Tittle tattle title

ALMOST incredibly if you tap the words "poisoned chalice" into a Google search you do not end up with the job specifications for Aston Villa Chief Executive.

I tried it earlier: "a poisoned chalice (British)", it began.

"Something that harms the person it is given to although it seemed very good when they first got it. The leadership of the party turned out to be a poisoned chalice.
See also: poison".

But I'm sorry, the departure of Michael Cunnah, quite unexpectedly, was rather too alike the departures of Richard FitzGerald and Bruce Langham. Swift and without explanation. And rather like the swift exit of Mark Ansell and Steve Stride if you want to look back further.

"But Cunnah didn't have a title". That was how the club's media officer Phil Mepham tried to sell us the story that Cunnah's departure wasn't exactly newsworthy.

Just two paragraphs made the club web-site, and a good few hours after the deadlines had conveniently passed for the evening papers.

The release couldn't even bring itself to begin with the words: "Aston Villa regret to announce the departure...."

Not having a title!

Don't believe a word of it. Cunnah was central to everything at Villa Park. He was housed in Doug Ellis' old office and carried out the work of a Chief Executive, Managing Director, Operations Director or whatever title he may have been handed.

Last December Villa had taken great care to not only not unveil him to the world but not even announce him. It was only a few paragraphs by a national columnist that blew his cover.

So what next?

My sources tell me that Paul Faulkner, Randy Lerner's close ally, will be given the hands on role of sorting out everything that Martin O'Neill wants fixing.

There is no need for Lerner to be constantly on the end of a telephone such is the Lerner-Faulkner bond. And that can only be good news.

O'Neill is still the Guv'nor. Not so much simply as a manager but also a Chief Executive, Managing Director or Operations Director- call it what you will.

We live in a world of titles. For example: press officer, media relations director, director of communications... it matters not one jot.

In case you were wondering my title is Aston Villa correspondent, or simply Mister.