Transition or "We are where we are"?

[Chris Smith]

We've lost the creative heart of our team over the past 18 months plus several others, there are more players coming to the end of their contracts and we're on our 3rd manager in a season and a third. What other clubs are or aren't doing is irrelevant, we as a team are changing and the accepted term for that in football is transition.

The question Chris is if we are in transition then...  "We are transitioning into what?"

That's the 64 million Euro question.

Do we take what Randy and Faulkner have said recently at face value, that they're still ambitious or do we accept the alternative view put forward on here that they've given up?

As I've said before, although it's been tested over the past 12 months or so they've still put enough in the goodwill bank for me to give them the benefit of the doubt (for now).

[SamTheMouse]

Nah, we're not in transition any more. We're treading water at best.

Under Houllier, we were in transition from a counter-attacking long ball side to a continental keep-ball side, a process that was sadly not completed. Now, however, I cannot see any transition, because we don't appear to be going anywhere. Unless of course, Gingescotti is planning on transiting us straight into the Championship.

[MarkM]

Nah, we're not in transition any more. We're treading water at best.

Under Houllier, we were in transition from a counter-attacking long ball side to a continental keep-ball side, a process that was sadly not completed. Now, however, I cannot see any transition, because we don't appear to be going anywhere. Unless of course, Gingescotti is planning on transiting us straight into the Championship.

Or perhaps he is transitioning us from

Aston Villa FC

to...

Birmingham City FC

Its hard to tell the difference at the moment

[pauliewalnuts]

We've lost the creative heart of our team over the past 18 months plus several others, there are more players coming to the end of their contracts and we're on our 3rd manager in a season and a third. What other clubs are or aren't doing is irrelevant, we as a team are changing and the accepted term for that in football is transition.

The question Chris is if we are in transition then...  "We are transitioning into what?"

That's the 64 million Euro question.

Do we take what Randy and Faulkner have said recently at face value, that they're still ambitious or do we accept the alternative view put forward on here that they've given up?

As I've said before, although it's been tested over the past 12 months or so they've still put enough in the goodwill bank for me to give them the benefit of the doubt (for now).

It's one thing to say we're still ambitious, it is another thing entirely to prove it.

The course of events for almost a year now, and the stuff coming out of the club - including last week from the manager himself - all points to a lack of ambition.

I get the thing about being in transition - we are certainly that, it is just that there's not much evidence to suggest it's a transition to a good place.

[maidstonevillain]

We've lost the creative heart of our team over the past 18 months plus several others, there are more players coming to the end of their contracts and we're on our 3rd manager in a season and a third. What other clubs are or aren't doing is irrelevant, we as a team are changing and the accepted term for that in football is transition.

The question Chris is if we are in transition then...  "We are transitioning into what?"

A Deloitte's top twenty team.

Didn't you know?

[TheSandman]

We are already a Deloitte Top Twenty team.

[darren woolley]

If we are in transition I hope it happens soon because any more performance like the ones we have been witnessing and I'm sure my nerves won't be able to take anymore.

[Meanwood Villa]

It really is time for some brave, decisive moves and I am only sad that we made the choice of AMC to oversee it.

If this is indeed the approach we have decided to take then I guess the secondary question would always be ‘Is AMcL the right man to drive this kind of change through?’

This is the crux of the problem for me. We are in transition in so much as we're transitioning (?) from a top 6 team capable of giving the bigger boys the occasional bloody nose in one off games to the epitome of mid table mediocrity who simply don't bother competing against our "betters" in the league (see last Monday)

This perhaps was inevitable given we were seemingly living beyond our means. What seems so surprising is that the man chosen to lead us into this brave new world is Alex bloody McLeish. Honestly, what did the board expect?

[Simba]

I agree that there is enough in the good will tank (for now) but any honeymoon Alex had is just about done after the Spurs Game. It might get very messy at VP in the near future. He is not the man to take on a complete re-design. Exact opposite in fact.

No, this club needs a strong hand, some hard choices and some new style bravery. Until it is no longer evolutionary transition but complete rebirth.

