What would it take to get you back on side?

[Concrete John]

1.  Front up the fans.  The last thing they should do is hide away and limit themselves to press conferences and club statements.  In a past life I ran a call centre and when doing training I always said "If someone wants to complain - let them!"  They'll get angrier if you try to tell them they're wrong and it's therapeutic to be able to get it off your chest.  So arrange some kind of fans forum and have AM there to explain his ideas, what he plans to do and answer our questions and doubts.  This will show he's a strong and honourable man and start the him on the road to actually being liked.

John, are you going to post this in the General's thread?  I think this is a very good idea.

Hadn't planned on it as the last few questions I put in there didn't get answered!

[PeterWithesShin]

Free coaches to the Asia tournament, plus free tickets, free food, free accomodation (top class hotel mind), free beer, free scarf, free flag and regular executive relief (not from Randy or McLeish, the Donny Dog will do).

Upon my return, a new computer, free ST, plus free tickets and travel to all always. A seat on the board. A big bag of Revels. MoN's soul. Leo Messi in a Villa shirt. Stephen Ireland in any other shirt. To be told of all goings on concerning Villa so as I can be the new ITK King. A waffle iron. A cuddly toy. A life size fully interactive smurf.

For starters anyway.

[SX150]

You turn because it is your club, love that club and in our case proud of its history and tradition. Every supporter turns up to support his team with a hope of maybe winning something but not everybody can be winners. After this you at least would like to be entertained. Its going to take alot to get me onside as I just can't see what his credentials are. Is this bloke capable of producing a team that can be entertaining? Yes start with a clean sheet but I fear the worst. Worst appointment (my opinion only) since I first stated following Villa 1974/75.
Shit, boring, negative football. If we end up scrapping for our Premiership lives I hope his team put in a better effort than his last team did at Spurs.

[Toronto Villa]

1.  Front up the fans.  The last thing they should do is hide away and limit themselves to press conferences and club statements.  In a past life I ran a call centre and when doing training I always said "If someone wants to complain - let them!"  They'll get angrier if you try to tell them they're wrong and it's therapeutic to be able to get it off your chest.  So arrange some kind of fans forum and have AM there to explain his ideas, what he plans to do and answer our questions and doubts.  This will show he's a strong and honourable man and start the him on the road to actually being liked.

John, are you going to post this in the General's thread?  I think this is a very good idea.

Hadn't planned on it as the last few questions I put in there didn't get answered!

I think, that as volatile as it might be to begin with, Alex Mcleish would probably go for that. I don't think he's the kind of man to run scared, and having managed on the Old Firm he'll know all about hostility. If he could answer the questions honestly, he would have every chance of winning some people over. Off course it ultimately depends on results, but he knows that, and no amount of PR will deflect from the one thing we are united in caring about.

The club do need to re-think it's approach to communication. I hope they are willing to learn something from this episode because it didn't have to go down like this.

[Dave P]

He's not "offside" with me.  A decent signing or two and a good start to the season and we will all feel so much better.

[pauliewalnuts]

If that fuckwit takes over at Villa Park I'm following Accrington Stanley

Accrington Stanley??? Who are they?

Exactly!!!

(well, someone was gonna do it!)

I was worried nobody would spot it for a while!

[pauliewalnuts]

He doesn't need to front up the fans.

He's been appointed by the owner of the club. To him, it doesn't matter what we think, it is what Lerner thinks that counts, so why on earth would he feel he had to justify himself to us?

Besides, the only justification for this appointment we really need to see is performances on the pitch, surely?

[VWBelgian]

I'm in doubt. I'll wait what happens with the transfer stories and all that. Lets see what happens untill september, then i'll make up my mind.

[holte hero]

Hopefully he will bring the that goalie with him to, that would be a good start for me, other than that just win games and do his job well.

[Phil from the upper holte]

He'll have to prove he's not going to play anti football for one, then show our better players that there is a future and were not going to just make up the numbers in the prem.

I wanna see some top signings, but im not going to hold my breath on any of them

[Concrete John]

He doesn't need to front up the fans.

He's been appointed by the owner of the club. To him, it doesn't matter what we think, it is what Lerner thinks that counts, so why on earth would he feel he had to justify himself to us?

Besides, the only justification for this appointment we really need to see is performances on the pitch, surely?

No, he doesn't need to, but I don't think going into a new season with this kind of atmosphere is healthy for the club.  By talking to us he can allay some fears and begin to feel like our manager and not their ex-manager.  I think the other way to look at it is if they remain pretty silent between now and opening day, it'll come across like they're doing want they want without consideration for the fans, whereas some form of forum would show they care and want us to be onboard for the journey.

But I agree that the best wya to do this is to win games.

[Merv]

One or two good early signings will work wonders. And perhaps a couple of deals are near as that would certainly take some sting out of the situation.

[Irish villain]

A top 'keeper, a top replacement for Young and to convince Downing to stay.

[achilles]

As the board don't give a flying f**k about the fans, I don't see how they can get me onside!

[not3bad]

But I agree that the best wya to do this is to win games.

Nobody is denying that, this is a results business.  If Mcleish's reign starts with ten straight wins this will all be forgotten.  But the chances are it won't start like that, and the more they can do to allay a poisonous atmosphere that could develop very quickly if things don't go swimmingly from the off the better.