Overreaction much? Keep the Faith.

Well I'm not going to lie, football fans are a weird bunch. Myself very much included. We watch 22 highly-paid men not related to us in any way charge round a field kicking a piece of polyurethane and poly vinylchloride at two sets of posts for fun, and can argue 'til the cows come home of the various results, standings and games to come.

But that's why football is so great. Some people are enthusiastic about every signing, managerial appointment and board change, and some are always underwhelmed. But one thing I have noticed is how much some people can overreact. Earlier today Roberto Martínez reaffirmed his commitment to Wigan Athletic and thus closing the door on rumours he would be the new Villa boss. (Which by the way, I am very impressed with the loyalty shown by Martínez, even if Mr. Whelan may have pressured him into doing so by his public remarks.)

This, however, has been taken to mean "Martínez has turned down the offered Villa job." He hasn't, he has not and was not offered the job. Cue hysteria from Villa fans and more specifically other team's fans who claim that "Villa have sunk lower" from this news, like Martínez was the last decent choice. He was certainly a candidate, and a decent one, but by no means was he necessarily Randy Lerner's top choice. Or the best name left for us to get.

Just who is Randy's man?

I fully trust in our chairman to make the correct appointment, even if it takes another week or two. Rushing into an appointment is often an unwise decision, and one I'd rather avoid, especially considering our last season of turmoil. I'm sure that the board have a list of managers who I would be very happy with ready to be interviewed or indeed keen to take over.

Either way, we can do nothing but sit back and watch. But whoever we appoint, I will back them and give them time, even if I don't personally like them or rate them. I don't like Andrés Iniesta personally but I would give my left kidney to see him playing for Villa now. I don't rate a lot of players, but if they came to Villa I wouldn't write them off straight away.

The correct managerial choice will be made, I'm sure of it.

In Randy We Trust. Keep the Faith.

Martínez, is it?

As you may or may not know, you probably do, Aston Villa are in the search for a new manager. Gérard Houllier has left the club, and the Villa board are going through the  options, but behind the scenes without letting the media know every last detail, so a certain Sports reporting news channel/website keep desperately announcing that "x is set to become manager of Villa" without any kind of proof, because they've got nothing off the club, so they're throwing their toys out of the pram.

Onto our latest rumour, one seemingly carrying a bit of weight behind it, considering the Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has allowed Martínez to hold talks with Villa.

Roberto Martínez Montoliu, Wigan Athletic manager.

 Now this is a story that has seemingly firmly divided the Villa support, I have heard the words "inexperienced", "too much too soon", and "unambitious" said, but I'm of the belief with the right backing he could do very well here. He motivates his players well, is friendly towards the media, fans and his own players, has had a good relationship with the chairman at both his previous posts, and likes to play football, he has passion, hunger and energy. Obviously this may be yet another smokescreen, and it may not be Martínez who is the new Villa manager... but if it is, I for one shall not be disappointed with that decision. He's got a lot to offer in my opinion.

Which kind of brings me onto my second point.

You cannot please everyone. If Villa went and pulled an elephant out of the hat by signing the dazzling young manager of Porto, André Villas-Boas, some, albeit very few, would be unhappy. But some Villa fans will never be happy with appointments as Villa were once the best team in the whole of Europe, and plenty saw that and feel it gives us a god-gven right to play at the top table again. Well, we don't. Those days are past and in the past they'll probably remain. We may never win the league again, that I'm afraid is relative to how footall is now - only those with huge financial backing will win the league. We can still play to the best of our abilities, and try and win as much as we can, but I cannot understand the attitude that "so and so isn't good enough for us" because as much as I'd like top class managers to want to come to Villa, they don't want to, nor are they likely to.

These are days in football with little patience, little loyalty, and lots of money. Our club has the first two but not really the third. We need to lose this quite vain opinion we're one of the Premier sides around. We are in the eyes of others, probably the 8th best side in England, despite our proud history. We do not need delusions of grandeur of our club. I am immensely proud to be a Villa fan despite all the kerfuffle over the past year - but even so. The sooner we realise the Hughes', Benítez', Coyle's, Moyes' and Martínez' of this world are the kind of managers that are our level now, the better. It doesn't mean we can't dream of these top class managers being at Villa Park, but we need to be less upset about going for a manager like Mr. Martínez.

VTID.