Source: Team_Talk
MacDonald uncertain over Villa job
Aston Villa caretaker-manager Kevin MacDonald has still to decide whether he wants to take over the reins at the club on a full-time basis.[LNB] MacDonald claims he has yet to spare a second's thought over the matter due to the demands that have already been placed upon him since Martin O'Neill's shock exit nine days ago.[LNB]The Scot certainly impressed in Saturday's season-opening 3-0 win at home to West Ham, and Thursday night leads the team into Europe.[LNB]Over the course of the next eight days MacDonald has the chance to go one step further than O'Neill did last season by beating Rapid Vienna to clinch a place in the Europa League group stages.[LNB]If MacDonald can do that, and earn something credible from Sunday's trip to newly-promoted Newcastle, the 49-year-old will likely go a long way towards being handed a managerial contract by owner Randy Lerner.[LNB]That, though, has yet to cross the mind of MacDonald who said: "I still haven't particularly thought about it. I still haven't any feelings.[LNB]"I keep saying that I'll know if I want it. At the moment I haven't got that, although I haven't had time to sit down and think about it.[LNB]"It has been a bit of a whirlwind, so I'll wait and see, but I just need to know it's going to be right for myself.[LNB]"If I feel I would like to be considered along with others, I will let him (Lerner) know in the very near future."[LNB]A major consideration for MacDonald is the strain it puts on family life, and he is wondering whether it would be worth it.[LNB]"It's not just about me, it's about my family. Becoming a Premier League manager is a life-changing thing," added MacDonald.[LNB]"It must be a fantastic thing to do, but sometimes people might not really want it. I've not come to that decision or had that thought yet.[LNB]"But it is upheaval for families because you never get to see them, you have to chase around, organise things, take phone calls and all that sort of thing, and that's another thing I have to look at.[LNB]"But whatever I decide I know they will give me their backing. That is what families do."[LNB]At least MacDonald has had the opportunity over the past few days to appreciate the demands and the commitments that come with living life in what must feel like a goldfish bowl at times.[LNB]The next three matches, and it is more than likely he will be given those games given their close proximity, may well determine whether he wants to give it a go.[LNB]"To actually think about whether I could cope or not, again I've not thought about it," said MacDonald.[LNB]"I've coped with a lot of things in my life, but it's not the case for me as to whether I could cope with the job, it's whether I'd like to try and do the job.[LNB]"You probably need three or four games, high intensity, high pressure, just to see if it's the be all and end all.[LNB]"The one thing I will say is that I've enjoyed being the coach and working on the training ground with the first team.[LNB]"From the reserves, I'm now working with the multi-million pound players, but then I never felt it would be a problem doing that because it's one of the things I enjoy doing.[LNB]"Some people will say I do it well, some will say not so well - I guess that depends on whether I'm shouting at them.[LNB]"But the coaching is the easy thing for me to do. Some of the other things I've not actually had my eyes open to them as yet because we have had to concentrate on the football side."[LNB]For the clash with Rapid, MacDonald has made changes, some of which have been enforced with Richard Dunne suspended and John Carew out with a knee injury.[LNB]Carew joins Gabriel Agbonlahor, Carlos Cuellar and James Collins on the injury list, but MacDonald has also opted to rest Ashley Young, Stiliyan Petrov and Luke Young.[LNB]In come the youngsters he has worked with in the past, including James Collins Jnr, Eric Lichaj, Shane Lowry, Barry Bannan and Austrian striker Andreas Weimann.
