Championship Manager 2001/2002: The Venables Way

Season 2000/2001 Summary

Welcome to the FA Carling Premiership Summary

League Table

Manchester United won the league for the third time in succession with Arsenal way behind them. Leeds United went for broke with a huge bank loan on the condition they made the Champions League but Liverpool got the place by one solitary point. Ipswich Town caused a shock by finishing 5th and getting into the Uefa Cup first round in there first season in the Premier League. Only the top three lost less than Aston Villa this season but because of there record 15 draws could only manage 8th place. Newcastle with a £21m strike team (Shearer and Carl Cort) could only manage 11th but both Villa and Newcastle get into the intertoto cup for a chance to get into the Uefa Cup. Manchester City, Coventry City and Bradford City all got relegated from the Premier League to be replaced by Fulham, Bolton and Blackburn Rovers.

We are going to take a look at five clubs who had good season's or season's that they would want to forget.

Aston Villa

Manager - John Gregory
Another season of decent (but rarely exciting) form saw Villa secure another top-10 finish, though this time they dipped slightly into eighth place after occupying sixth place a year earlier. Villa proved themselves as one of the hardest Premier League teams to beat, with only the top three sides suffering fewer defeats than Villa's 10. But a mere 13 wins and a staggering 15 draws ended any hopes of a title bid or even a top-six finish. The arrival of Yugoslav striker Boško Balaban at the end of the season gave fans renewed hope that next season might deliver more success.

Ipswich Town

Manager - George Burley
Tipped by many to go straight back down to Division One after winning promotion, Ipswich surprised observers by consistently holding a place among the top six. For much of the season, it looked like they would finish in the top three and qualify for the European Cup for the first time in nearly 40 years. In the end, they finished fifth and qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time since 1982. Manager George Burley was then voted "Manager of the Year" by his colleagues.

Leeds United

Manager - David O'Leary
David O'Leary took Leeds to their first European Cup semi-final since 1975, where defeat at the hands of Valencia ended their chances of a repeat of the ill-tempered 1975 European Cup clash with Bayern Munich who beat Real Madrid in the other semi-final.
The club's league form in the first half of the season had been dire, and they had been as low as 14th place at Christmas. However, after a dramatic improvement in form they finished fourth in the final table, which meant that their place in Europe for 2001–02 would be in the UEFA Cup rather than the European Cup.
Failure to qualify for the following season's Champions League was considered a disappointment rather than a disaster by fans of the club at the time, given the success in reaching the semi-final. However, the directors of the club had secured tens of millions of pounds of loans which depended on successful Champions League qualification, so it will be very interesting to see how it plays out from here.

Liverpool

Manager - Gerard Hollier
Liverpool enjoyed their best season for years when they completed a unique treble of cup competitions and ended Gérard Houllier's three-year wait to bring silverware to Anfield.
The first trophy was secured on 25 February when a 5–4 penalty shoot-out victory followed a 1–1 draw with Birmingham City in the Worthington Cup final. The game was also the first club fixture to be played at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium while Wembley was being rebuilt. Part two of the treble was completed on 12 May when two late Michael Owen goals overturned Arsenal's lead in the FA Cup Final to give the Reds a 2–1 win. The final part of the treble was perhaps the most dramatic. The UEFA Cup final featured an amazing 9 goals as Alaves gave them a run for their money fighting back to equalise from 1–0, 3–1 and 4–3, before Liverpool finally ran out 5–4 winners after extra-time.
Promising young midfielder Steven Gerrard was voted PFA Young Player of the Year for his key part in one of the most successful seasons in Liverpool's 109-year history, and contributions from British stars Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler, Jamie Carragher, Danny Murphy, and new signings Gary McAllister and Emile Heskey were matched by an increasingly continental side consisting of new captain Sami Hyypiä, Sander Westerveld, Jari Litmanen and Dietmar Hamann.

