Well, yesterday’s post almost seems prophetic doesn’t it?
Not that it gives me the slightest amount of pleasure in saying that.
Along with all Villa fans, I’m now filled with trepidation over who the next manager might be.
And along with all Villa fans, I fully realise we may have made a massive mistake.
We’ve had a terrible record of appointing managers ever since O’Neil left in 2010. You could possibly say Houllier was a good appointment, but even he didn’t work out for us, unfortunately.
I think seven managers since June 2011 says it all, especially when you consider Smith had just over three years under his belt.
But mistake or not, it’s a risk we had to take.
The situation as it was just wasn’t good enough.
I accept that some fans think he would have turned it round, given time, but I’m sorry, I just don’t think he would have, at all.
If I thought it was just down to issues on the pitch, I might have been able to agree with that viewpoint. But I think there’s a lot more going on at the Villa than we realise.
There are simply loads of areas where things just don’t seem right, from Terry and O’Kelly leaving, Injuries, talk of dissent, poor tactics and suspected total lack of belief/confidence amongst the players.
When we look back at things, I wonder if we might actually come to the conclusion that it’s surprising we actually kept Smith as long as we did, with all the problems going on.
Slight aside, but I wonder, was that note that got passed round the players possibly saying that the decision had been taken or was notice of a big meeting or something? It wouldn’t surprise me, but I’m guessing. Many fans thought after the game that the players knew Smith was gone, after all.
Anyway, now we have actually made the choice and it’s probably the best time to do it. Knowing how the Villa work, I suspect that the club haven’t done what many had suggested and start the hunt last week. And the hierarchy now have the international break to source a manager and at least give him a few days to have a chance to try and assess what he’s going to be playing with.
And let’s face it, even with our bunch of injuries, it’s a pretty good squad that is better than many other Premier league clubs’ and ought to be in a better position than we currently are.
If you think we’ve made a massive mistake, just think about that for a second.
Think about some of the players we have.
Let’s go through them;
We have Martinez, who’s currently rated one of the best goalies in the world. Cash has just got an immediate call up for Poland. Mings is an England international. Hey , I don’t agree with that, but he is. Konsa is rated by us Villa fans as better than Mings. Targett has been poor, but there were calls for him to get a call up too, last year, remember.
McGinn, Luiz, Trezeguet, Nakamba and Buendia are all internationals, as are Watkins, Traore and Bailey.
Now whatever you think of them individually, it doesn’t matter. Many managers would be drooling at the thought of moulding those players into a unit that can actually play together in a coherent fashion, with a plan and a proper setup that makes the best use of them. The job will involve having a plan B too.
The decision to sack Smith must have been a tough one, given how likeable the man is on the face of things.
I suspect some of it may have been about saving Purslow’s behind as much as anything and I wonder what will happen immediately?
Will Shakespeare and the rest of the coaches go too?
There’s no mention of that and we all know Shakey has played the role of caretaker on more than one occasion. It probably makes sense that we keep him on for a little continuity.
It would be nice to think we’ve done the same as Middlesborough and replaced Warnock the next day, but that isn’t going to happen. They wouldn’t want to make it obvious they’d gone behind Smith’s back and Warnock was hired on the understanding that it was only a temporary thing anyway. He’ll have got a nice fat payoff.
As will Smith, who still has two years of his contract outstanding, let’s not forget. I don’t have a clue what wages he was on and knowing Purslow, it won’t have been top tier, but let’s guess at £35k a week. It adds up to a nice tidy penny and he certainly won’t be worrying about his retirement and old age.
Not that I begrudge him that in the slightest. He gave us some very good times and I for one, appreciate it.
And where does Smith’s sacking leave Lange?
Is he absolved of any blame purely because he was the one who merely got the players in? And it’s not his fault they don’t do a job as a team?
That’s a tough one for me. If he signed Ings, for example, you have to seriously wonder how he would ever fit into a Smith setup. But then, I’ve said before that I believe Ings was purely a distraction from Grealish’s sale; no more, no less. Hence he was probably under orders to make it happen.
Lange is absolved from blame, I suppose. Some of the signings on an individual basis have been pretty good, after all.
So now the big question is who comes in?
I have a name in my head who I think will be able to use our team to at least something approaching the best of it’s ability.
Now he isn’t the ultimate top tier manager, but I don’t think for one minute we’re going to be able to attract one.
