IS McLeish the new Saunders ??

[VillaAlways]

I put your statement on par with someone who compared Baros to Brian Little.

So blues never played the worst football in the league, scored the fewest goals and got relegated then?

I dont like AM because he's from Small Heath i dislike him for the horrible, turgid football he plays.

The proof of the pudding will be in our first 3 signings.

To be fair to the guy, with the likes of Bowyer, Ferguson, Jerome, Ridgewell, Carr and the other drivvel he had in that squad, he was never going to be able to do anything other than play boring 4-5-1 shit football...

But who signed those players in the first place?

Carson Yeung by all accounts

[ktvillan]

Possibly.  But only if he teams up with Dawn French.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

but he's no Ron Saunders that's for sure.

More of a Ron Manager from The Fast Show.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

He's not even Dean Saunders, nevermind Ron Saunders. In fact, he not even French & Saunders but football can throw up strange combinations and at least over the summer I'll live in hope that McLeish is the right man for Aston Villa.

For the record, Ron Saunders is God.

[TheSandman]

Lets just wait and see before we make any comparisons.

That said at least we can approach the season with an open mind, too.

[noodles_]

He's not even Dean Saunders, nevermind Ron Saunders. In fact, he not even French & Saunders but football can throw up strange combinations and at least over the summer I'll live in hope that McLeish is the right man for Aston Villa.

For the record, Ron Saunders is God.

No. GOD is God.

[Eigentor]

I was extremely underwhelmed by the appointment of McLeish, but to be honest I didn't rate Harry Redknapp before he arrived at Spurs, and even now I only reluctantly accept that he is doing a great job there without necessarily being a great manager.

So I'm hoping that McLeish is the right man at the right club at the right time, but it will take some time before I change the view that he is an average manager.

[Ian.]

Eck is a good manager, his record is there to see. I would not put him in the same bracket as Ron Saunders, no where near it. However before Ron got the Villa job would you have thought he would have achieved what he did?

To judge him by his first three transfers is also a bit odd, I would rather judge him on his results really. I'm now looking forward to this season, he seems a very decent bloke, he seems to want the best for us and I like the bollocks he has shown coming here. I wouldn't bet against him doing well, but I wouldn't put money on us winning a League and Champions League Title either.

[mal]

Without wishing to be a doom monger wasn't Tommy Docherty fond of laying down the law (whatever that means) too?
Sounds a bit like 'tough on the causes of crime' to me.

[VillaAlways]

The positive for me about McLeish is that you know he will take the cups seriously and I have a sneaky feeling he may win us one

[Legion]

He's just someone doing his job. He needs to be given a chance. Yes, I know he doesn't exactly have a great track record but who knows what he can achieve at a decent club with a decent team, a decent infra-structure and a decent owner? Yes, I am talking about us.

[Californian Villain]

No he's not. But he may turn out to be a good manager for Villa, we all just have to sit back and see what happens.

[dave.woodhall]

Without wishing to be a doom monger wasn't Tommy Docherty fond of laying down the law (whatever that means) too?
Sounds a bit like 'tough on the causes of crime' to me.

He was with the players he inherited. The ones he bought were treated a lot more leniently.

[hawkeye]

if he builds one of the most exciting teams in the clubs recent history and then ruthlessly changes it to be the most successfull team in the clubs recent history, the comparisons can begin.

[KevinGage]

My point is that he has come in and has showed courage, to go out there straight away and set standards from the off.

That shows strength of character and a good deal of leadership and will breed respect, which like it or not was lacking last season.

Dunne, Collins et al will be under no illusion who is calling the shots, and will knucke down for the good of the team.

I am sorry but there is a comparison to be had with Saunders to be had in this respect.To Saunders the team ethic was the most important factor in delivering what he wanted to achieve and he was brutal in his desire to achieve this. 110% anybody. Gidman found out that he was not a man to be messed with.

A rudderless ship, regardless of the quality of its staff is going to go around in circles - he is providing direction. Time will tell if its rhetoric, but scrutiny and opinion should be witheld until he has been given a chance.

So that's how it works, is it? Manager says the usual guff soon after taking over and we praise him for installing discipline, just because he said he would?

Forgive me If I actually want to see how Dunne and Collins shape up before I start dishing out the comparisons to one of our greatest ever managers. Oh and your last sentence pretty much contradicts everything else prior to it.

Without wishing to be a doom monger wasn't Tommy Docherty fond of laying down the law (whatever that means) too?
Sounds a bit like 'tough on the causes of crime' to me.

He was with the players he inherited. The ones he bought were treated a lot more leniently.

That's generally the way of these things, isn't it? All managers are guilty of it. 

New to the job:  I inherited these players/ I owe them nothing/ they all have to play for their place.

In the job for a few years:  I know he's struggling, but Billy Bob Joe will come good.