he’s a top coach. I worked under him as a player in the early days and he’s as good a coach as I have ever worked with or under.
“There are quite some names on that list, and he’s up with the very best of them.
“He’s honest, he doesn’t take any nonsense, he’s a winner. He demands total commitment of a player, he gets them into a way of playing, not just passing for the sake of passing, it’s done to win a game of football.
“People will wonder if he can man-manage, but look at his record. Villa have won the reserve league three years on the trot and that’s actually one of the most difficult jobs in the game.
“You work with a mixture of eager kids and established players who are unhappy at being dropped from the first team, and if you can blend them into a unit that works hard and wins games then it proves you can handle people.”
Then Just Sit and Wait
Oh how it worked..
Staunton is being tipped to return to management as an assistant to Kevin McDonald in a three pronged disaster which also features Gerard Houllier.
Fans of Aston Villa, we are all thinking of you during these hard time.
Stan Says (02/09/10)
San Marino taught me one thing. There’s nothing more frightening for a small nation than an even smaller nation.
Stan Says (31/08/10)
Let the idiots sound off all they like, but Paul McShane will one day prove you all wrong. I looked into his soul before we played the Czechs and saw a grizzly bear.
Stan Says (20/8/2010)
Where would Kevin MacDonald be if I hadn’t lost the rag and punted that water bottle in Stuttgart?
Praying For A Transatlantic Plane Crash
Things aren’t looking good for Stan getting his dream job. In fact, things look downright dismal.
There’s nothing more miserable than nepotism American-style