Who’s available? We’d have to poach one from another club and I don’t see that at all. We need to be in a better position first.
Which leaves all what the younger fans call the dinosaurs. That definitely isn’t going to happen either.
Or the young bucks such as Lampard and Gerrard. I like Gerrard, but it’s too soon, for me.
No, there’s one obvious candidate for me. He has previous Premier league experience. He knows how to use the counter, that we have been decent at. He can change it up, if needed. Heck, he even knows the area and is available.
Step foward, Nuno Espirito Santo.
We should have a sweepstake on how many names the media throw at it 🙂
They’re saying Lampard in talks with Norwich; thank goodness for that – perhaps Terry will join him 🙂
Hitch, both Lampard and Terry are winners of the highest order. And they’ve learned from masters like Mourinho, Ancellotti, Eriksson, and Benitez, not to mention Avram Grant (kidding on the last one). Add to that their notoriously high standards and the respect they command automatically, the aura they would have in the dressing room, and I don’t see why you and others are so against this. Lampard basically got sacked for giving the Chelsea kids a chance so needed a bit of time; isn’t that the kind of manager we (say we) want??
Gerrard would go in the same category. I’d be happy with any of them in the following order: Gerrard, Terry, Lampard. Whoever gets them will do very well, mark my words. Any of them over Potter, Dyche, Nuno and all the other middle-of the roaders. All three are massive names who don’t know how not to win; their DNA is winner and we’d be lucky to have any of them!
I totally disagree, BFR and I’m surprised you haven’t included Rooney in that list, seeing as he has most of the attributes you mention.
I might consider Gerrard as at least he’s done something. Lampard has at least got a bit of experience. Terry has done nothing at all.
I want an artist, not an apprentice, I’m afraid.
I knew Rooney would be used as a counter-argument, Badger. I didn’t mention him because his stock is already low as a manager. You can’t compare Chelsea and Rangers to Derby. And let’s be honest, he’s not pulled any trees us there, even before their points deduction.
As it stands, Gerrard is a top notch manager and legendary player. As it stands. Lampard is slightly tarnished, ever so slightly. While Terry is untried, fair enough. The more I think about it, the more I think Gerrard would do the business.
BFR, you’re right they are all winners but that doesn’t necessarily make them good managers. The one ingredient they lack is experience and I can’t see NSWE wanting to take a risk in that direction.
Gerrard I could understand but not Terry or Lampard.
Of course appointing any new manager is a risk and it would be fascinating to see the criteria agreed by the Board for the new appointment which I suspect will still be as Head Coach.
Will they want a really big name to make a statement; will they go for a foreign manager with EPL experience or will they ‘left field’ all of us?
At least it’s something interesting to debate over the next couple of weeks.
Final thought – no statement from the club on who takes over in the interim – wonder if Shakespeare has either been removed or resigned or perhaps the club expect to make a quick appointment?
I’ve read a few times now that Shakey has gone. Danks, Cutler and MacPhee’s positions are apparently being discussed.
seriel winners
Steve Bruce, Gary Neville, Alex Mcleish, Roy Keane.Thierry Henry, Brian Robson and hundreds more. Being a great player does not guarantee being a great manager.
I agree Steve, and Badger. But Gerrard’s already winning things at a massive club. And don’t give me first in a two-horse race. If that’s the case, all of Roger’s titles at Celtic are void, as Rangers weren’t even there to compete. Dare I say Rangers are even bigger than Villa, with an even more passionate and demanding fan base. He’s proved he can handle that. So he can handle the Villa, no doubt.
A little anecdote – I recall listening to a Rangers game on 5 Live and the commentators were waxing lyrical about Gerrard because there was an issue with his formation/tactics and he identified it, changed it and fixed it immediately. In other words, he did exactly what Smith didn’t do in his last few games; he reacted quickly; he knew what to do and he did it.
Everyone knows he will want the Liverpool job in the future. But would they offer it to him without any PL experience? I think he will need to do well at a PL club before he can go there. So we’d end up being a stepping stone for him. But I don’t mind that if he gets us back into Europe and wins a cup or two. Then we’ll be able to attract better players and another top manager if and when Liverpool came calling.
I’m telling you, he’d be a tremendous acquisition. That’s my view and I’m sticking it.
