It might not be Alex McLeish. I pray that it isn't Alex McLeish and until it is announced, I hold out hope that nobody at my Football Club is this stupid. As long as there is this chance, I'm okay.
But if it actually turns out that it is Alex McLeish we have to forget where he managed before and while he is so far from the 'right man' for Aston Villa, it isn't because of the team he managed. I accept that is a factor that I know it is winding up a few, me included, but it is because he has proven, on countless occasions, that he is not up to the task of managing a Premier League side.
It isn't just because he relegates teams
Okay, so he is more up and down than a cheap whore on a busy Saturday night - that should be reason enough, but I'll give you one more - the football is diabolical. If we were a little worried about the football under O'Neill - we are going to be astonished at how bad it can actually get under this man.
But while it isn't just about relegation, that is the byproduct of shit football. We will get beaten more often than not, our best players will want to leave and if the worst happens, he'll be out, fans will march and Lerner will not know what hit him.
And this can all be avoided. All they have to do is do it right. I know my secret plan about properly looking for a young, ambitious manager was just a thing I convinced myself of, but that is what they have to do. They can not and shouldn't throw it all away on McLeish. McLeish, translated from Spanish actually means 'man that knows nothing about building or developing a football club'.
And when I say throw it all away, I hope that doesn't come back and haunt me.
Randy used to be so sensible
So why is Randy Lerner doing this and actually, is he? My head and heart say he can't seriously be considering appointing Alex McLeish as manager as it makes no sense and everything Lerner has done, even if I haven't agreed with it, has been sensible. This makes no sense.
So, for me, there has to be a reason, but I'm not convinced Randy knows enough about the club and our heritage or the game to be making this by himself and I think there has to be other factors or people and then I ask myself why they would be suggesting this and I can't, for the life of me, figure it out and the only thing I can come up with is someone is trying to prove us wrong or stamp their authority or influence on our owner and I can only see this backfiring.
It will backfire
When I say it will backfire, I'm going to put my head on the black and even tell you how long: Alex McLeish will not see out his third season at Aston Villa and when that happens, we are back to square one and we enter that cycle again of not really knowing what is happening, of wasted money and having to start from the very beginning.
Then, whoever suggested Alex McLeish as manager also has to go and you know what, if they both went by the end of the next season - it really wouldn't surprise me and when the odds come out, I'm putting money on it.
So, I've got my view across. It isn't just about where he comes from, it is more important than that. It is because he isn't very good. He might be a nice bloke and all that, but I could manage Celtic or Rangers and win the title - in a proper league, he has proven he can't handle it.
But I think the big question has to be, why is Randy Lerner doing this? It makes no sense and it is going to alienate supporters.
Give the man a chance
But I will end on this; if he is appointed, I will still support the team and that will never change, but we are just going to be treading water. It is going to be a dark day if he is appointed, a very dark day and the irony is, thousands can see it but the owner is still blind to it.