Southampton

Manager - Stuart Grey
Southampton enjoyed their best form in several years after it was announced that Glenn Hoddle was replacing Dave Jones as manager on a permanent basis.
But Hoddle caused outrage by walking out on the Saints in late March and taking the managerial vacancy at Tottenham the next day. Coach Stuart Gray took over on a temporary basis, and with Southampton's good form continuing he was rewarded with the job on a permanent basis. Southampton's best moment was an 89th-minute winner by Matthew Le Tissier to pull back from 2–0 down against runners-up Arsenal.
2000–01 was Southampton's final season at the Dell. After 103 years, they move on to the St Mary's Stadium on Brittania Road, which with 32,000 seats is more than twice the size of their old ground and is seen by many as the way forward for a club.

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Championship Manager 2001/2002: The Venables Way

Gregory and O'Leary Jobs Under Threat

O'Leary and Gregory on way out?

Sources understand that Aston Villa and Leeds United have made contact with Kevin Keegan and Terry Venables as both sides look to replace there managers for the upcoming season in 2001/2002.

Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis appears to have lost confidence in Gregory after being plucket from lowly Wycome in 1998. The Villa manager has led Villa to a couple of 6th positions but not the top 4 that Doug Ellis wanted so it is understood that Terry Venables and Kevin Keegan has been sounded out for the Villa Job.


Ferdinand was an expensive acquisiton for Leeds this season

Aston Villa though have competition as Leeds United look to get rid of David O'Leary. Leeds have borrowed heavily and invested heavily paying West Ham £18m for Rio Ferdinand, £12m for Robbie Keane from Inter Milan, £7.2m for Oliver Dacourt from Lens and £6.5m for Mark Viduka from Celtic. Leeds however lost there Champions League place and only managed to get to the Semi Finals of the competition too, Liverpool also pipped them to the third and final Champions League place too.


Is Venables on his way to Villa or Leeds?

So will any of these teams land these managers? We will find out soon!

Championship Manager 2001/2002: The Venables Way

Keegan: Villa Do Not Interest Me

why would I move to Villa? I have not received any contact and am currently enjoying my time away from football. I love managing but feel this is the wrong time to get back into football at this time.

It is understood however that Kevin Keegan might be interested in a switch to Leeds United if they sack David O'Leary but it is understood that Leeds might be willing to back the Irishman for one more season. Where does that leave Aston Villa however?
Well it is understood that Villa have parted company with John Gregory by mutual consent. There are now big rumours that Terry Venables is going to go and join the Villans with the intention of them becoming title challengers. Aston Villa have not challenged properly for the title since 1992 when finishing second to Man Utd.

Aston Villa were not available for comment.

Championship Manager 2001/2002: The Venables Way

Venables resigns as Middlesbrough Boss

Terry Venables today resigned as manager of Middlesbrough fuelling speculation that he will be making the move to Aston Villa who are also managerless at the moment. Venables has managed Crystal Palace, Barcelona, Spurs, England and Australia and if he is to move to Villa will have a golden chance to become a Villa Park legend.

Ginola scoring a free kick
Managers and players at Aston Villa, if they get the fans onside have an amazing career and if Terry Venables does decide to gamble he will inherit a team with players like David Ginola, Paul Merson and Peter Schmeichel to name just a few and with these players they would be looking to finish towards Europe. When you add the young players coming through like Gareth Barry and Darius Vassell there is a bright future for the right manager.

Championship Manager 2001/2002: The Venables Way

Venables Signs For Villa!

Aston Villa today announced the worse kept secret of football by leaving Middlesbrough to become Aston Villa manager. The former England manager took England to the semi-finals of the European Championships in 1996 has since managed, Australia, Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough moves to Villa on a 2 year deal thought to be worth around £11,000 a week and had this to say outside the training ground at Bodymoor Heath.

I am delighted to be joining Aston Villa and I am also excited at the talent this great club has at its disposal. I am very happy to be working with players like David Ginola, Paul Merson, Olof Mellberg and Juan Pablo Angel. I will not deviate from the way I have always ran a team and I will look to sell one or two players so that I can buy some players in but I will also look at the youth team also and with players like Gareth Barry, Darius Vassell and Wayne Henderson the future for Aston Villa is bright and I am ecstatic to be the manager that is going to hopefully help fire Aston Villa to a first title since 1981.


Schmeichel will have a new manager this season

It is understood that Venables may look to sell Alpay and Steve Stone with Blackburn and Newcastle looking at them both. It is yet unclear who Terry Venables will sign but know Venables will look to keep it British if he can but as he has shown in the past will go abroad if needed.