* sticking to it
Roberto Martinez
With you on that thirdgenerationvillian. But would he give up the national team to come. Just like to mention Nuno when he left Wolves didn’t take his coaching team with him, it’s said he was a laid back type of manager and that didn’t go well at the club.. now don’t quote me on that, I read it ..
No ta.
Ralph Hasenhuttl .. a definite no from me
I don’t get the anti Terry thing either. Would he be a risk? Of course he would as would Gerrard and Lampard or any manager we end up with. At least JT already knows the players and set up. They all have pulling power in attracting players to the club which is probably more so than Smith. My number one choice remains with Rodgers are Villa a bigger attraction than Leicester?
Because he’s never managed!
We don’t even know what involvement he had in coaching, apart from people totally guessing and assuming our defence was destroyed because he left.
It’s just far too risky and I’m sorry, if we were to get him and it all went wrong, which I’m 100% convinced it would, I’d be first to say “I told you so”.
And anyway, like I said, if that rumour is true he won’t even get in the door.
I’m sure I read earlier that he’s already been ruled out anyway.
I doubt the next manager will be an Englishman out of work. Unless we poach somebody already in a job here I expect a foreigner. Possibly an obscure name, but how many people had heard of Tuchel before he landed the Chelsea job.
There are post sacking comments that Smith did not have the final say in the players coming in. Well he should have done. No manager should take a job where the club directors say they (or another club employee) will buy players that the manager does not want, and expect him to fit them in. I don’t think that was the case with Smith either, I am sure he approved Ings, Buendia and Bailey. It is the players Villa did not buy which have sunk him – midfielders tough enough to compete with those the better teams have.
What’s in a name or, in this case, title?
We refer to Smith as manager but actually his job title was Head Coach and it would be quite interesting to see what his job description was.
As Lange et al are all Directors of the football club were they also his bosses?
Perhaps Smith had a lesser say than we think – I suggest his roll might have been limited to put players forward that he wanted but perhaps he didn’t get the key ones – Ward-Prowse, Berger etc. Or, in fact, any top class defensive mid fielder.
I’m also starting to think Badger’s right about Sanson – a money ball purchase?
Haha, I think I need to get a grip and calm down a bit 🙂
I don’t know why I’m getting so wound up about it really.
Que sera, sera etc.
It’s probably the fear of us messing it up, although that’s not really logical as the hierarchy did make a good appointment in Smith.
Yes, I think his job description was head coach, Hitch, which makes his sacking even more understandable when you look at it from that point of view.
And yes, I’m convinced that at least some of our signings were not wanted by Smith.
Ok, me being me again let’s define manager and head coach .my take is a manager is in control of his department, a head coach is in control of activities, is that right?so in Dean Smith’s time at Villa he was head coach and in charge of training and not managing. So why does people take on jobs that mean nothing in being someone. I’m lost . Sod it I’ll just be a old git.
Bill, broadly I reckon you’re absolutely right. Managerial decisions were not in Smith’s remit so I’m really not sure how much say he had in who we bought – that, I think, ultimately fell to Lange to decide as it did Suso before him.
I really don’t see how that can work other than if Lange only buys the players Smith recommends. However Suso was removed for a poor record in transfer dealings!? Clear as mud!
I’m joining you in the grumpy old git brigade Bill 🙂
Howe gone to Newcastle
What as Hitch, Head coach or Manager? It now means your the gaffer or do as I say . Bloody rediculas now all this who’s who.
Head Coach – it’s all the rage these days 🙂
What about Owen Patterson? He’s free as of last week?
But he’s lost his lobbying potential 🙂
Sounds like he likes the odd brown envelope…allegedly…
I don’t buy this head coach nonsense. Who gets the first tin-tack for duff results?
That man is the team manager, call him what you like. Any man in that role needs to have a veto over who comes in. Obviously it is not his money so if he puts forward a player the club cannot afford, the manager has to work with the existing players and a budget.
It follows that a Director of Football or other fancy title may be able to veto a manager’s wish list, and force through a sale of a player the manager wants to retain. That is the reality and a manager can only resign if he feels undermined.
What the director of football should not be able to do is buy a player the manager does not want. I don’t think that happened at Villa.
Coaching staff is another story. The Director of football may oblige the manager to accept a specialist assistant, or fire one, against the manager’s wishes. That may well have happened at Villa.
Certainly this site seems to back you up OLL;
https://jobs4football.com/what-does-a-director-of-football-do/
The coach generally gives the director a list of players. But they have to be on the same page. And even then, I’m sure Purslow could have over-ridden both of them.
