Alex McLeish confirmed as manager

[pauliewalnuts]

One thing I would say re Randy is that in the past he has been excellent on the "here's the money" side, but pretty poor all round on the actual running of the club.

While O'Neill was here, he got away with it because he had another strong football character at the club, who brought decent results.

When O'Neill went, it exposed what consisted of the rest of the football brains of the club, and we've seen in a relatively short period of time, that there isn't much quality there.

I might be wrong, and he might continue to throw money at the club, but ultimately, it is all a bit pointless if large chunks of it get wasted - whether that's through a duff managerial appointment bringing poor results, a manager setting up an unsustainable wage bill, or paying huge sums of compensation for managers old or new or whatever.

Having the money is only part of it. Look at Newcastle, they threw enormous sums of money at it for several years, but the leadership of the club was comically inept, and they got nowhere. Poor managerial appointments and rank bad direction did for them and they transformed into a comedy club.

What I am now concerned about is that we are going to start mirroring them, and to be honest, I'm scared to death.

[maidstonevillain]

Like many others on here I’m still stunned by this decision. I have nothing personal against McLeish, but clearly the board were being advised by a panel of the great consisting of The Smurfs, The Teletubbies and Mr Blobby in making this decision.

And would also have included the Wombles if they had not needed to rehearse for Glastonbury this weekend.

[TonyD]

The deed is done.

Probably the most shambolic and disrespectful period in the club’s recent history.

But I would like to wish Alex all the best and may he bring success to the club and prove us all wrong.

For Randy:  you have lost most of the fans on this. Gods help you if this appointment goes badly wrong.
For PF:  Where are you getting married tomorrow?  I really hope it doesn’t piss down.
For the General:  Sorry but you are not one of us and never will be.   

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Risso,

that is a perfect post and sums up my feelings today

Lerner has basically told us with the appointment of eck, i couldnt give a flying fuck about this club or fans

My take is that he has put his head above the parapet and made a decision which he genuinly believes will be for the benefit of the club. I happen to think it will be too.
Anybody can avoid making unpopular decisons, be they politicians or owners of football clubs....populist decisions usually end in tears.

[Fin Feds Dad]

He's here now - not my first choice but it's time to neck up and get on the dancefloor.
Roll on fulham .

[OzVilla]

I would call my statement quite reserved, not abusive.........not like yours to someone who you don't know and have no idea what they have in mind.

No idea what they have in mind?

Isn't that pretty obvious?

Not to me it isn't.  It's very possible they've hired the best man they can get (and that is a scarey thought!) and intend to back him as they did MON and Houllier.

Agreed, I think the only thing it does confirm is the the Villa don't have anywhere near the pulling power that I and many others thought we had.

[Stu]

Lerner has basically told us with the appointment of eck, i couldnt give a flying fuck about this club or fans

No he hasn't.

I think he's basically setting us up to coast, Sunderland-like.

That's part of it, but I also think he genuinely thinks that is a great appointment, and to be honest, that's the bit that scares me the most.

That's the real fear for me. For years Doug was accused of letting the club do this and was the main reason why people wanted him out, the accusation being that we never punched our potential weight. We all (well I) hoped that this would change under Lerner, but this appointment seems to show that he's comfortable to let us drift up and down mid-table just as before.

[Concrete John]

Fergie only says nice things about you if you aren't a threat/rival to him, so that more than anything shows where we are in the footballing hierarchy right now.     

I realize that they have to try and put a positiv spin on this appointment, but it is slightly annoying that they play the "Oh, look, the almighty Sir Alex approves" card as if Aston Villa has suddenly become a subdivision of Man Utd.

I think you'll find Ferguson was very complimentry about Pep Guordiola and Barca a couple of weeks ago - I'm pretty sure they'd be classed as 'threats/rivals'.

Only because he'd just been 'given a hiding'. Not much else he could do.

Still flys in the face of John M's opening line though.

I don't care what Ferguson says about us whether positive or negative.  He said something positive and some complain, that day when we were 'Dour and uncompromising' some complained.

Bottom line is he's a great Manager who I have huge respect for and wish he'd joined us in 1985.

Ever see him say nice things about Wenger, Rafa or Mourinho when they were fighting for the title?  No, me neither.

[dave.woodhall]

Lerner has basically told us with the appointment of eck, i couldnt give a flying fuck about this club or fans

No he hasn't.

I think he's basically setting us up to coast, Sunderland-like.

That's part of it, but I also think he genuinely thinks that is a great appointment, and to be honest, that's the bit that scares me the most.

That's the real fear for me. For years Doug was accused of letting the club do this and was the main reason why people wanted him out, the accusation being that we never punched our potential weight. We all (well I) hoped that this would change under Lerner, but this appointment seems to show that he's comfortable to let us drift up and down mid-table just as before.

Maybe this is our weight.

[Stu]

Lerner has basically told us with the appointment of eck, i couldnt give a flying fuck about this club or fans

No he hasn't.

I think he's basically setting us up to coast, Sunderland-like.

That's part of it, but I also think he genuinely thinks that is a great appointment, and to be honest, that's the bit that scares me the most.

That's the real fear for me. For years Doug was accused of letting the club do this and was the main reason why people wanted him out, the accusation being that we never punched our potential weight. We all (well I) hoped that this would change under Lerner, but this appointment seems to show that he's comfortable to let us drift up and down mid-table just as before.

Maybe this is our weight.

It looks like the logical conclusion, yes.

[Bad English]

Can I be renamed Bad 'Eck' English in honour of this momentous occasion?

[N'ZMAV]

Maybe this is our weight.

Maybe it is. We cannot compete with the Top 6 anymore, if you assume it to be Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City, Tottenham & Liverpool.

Selling club with ambition of finishing in the top 10 is probably what we are now.

[N'ZMAV]

Can I be renamed Bad 'Eck' English in honour of this momentous occasion?

That seems like a very good idea.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

I think because of all the negative football been posted about Mcleish`s football. He will make a complete u turn and play two strikers up front and a strong holding midfield. He did not have the players at the scum (Jerome Zigic) to play any other way. We are aware of how bad our defence were/are and he will change that. Not happy but give him a chance ..........

[Neil Hawkes]

I would call my statement quite reserved, not abusive.........not like yours to someone who you don't know and have no idea what they have in mind.

No idea what they have in mind?

Isn't that pretty obvious?

I'll say the same to you as I would to anyone else that thinks they know..................have you ever spoken with Randy Lerner and been told, by him, what he wants  for this Club?

If not, your just speculating.

Wait and see what happens, don't condemn for the sake of it.