CM01/02 - The Venables Way

Championship Manager 2001/2002: The Venables Way

Venables Signs Two Englishmen

Aston Villa have announced the signings of Greame Le Saux for £1,000,000 from Chelsea and Matthew Le Tissier from Southampton for £2,500,000. Le Saux, 32 has signed from Chelsea after being told his playing time would be compromised this season as Claudio Ranieri starts looking more the the youth of Chelsea rather than the old guard.

Le Saux started his career at St Paul's of Jersey before moving to Chelsea in 1987 after being spotted playing in a local tournament by manager John Hollins. He made his debut for the club two years later against Portsmouth and had become a regular by the 1990–91 season. His first stint at Chelsea ended in controversy, though. Angry at continually being substituted, he snapped when he was subbed again during a match with Southampton and threw his shirt to the ground as he stormed past manager Ian Porterfield. He was sold to Blackburn Rovers in March 1993 for £700,000.


Le Tissier is now a Villa player

Le Saux arrived at Blackburn as part of wealthy benefactor Jack Walker and manager Kenny Dalglish's plan to establish the club as one of the country's top sides, and joined an impressive side containing the likes of Alan Shearer and Tim Flowers. Blackburn finished second in Le Saux's first full season, and were crowned Premier League champions a year later, with Le Saux a near ever-present. He missed the second half of the following season due to a broken ankle which also ruled him out of Euro 96, but was still caught up in controversy after fighting with team-mate David Batty during a UEFA Champions League tie with Spartak Moscow.

In August 1997, Le Saux became the most expensive defender in English football when he returned to Chelsea in a £5 million deal. Always a regular when available, Le Saux's second spell with Chelsea was often interrupted by injury or suspension. He remained there for six seasons, and was an important part of the side which won the League Cup and Cup Winners' Cup in 1998 and the FA Cup in 2000, though he missed the latter two of those finals through injury and then moves to Aston Villa for £1m.


It is reported Le Saux and Le Tissier are good friends off the pitch and Villa will be hoping that can work.

Joining Le Saux at Villa is Matthew Le Tissier, moving to Aston Villa from Southampton for a fee believed to be £2,500,000.

Signing for Southampton on YTS forms in 1985 and then signing professional forms in October 1986, Le Tissier made his club debut in a 4–3 defeat at Norwich City in the Football League First Division, and by the end of that season had scored six goals in 24 league games, including a hat-trick against Leicester City in the league. He scored his first two competitive goals in a League Cup third round replay at home to Manchester United on 4 November 1986, a game which Southampton won 4-1 and was Ron Atkinson's last in charge of the visitors, his sacking coming within 48 hours of the result. He made 19 first team league appearances in 1987–88, failing to score, but in 1988–89, scored nine times in 28 league games.

He was voted PFA Young Player of the Year for the 1989–90 season, in which he was one of the league's top goalscorers with 20 goals as Southampton finished seventh in the First Division, the club's highest finish for five years.
Le Tissier's highest scoring league season was 1993–94, when he scored 25 league goals. The following season he won the Match of the Day Goal of the Season award for his drifting 40-yard chip against Blackburn Rovers, scoring against his long term friend, and former Southampton keeper, Tim Flowers.


Le Tissier signs on for Villa

Le Tissier's goal tally for the season regularly went well into double figures for the league alone throughout the 1990s, playing a major role in Southampton preserving their top flight status into the new millennium as they came close to relegation on no less than five occasions in the first seven seasons of the Premier League – including one occasion when they only survived on goal difference. He was the subject of interest from many big clubs in England and overseas during this time, particularly from Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, but the transfer never happened and Le Tissier would ultimately remain a Southampton player until his retirement. In August 1995, he was reportedly subject of a £10million bid from Chelsea which would have made him the most expensive player in English football at the time. Shortly afterwards, defending league champions Blackburn Rovers were reportedly planning to sign him for a similar-sized fee.

On 2 April 2000, Le Tissier scored a last minute penalty for Southampton in a 2–1 defeat to Sunderland. This brought his tally of Premiership goals to 100, making him only the sixth player and first midfielder to reach this milestone.

It will be interesting to see if Le Tissier and Le Saux’s experience can make any difference to this Villa side who are expected to be within the top 8 by there fans.