It’s believed that we kept Ings holed up in a hotel until it was the right time to announce him.
Add that to “do you think Ings was a good fit in a two for us?” and then you can decide if Smith wanted him.
I personally don’t think he did and I believe he was bought as a deflection, as I’ve said.
If Smith did want to play him as he did, well that’s something else he got wrong, I guess.
The only thing wrong with Danny Ings is his propensity for injury. That was true at Southampton and we don’t seem to have cured him. The fact that he does not gel with Watkins as a pair is entirely the fault of Watkins. Ings passes to Watkins but Watkins does not pass to Ings. Which is a problem because Villa’s hoof-balls upfield always go to Watkins.
We bought Ings to improve our chance to shot on target conversion rate, something at which McGinn, Traore, Treseguet and Davis were poor.
At least we have something to talk about now during another pointless international break.
With all the names passed around there is one not mentioned who I think would be a good fit for villa and be able to take us to the next level plus use and improve our youth players.
It’s pochettino I know he’s at PSG but if you want to succeed you have to try for the best you can.
Better still try getting pep apart from winning the champions League he’s done everything with man c. It’s about time he had a new challenge 😂 plus it would piss grealish off😂
Roy, I agree in principle but that ship has sailed. I recall saying several times that Poch was available when Smith was struggling badly in his first season in the PL around Christmas time when people were calling for his head; it was about the time of the horrendous defeat at Watford when we looked dead and buried; the board chose not to go for it. Now he’s out of out league. The same could happen when Gerrard rocks up at another PL club and smashes it.
Badger, I’ve just read that Shakespeare has gone and might join Watford as assistant to Ranieri,
The Sun (OK it’s the Sun 🙂 ) have Gerrard as our number one target but ‘quote’ Martinez as being interested in the role.
Telegraph saying that Norwich May shift their focus from Lampard to Smith following his sacking.
It’s the managerial (sorry Head Coach) merry musical chairs season 🙂
Think Badger did mention he had gone Hitch and not surprised, its telling me they know who’s coming .
That’s my feeling as well Bill. No mention of anyone taking the reigns ‘in the interim’
I’ve come to the conclusion that the media do not have the slightest clue who will be coming in.
My guess is we will not have an appointment this working week and it will not be Gerrard.
I don’t know why, I just feel it in my water 🙂
that’s just a urinary infection, badger
🙂
Graham potty it is then
ThirdGen, Steve, I like it 🙂
The media might not but i bet the club does, you wait and see.
I suspect they have a list but I don’t think they’ve decided yet Bill.
So you think it’ll be sorted quickly?
I hope you’re right, as it’ll give the new man more time to assess.
Kasper Hjulmand has ruled himself out.
Which is totally uninteresting because he was only ever ruled in by the press!
I’ve been closely looking at Sky Sports and it was interviewing someone from Rangers, they asked if Villa have approached Rangers!! The reply was no…
I’m sorry the more time goes on, the more names that are thrown around, I can’t help but think we’ve made a huge mistake.
The thought of smith potentially taking over at Norwich makes you realise just how much of a quality manager he is.
Yes he has his faults but one thing I think we can all say for sure is he never lost the players respect. They came out fighting after every crap 1st half.
It’s such a shame players don’t get sacked and moved on like the managers do.
My boss could have me removed fairly swiftly if he wanted, so why can’t football managers have that hold over players.
“They came out fighting after every crap 1st half.”
Let’s not forget it was those crap 1st halfs that were the problem, Tom.
Perhaps we have made a mistake. It’s the Villa, after all.
But we were going nowhere as it was, imo.
Roberta Martinez flying into Birmingham saying the Birminham Mail ..
It’s ok , ( they are playing Wales)
It would be ironis if smith norwich up and we go down
Sorry just found my glasses ironic and kept
Wasn’t solskjaer on a plane to birmingham once and 1/11 with the bookies to be our manager. 99.9% of the talk is just BS.
We’ll just have wait like the ITKs !!
Indeed he was, Steve.
You have to laugh.
I like Hitch’s approach; how many will we be linked with?
The bloody Evening Mail is amongst the worst of the lot.
Even the Rangers’ sites seem to have accepted Gerrard is already gone.
They know nothing, but it’s loads of stories for them.
Roberta Mancini? His missus????