We need, truly need, a revolution and resolution before we become even more apathetic.  From the top. And Alex, old school, cannot do that or be part of it.

Randy- you need to take hold mate. Produce a road map and drive it and employ people who can also drive it. IMHO

[UsualSuspect]

It really is time for some brave, decisive moves and I am only sad that we made the choice of AMC to oversee it.

If this is indeed the approach we have decided to take then I guess the secondary question would always be ‘Is AMcL the right man to drive this kind of change through?’

This is the crux of the problem for me. We are in transition in so much as we're transitioning (?) from a top 6 team capable of giving the bigger boys the occasional bloody nose in one off games to the epitome of mid table mediocrity who simply don't bother competing against our "betters" in the league (see last Monday)

This perhaps was inevitable given we were seemingly living beyond our means. What seems so surprising is that the man chosen to lead us into this brave new world is Alex bloody McLeish. Honestly, what did the board expect?

Meanwood I felt as soon as AM was appointed he was a fall guy.

A bloke who would think "bugger me with my limited talent this is the best job i can ever hope for" I'll do whatever the board tell me.

For me we are not in transition we are treading water but someone's letting our amrbands down

[maidstonevillain]

We've lost the creative heart of our team over the past 18 months plus several others, there are more players coming to the end of their contracts and we're on our 3rd manager in a season and a third. What other clubs are or aren't doing is irrelevant, we as a team are changing and the accepted term for that in football is transition.

The question Chris is if we are in transition then...  "We are transitioning into what?"

A Deloitte's top twenty team.

Didn't you know?

We are already a Deloitte Top Twenty team.

Some years.

But never before has it been stated as the limit of the Club's ambitions.

[Billy Walker]

Over the next couple of years anything could happen.  I expect/hope our young lads plus some shrewd new signings will have Villa moving up the table over the next couple of years.  Running alongside that I expect to see 'Arry leave Spurs and the Liverpool "project" to start shipping a bit of water.   As I've said, anything can happen.  The vital thing is that Randy finds his mojo once more and injects a sense of ambition and direction into the club.  Hopefully there is a real plan in place and we will be back on an upward cycle whilst some of the others above us start dipping in their cycles.  (That is, after all, why they are currently above us - their periods of investment coinciding with a period of non-investment for us.)

[Hookeysmith]

I agree that there is enough in the good will tank (for now) but any honeymoon Alex had is just about done after the Spurs Game. It might get very messy at VP in the near future. He is not the man to take on a complete re-design. Exact opposite in fact.

No, this club needs a strong hand, some hard choices and some new style bravery. Until it is no longer evolutionary transition but complete rebirth.

We need, truly need, a revolution and resolution before we become even more apathetic.  From the top. And Alex, old school, cannot do that or be part of it.

Randy- you need to take hold mate. Produce a road map and drive it and employ people who can also drive it. IMHO

quite simply nail on head

[richard moore]

We are going from being 'boring Villa' to 'boring boring Villa' so, yes, definitely a transitionary stage I think. As far as my 50 years (tomorrow!) of being a Villa fan goes however, it is no transition at all. Get to a position of promise and then throw it all away. I must have seen that in each decade of my life bar the 60s and more than once in some decades!

[Simba]

Richard: Happy Birthday tomorrow!

True we have done it often and more often still, missed an opportunity, We got Dougiefied.

But you will remember Richard when Docherty had us painting the stands. We started again.

Even Gregory gave us a chance until his gung ho approach became the 'two bob' team in the 2000 Chelsea Cup final. We were top of the League and he got no support to move to the next level.

Mercer brought in his 'minors'.

I dunno. I just think that this hiatus is the time for strong management to say : "Enough!" We really do create the bright future and for that we need to bring in the youngsters where appropriate, employ a Villa type Management staff (GC plus GT?) and get rid of this old style thinking. We have nothing to lose frankly.

The supporters, when up against it, but with a proper vision are the best in the land. See Div. 3.

But for God's sake give us a vision and a battle to fight not this gentle suicide and lack of self respect.

"..position of promise and throw it away". We are not in that position of promise are we? So let's create one and NOT throw it away.

Blimey I am on a soap box today. Sorry.