Championship Manager 2001/2002: The Venables Way

Villa Sign Frenchman Sylvain Wiltord

Aston Villa have pulled off something of a coup is signing Arsenal striker Sylvain Wiltord. Frenchman Wiltord, 27 signs for £8.25m to be paid to Arsenal over 24 months. The Frenchman had angered Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal team mates by saying that he believed he could do better than the team that Wenger was putting out in pre season, this led to Arsenal putting him available for a transfer to which Terry Venables acted quickly and bid £8,250,000 to sign the Frenchman who has 37 caps for France to his name.

Wiltord said he was glad to be leaving Arsenal to play a pivotal role for a club that would truly value him.
I am pleased to be leaving Arsenal and having seen Aston Villa sign Greame Le Saux and Matt Le Tissier, can not wait until I can help move Villa up the table and challenging for the title again. I know how there fans are and all players can make themselves hero’s playing for Villa because they have very passionate fans and I want them to love me and I will show them that I want to play for the club as well as repay the faith Terry (Venables) has shown in spending the £8m on me. Wiltord becomes Villa’s second most expensive signing behind Juan Pablo Angel is a strike foce that now boasts Angel, Wiltord, Balaban, Le Tissier and youngster Darius Vassell.

Wiltord's career began at Rennes, where he emerged in 1993–94 with eight goals in 26 games. He then joined Spanish La Liga club Deportivo de La Coruña in 1996. He was loaned to Rennes in January 1997 where for the rest of that season he continued to net goals. At the end of his spell on loan he returned to Spain only to move in the summer of 1997 back to France so as to link up with Bordeaux.

He was ever-present in his first term at Bordeaux and went on to score 22 goals in the following 1998–99 season, where he won the golden boot as Bordeaux victoriously lifted the Ligue 1 championship.

Championship Manager 2001/2002: The Venables Way

Dreadful Month For The Villans

Terry Venables career as Aston Villa manager has had a somewhat awkward start to the season. The Villa manager played two different formations for the first games with a 4-4-2 in the match against Blackburn and a 4-3-3 in the match against Tottenham but both matches did not end well.



Aston Villa endured a torrid match against Blackburn Rovers on there return to the top flight. Blackburn named Mark Hughes on the bench as Matt Janson and Corrido Grabbi started up for Rovers. Terry Venables named Paul Merson only on the bench preferring Ian Taylor and Lee Hendrie in midfield and David Ginola on the wing with Mustapha Hadji. Blackburn where the best side from start to finish David Dunn and Tugay ran the midfield but it was Matt Janson and Corrido Grabbi got three goals between them with Tugay grabbing the other goal as Blackburn ran out 4-0 winners.
They were by far and away the better side said Venables. We need to up our game if we are to challenge this season and the players that I thought might be key may not be now. I can not wait until I get Juan Pablo Angel back from injury to help our attack.




If the first game was bad, at least in the second game Villa got a goal but in Tottenham, Villa came up against a side that are attractive to watch and also very potent in-front of goal. Venables handed a debut to Greame Le Saux and a full debut to Matt Le Tissier. Wiltord again had a average game but Dion Dublin scored Villa’s only goal, unfortunately for Villa they were already 4-0 down. Tottenham named five Englishmen in the side (Sherwood, Perry, Richards, Anderton, Sheringham) and it was Darren Anderton, currently wanted by Manchester United and former United player Teddy Sheringham who were exceptional.

League Table

Tottenham, Charlton and Blackburn all have perfect starts this month but it is Charlton that has been the form team at the start of this season. Man Utd, Chelsea and Leeds are all snapping at the heels of the early leaders. At the other end of the table the bottom five are still yet to win which might be alarming for the likes of Derby and Aston Villa

Upcoming Fixtures

Aston Villa’s fixtures for September look tough with Champions Manchester United away, followed by Leicester and Southampton is what looks like winnable games for Villa but they are sandwiched between an away trip to The Valley to play Charlton, they are currently played 3, won 3 so there might not be any let up for Villa in September.

