Sir Graham has his say

[Monty]

The 67-year-old, who led Villa to second place in 1990 before becoming England manager, explained: "I just think it's better to lose a game by trying to win it. I don't expect everyone to agree with me but it's better for the supporters, spectators and the game as a whole.

That is the implied criticism, which is as far as close as anyone in the little cliquey network of football managers and ex-managers has come to criticising McLeish openly (much as I love SGT, hes definitely in that old-boys' network).

However, it does really annoy me that he plays up the Blues angle like everyone else. It's just not fecking true,

The sad thing is though, it is true. Even if he'd kept Blues up last year, i still think there would have been hostility towards his appointment.

Well yeah, because he's rubbish regardless. Had Blues finished mid-table-to-top-half playing nice football and winning a few games (not to mention admirers, something they were, and we are, conspicuously short of) I for one would not have objected. In fact, if he were a good manager, the fact that he came from Blues would have been a petty little bonus, a nice thought that we can just pinch anyone we want from them. The fact that we paid them for his services is just astonishing.

[Clampy]

The 67-year-old, who led Villa to second place in 1990 before becoming England manager, explained: "I just think it's better to lose a game by trying to win it. I don't expect everyone to agree with me but it's better for the supporters, spectators and the game as a whole.

That is the implied criticism, which is as far as close as anyone in the little cliquey network of football managers and ex-managers has come to criticising McLeish openly (much as I love SGT, hes definitely in that old-boys' network).

However, it does really annoy me that he plays up the Blues angle like everyone else. It's just not fecking true,

The sad thing is though, it is true. Even if he'd kept Blues up last year, i still think there would have been hostility towards his appointment.

Well yeah, because he's rubbish regardless. Had Blues finished mid-table-to-top-half playing nice football and winning a few games (not to mention admirers, something they were, and we are, conspicuously short of) I for one would not have objected. In fact, if he were a good manager, the fact that he came from Blues would have been a petty little bonus, a nice thought that we can just pinch anyone we want from them. The fact that we paid them for his services is just astonishing.

I'm still stunned like most people that his name was even on their shortlist bearing in mind most fans would'nt have had him in their top 20.

[Monty]

Agreed, Clampy. Perhaps Graham's most damning comment is that he's "surprised" McLeish was offered the job. That says a lot.

[dave.woodhall]

I do wonder what the reaction would have been if he'd left Small Heath the week after they'd won the League Cup, with his record including a succession of promotion, top half finish, mid-table and a trophy. 

[pauliewalnuts]

I do wonder what the reaction would have been if he'd left Small Heath the week after they'd won the League Cup, with his record including a succession of promotion, top half finish, mid-table and a trophy. 

Promotion isn't much to boast about, seeing as he got them relegated in the first place.

For me, it wouldn't have changed anything - the stultifyingly negative football was still there

[Clampy]

I do wonder what the reaction would have been if he'd left Small Heath the week after they'd won the League Cup, with his record including a succession of promotion, top half finish, mid-table and a trophy. 

It still would'nt have gone down well in some quarters but the appointment would have been more acceptable obviously. Giving it to him when they did though........

[NeilH]

I do wonder what the reaction would have been if he'd left Small Heath the week after they'd won the League Cup, with his record including a succession of promotion, top half finish, mid-table and a trophy. 

I’m sure there would have been the usual numpties holding up badly written banners on the North Stand car park, but I suspect that more would have given him the benefit of the doubt. Having said all that, many on here who are now anti-McLeish did give him the benefit of the doubt, but lost patience when he simply resorted to type.

[Monty]

I do wonder what the reaction would have been if he'd left Small Heath the week after they'd won the League Cup, with his record including a succession of promotion, top half finish, mid-table and a trophy. 

Promotion isn't much to boast about, seeing as he got them relegated in the first place.

For me, it wouldn't have changed anything - the stultifyingly negative football was still there

Exactly. His football has such a glass ceiling.

[dave.woodhall]

I do wonder what the reaction would have been if he'd left Small Heath the week after they'd won the League Cup, with his record including a succession of promotion, top half finish, mid-table and a trophy. 

It still would'nt have gone down well in some quarters but the appointment would have been more acceptable obviously. Giving it to him when they did though........

I agree that it was utterly incomprehensible, but I do wonder if the Small Heath thing would have still made him unpopular at any time. 

[Damo70]

I think Sir Graham is right in everything he says. Firstly, the players haven't come anywhere near performing consistently well this season and I'm sure he singled out N'Zogbia as he was our big signing who was supposed to soften the blow of losing Downing and Young. He also didn't fall into the lazy trap of saying we don't like him because he is ex blues, he just pointed out that someone coming from them is going to need to get off to a better start than if they had come from somewhere else. He followed that by saying our problem with him was that he appears to send the side out not to lose rather than to win. He is fair enough to point out the difference in circumstances AM has to work in compared to MON and then comes up with the quote 'it's better to lose a game by trying to win it' which should be pinned up in the dressing room for the remaining games as far as I'm concerned.

[Meanwood Villa]

I do wonder what the reaction would have been if he'd left Small Heath the week after they'd won the League Cup, with his record including a succession of promotion, top half finish, mid-table and a trophy. 

It still would'nt have gone down well in some quarters but the appointment would have been more acceptable obviously. Giving it to him when they did though........

I agree that it was utterly incomprehensible, but I do wonder if the Small Heath thing would have still made him unpopular at any time. 

As others have said I think if he'd been seen as a good Small Heath manager, which I suppose he was for a couple of weeks after winning the League Cup, then that would have been seen as a positive rather than a negative. I'm sure there would have been crowing about getting their joint most successful manager ever.

[Monty]

He also didn't fall into the lazy trap of saying we don't like him because he is ex blues, he just pointed out that someone coming from them is going to need to get off to a better start than if they had come from somewhere else.

That's the same thing isn't it? I mean, I don't factor in the Blues thing at all, I couldn't care less.

[Toronto Villa]

In a dream I had, Randy comes to his senses, cleans house, Sir Graham comes back as chairman and is asked to breathe life back into the club as he did back in the late 80's I don't agree with everything in the article but as with most things Graham Taylor find myself agreeing with almost everything the man says. He loves Aston Villa, and aside from some of the buffoons who hammered him during his second stint, most of us appreciate all that he has done for the club even after his last departure.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I do wonder what the reaction would have been if he'd left Small Heath the week after they'd won the League Cup, with his record including a succession of promotion, top half finish, mid-table and a trophy. 

It still would'nt have gone down well in some quarters but the appointment would have been more acceptable obviously. Giving it to him when they did though........

I agree that it was utterly incomprehensible, but I do wonder if the Small Heath thing would have still made him unpopular at any time. 

Would there ever be a circumstance where a manager could come directly to us from Small Heath with no protest? How about if it had been one who had had real success there, lets look back in their history at those managers who have had real su.........................Oh.

[Pete3206]

I do wonder what the reaction would have been if he'd left Small Heath the week after they'd won the League Cup, with his record including a succession of promotion, top half finish, mid-table and a trophy. 

Whatever the reaction, we'd still be in this position now and facing an uphill struggle to stay up next season.