McLeish Football Focus interview Sat 6th Dec

[ciggiesnbeer]

Part of me still thinks Lerner did it as "fuck you" to the fans after the public reaction/rejection of the Steve McLaren idea.

Even though it's been explained about a hundred thousand times that such a reaction/rejection never took place?

Didn't that rumour of the reaction/rejection come from McLaren himself though?

From a media friend of his, I believe.

Ah gotcha.

[dave.woodhall]

Part of me still thinks Lerner did it as "fuck you" to the fans after the public reaction/rejection of the Steve McLaren idea.

Even though it's been explained about a hundred thousand times that such a reaction/rejection never took place?

Didn't that rumour of the reaction/rejection come from McLaren himself though?

From a media friend of his, I believe.

Ah gotcha.

Would you want to publicly admit you'd been turned down in favour of Alex McLeish? 

[PaulWinch again]

Good man but a terrible appointment for Villa.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Part of me still thinks Lerner did it as "fuck you" to the fans after the public reaction/rejection of the Steve McLaren idea.

Even though it's been explained about a hundred thousand times that such a reaction/rejection never took place?

Didn't that rumour of the reaction/rejection come from McLaren himself though?

From a media friend of his, I believe.

Ah gotcha.

Would you want to publicly admit you'd been turned down in favour of Alex McLeish?

Oh good lord no.

Dem fans. They had it out for me!

[SoccerHQ]

Hated his season in charge tbh, there was no hope and hardly any decent games apart from Chelsea and Wolves away. Mind you it isn't a lot different now.

I wish him well though. Think he's doing alright at Genk.

[Rigadon]

Hated his season in charge tbh, there was no hope and hardly any decent games apart from Chelsea and Wolves away. Mind you it isn't a lot different now.

I wish him well though. Think he's doing alright at Genk.

For me, there is very little difference in the season under McLiesh and the seasons under Lambert. 

[silhillvilla]

We never got hammered under Mcleish did we ? Certainly no embarrassing 0-4's or 1-4's at home or 8-0's !

[supertom]

We never got hammered under Mcleish did we ? Certainly no embarrassing 0-4's or 1-4's at home or 8-0's !

Until losing Dunne at the back we were reasonably solid under him. Of course scoring goals was the major issue. We also didn't help ourselves with giving away so many free-kicks around the edge of the box so often during Hutton's shit days, Collins and Warnock (who was utterly horrendous that season).

Our gameplan last season and this has been essentially exactly the same as McLeish. Defend most of the game and try and nick a result. Go a goal up and hold it. A goal down and most times it's game over.

I do think McLeish had the most horrendous injury hit of recent years though. Losing three key players long term/permanently in the course of month. Turning us from comfortable mid-table to probably another 2 games from relegation had the season been 40 games instead of 38. We were entirely reliant on Bent getting goals. Likewise Stan was still one of our top scorers that season when he got injured too.

[Rigadon]

We never got hammered under Mcleish did we ? Certainly no embarrassing 0-4's or 1-4's at home or 8-0's !

Until losing Dunne at the back we were reasonably solid under him. Of course scoring goals was the major issue. We also didn't help ourselves with giving away so many free-kicks around the edge of the box so often during Hutton's shit days, Collins and Warnock (who was utterly horrendous that season).

Our gameplan last season and this has been essentially exactly the same as McLeish. Defend most of the game and try and nick a result. Go a goal up and hold it. A goal down and most times it's game over.

I do think McLeish had the most horrendous injury hit of recent years though. Losing three key players long term/permanently in the course of month. Turning us from comfortable mid-table to probably another 2 games from relegation had the season been 40 games instead of 38. We were entirely reliant on Bent getting goals. Likewise Stan was still one of our top scorers that season when he got injured too.

The lack of consistent competitiveness, the lack of excitement, beyond that of a plucky underdog wining against the odds.  The lack of football.

I'd say we've had at least 4 seasons of shite.

[supertom]

We never got hammered under Mcleish did we ? Certainly no embarrassing 0-4's or 1-4's at home or 8-0's !

Until losing Dunne at the back we were reasonably solid under him. Of course scoring goals was the major issue. We also didn't help ourselves with giving away so many free-kicks around the edge of the box so often during Hutton's shit days, Collins and Warnock (who was utterly horrendous that season).

Our gameplan last season and this has been essentially exactly the same as McLeish. Defend most of the game and try and nick a result. Go a goal up and hold it. A goal down and most times it's game over.

I do think McLeish had the most horrendous injury hit of recent years though. Losing three key players long term/permanently in the course of month. Turning us from comfortable mid-table to probably another 2 games from relegation had the season been 40 games instead of 38. We were entirely reliant on Bent getting goals. Likewise Stan was still one of our top scorers that season when he got injured too.

The lack of consistent competitiveness, the lack of excitement, beyond that of a plucky underdog wining against the odds.  The lack of football.

I'd say we've had at least 4 seasons of shite.

Yep. Though the Houllier season suddenly seems Barca-esque in comparison to the last 3 (and a bit).

[steamer]

In 50 years of supporting Villa, there have been many heartbreak moments, ( but some brilliant ones as well ) for all of those Heartbreak moments I have never felt as bad as I did with that appointment.
Everyone knew it was wrong, the fans protested, he had no chance and it showed the absolute lack of understanding from Randy and his team of what it meant to the fans.
It was doomed from day one.
we did not give him the vocal slating from the start because, we were numb to the appointment, we were embarresed in case anyone noticed, and because he was a nice guy,
We (Fans called for Lambert) and in fairness, Randy sacked the one whose name should not be mentioned and appointed Mumbles.
Now we sit in limbo and wait for the next move.

[Rigadon]

The Houllier season was equally as shite fir different reasons.  We had some good players but the rot was evident.  Wolves at home: hideous.

[silhillvilla]

I never liked houllier, particularly after the Anfield return antics .

[SoccerHQ]

The Houllier season was equally as shite fir different reasons.  We had some good players but the rot was evident.  Wolves at home: hideous.

It was more the shock of falling so quickly after being accustomed to finishing 6th for a period. If Houllier had followed either McLeish or Lambert rather than MON people would've been a lot more patient.

[SoccerHQ]

We never got hammered under Mcleish did we ? Certainly no embarrassing 0-4's or 1-4's at home or 8-0's !

Until losing Dunne at the back we were reasonably solid under him. Of course scoring goals was the major issue. We also didn't help ourselves with giving away so many free-kicks around the edge of the box so often during Hutton's shit days, Collins and Warnock (who was utterly horrendous that season).

Our gameplan last season and this has been essentially exactly the same as McLeish. Defend most of the game and try and nick a result. Go a goal up and hold it. A goal down and most times it's game over.

I do think McLeish had the most horrendous injury hit of recent years though. Losing three key players long term/permanently in the course of month. Turning us from comfortable mid-table to probably another 2 games from relegation had the season been 40 games instead of 38. We were entirely reliant on Bent getting goals. Likewise Stan was still one of our top scorers that season when he got injured too.

Houllier wins the injury award hands down....think at one point in November that year Sidwell, NRC and Petrov were all injured at the same time so it was incredibly Hogg (warming the Huddersfield bench) and Bannan as the midfield two. Gabby, Heskey and Carew were also injured at the same time so the Fonz started a few games around that period.