Championship Manager 2001/2002: The Venables Way

Improvements For Villa as McAteer Signs

The month of September was an improvement for Terry Venables and his Villa side as on paper it looked a hard month but the only defeat came at the hands of surprise package Charlton. Venables also signed Blackburn centre back Jason McAteer before the match against Southampton.


In a match where the bookies expected Villa to get handsomely defeated, Aston Villa defended for all there worth and in the 48th minute it paid off as David Ginola, who had done nothing the whole game picked up the ball inside his own half and played a looping ball to Dion Dublin , who cushioned the ball down for Sylvain Wiltord to grab his first goal for the club. Aston Villa then defended for all there worth as Peter Schmeichel kept out a scream Cole shot and a Veron freekick but Villa would faulter towards the end as Fortune and Veron inter-linked well to feed Andy Cole through and slot home. It was a fair result on stats but you couldn’t help but feel a bit for Villa.


Venables named a 5-3-2 formation for the Leicester game and Merson and Ginola were both named on the bench for the visit of Southampton with the 3 midfielders being Hendrie, Hadji and Boateng.Villa were out of the block quickly with first Alpay and then Le Tissier going close but in the 19th minute Matt Le Tissier latched onto a through ball by Hendrie, who rounded the keeper to make it 1-0. Villa continued to pummel the goal occupied by Tim Flowers but the Englishman was up to the task. After Half time Villa sat back and soaked up the pressure, Villa then hit on a counter attack and won a corner. Hadji swung the corner in for Le Tissier for his first goal of the season and for Villa. Matt Ellito got a consolation goal for Leicester but it was too little too late as Villa registered there first victory of the new season.


Charlton Athletic’s dream start carried on as Dean Keily and Pter Schmeichel had the game’s of there lives. Charlton ran out 2-0 winners with goals from Jason Euell and Shaun Bartlett in the first half gave Charlton another victory. Aston Villa were not even poor but Charlton’s form had just been out of this world. This match gave Villa fans a proper glimpse of Bosko Balaban, the Yugoslav strike who signed for Villa just before Venables arrival but he could not help along with Ginola and Merson Charlton defeating Villa.

Jason McAteer signs

After the match against Charlton, Villa manager Terry Venables signed Irishman Jason McAteer. Villa were short of Centre Backs so the signing meant that the likes of Melberg and Alpay would get a break as 5 CB’s would compete for 3 starting positions. Jason McAteer was described as a panic buy by the fans with one fan saying I do not understand why Venables has signed someone who does not improve any aspect of the team McAteer bit back saying Please let my performances do the talking. Venables said he would be in the team to play Southampton.


This match will be pivitol for the next part of the season because Villa dominated the match from start to finish and Southampton just seemed more bothered about injuring players. Balaban start alongside Dublin (who seems to be Venables No. 1 striker) and his faith was repayed in the best possible way connecting onto a Merson cross to volley home. Villa controlled the tempo and the game after that but the turning point was the three injuries in three minutes. Paul Murray clattered into Merson who had to go off (will be out for 10 days with bruising), Mark Draper, formally of Aston Villa went in hard on Olof Mellberg who was stretchered off (out for 2 weeks) and replaced by Alpay and then one minute later Jason McAteer also was clattered by Paul Murray and will be out for ten days. Villa still held on gamely until the second minute of time added on when Mustapha Hadji, playing CB slipped to allow Magne Hoseth the opportunity to equalise and he did.

Carling Premier League Table

The top 12 looks interesting with Leeds and Charlton top of the table. Leeds would be expected to be up there but if you asked any sane Charlton fan if they thought they would be in the top two after the first 7 matches they would have laughed at you. Blackburn’s return to the Premiership looks good also with Man Utd and Arsenal behand but with a game in hand. Everton, Newcastle and Chelsea round off the top half.


Liverpool, West Ham are just in the bottom half of the table. Villa have a game in hand and are below Southampton but have won a game unlike Middlesbrough and Sunderland, Sunderland remain rock bottom.

Next Months Fixtures

Villa have four Premier League matches and one League cup 3rd round match next month. Leeds and Arsenal look very tough on paper but they are both at home. Newcastle and Everton look like realistic chances to win this month but it is a good cup run that the Villa fans want.

Villa Player Of The Month

Peter Schmeichel has been outstanding this month, his ratings say it all and he has gave Villa they best platform to try and win.