Alex McLeish confirmed as manager

[Monty]

I'm not usually one to go overboard on criticism of the manager, but barring the most dramatic style change in managerial history this appointment is a horrible one. It's an appointment which says they value staying up over competitive passing football, the myth of 'stability' over keeping players like Downing and Young. There is no point in signing Bent then appointing McLeish. There is no point in asking Downing to stay if you've appointed McLeish. It's disastrous.

I maintain that this 'Premier League experience' stuff is utter bollocks. This is clearly one of their biggest criteria, and it means that our appointing a new manager is possibly even more myopic than MON's transfer policy. I really can't believe they think it's so important that all of a sudden McLeish becomes a candidate. Randy has handled this whole process appallingly.

[Neil Hawkes]

Stupid decision from a know-nothing owner who has given up.  Ah well, fuck him.

You know what, for ages I've seen you post whatever the hell you want, without any remorse, regret or recrimination. Other people are regularly banned for some of the comments you make and yet as a MOD you seem to have carte blanche.

Practice what you preach and show some respect, you ignorant individual.

[mazrimsbruv]

Congratulations Randy.

You've just turned us from a top 6 club to the next Leeds United* in one fell swoop.



* May be interchanged with Notts Forest, Sheffield Wednesday etc

Sorry but you've got that wrong. Leeds ended up as they did because their board threw money at an unattainable dream, with no thought for what would happen if it went tits up.

You can't tell me I'm wrong because I'm making a prediction (although I'll be very happy to be proven wrong).

As I said, you can swap the names for any number of other 'once-great' clubs in big cities with big fan-bases that were once in the upper reaches of the Top Flight and found themselves rattling around in their big, half-empty stadiums playing lower league football.

Even back in the 90's it took a string of poor decisions and mis-management for them to slip down the ladder.

In 2011 the Premier League is a pressure cooker, where even a minor losing streak can take you from the Europa League positions to the Relagation Zone.

One catastrophic decision (and I believe this is one such decision) could be all it takes.

[Neil Hawkes]

Alex

I think you are a decent man (having spoke to you several times) and have always been respectful of our club even when you were associated with the undead.

I admire you as you must have bollocks the size of a horse to have done what you done

You obviously wanted the job to go through all this shit to get here - now its yours please take care of it and do listen to what has been said

We cannot demand success, we cannot demand trophies but we can demand that we do not start every game thinking a 0-0 would be a good result.

I for one will accept that you probably was fighting for your life at the dog shit and with limited resources had to grind out the results where you can

this is the biggest club you will ever manage and i am sure you have seen from our set up a light year away from what you have been used to. so now you have it look after it

If you think the response to your appointment was rough - god help you if you try to play like the dog shit did

welcome and i really hope you do well

Excellent post - ditto (apart from the conversations of course)

[SaluteIanTaylor]

Welcome Alex, welcome to the club where you belong...now get spending.

[maidstonevillain]

From the OS





When his team beat Arsenal to win the Carling Cup four months ago at Wembley he became one of the only current managers in the Barclays Premier League who has won a major piece of silverware.

What is that supposed to mean.

As well as some blatant spin and cherry-picking of achievements, I am surprised how such an important statement, given the circumstances, can be so poorly written, and even grammatically inept.

[DR PETERS]

Welcome Alex - you wouldn't have been my choice but now you are here you deserve the same chance any other manager would get.

If this appointment had happened 12 months ago I think feeling would be different, you had just finished 9th, we had just lost a manager who for the third season running had blown a good opportunity to finish in the top four due to poor team selection and tactics.

You should also take heart from the fact that the best manager in our history was not wanted when he was appointed because he played dour and boring football, something he was accused of while at Villa but he built a team that became the best in Europe. The internet wasn't around then but if it had been these message boards would have carried a similar response to his appointment.

Make us difficult to beat, get the ball to Bent as often as possible and you will win more than you lose - Good Luck big man.

[madirishvillain]

it is April 1st isnt it?


nice to see everyone "backing" big eck

be interesting to see what kind of crowds he attracts - wasnt GH first match 18k?

[Eigentor]

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.

[OzVilla]

Welcome Big Eck.

Surprised you're here but you now have my 100% support - your opening statement set the right tone so onwards and upwards.  I'm sure you'll show more respect to our support than they have shown you so far and certainly more than the previous Manager showed them.

You talk bout the Villa 'heritage' and 'tradition'.  That's great, it's important to us and important that our leader understands these and instills them into everyone coming to our Club.  That's not always been the case recently.  Our lot needed discipline and defensive organisation last year - you'll excel there imo. 

I'm sure you'll notice an enormous difference between our two Clubs by the way.

[Risso]

Stupid decision from a know-nothing owner who has given up.  Ah well, fuck him.

You know what, for ages I've seen you post whatever the hell you want, without any remorse, regret or recrimination. Other people are regularly banned for some of the comments you make and yet as a MOD you seem to have carte blanche.

Practice what you preach and show some respect, you ignorant individual.

That's my firmly held view of Lerner, and one that as a poster on here I am free to make.  I have no respect for Lerner as owner of Aston Villa Football Club, if that upsets you, that's your look out unfortunately.  All we ask is that people don't abuse other posters, which I haven't, unlike you.

[OzVilla]

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'.

[levico]

Now it's happened I'm feeling quite calm about it. Two things will happen - he might make a few good signings and get us off to a solid start or it will be a disaster from the off. I'm ready for both. What a high-risk strategy Mr L.!!!

[Bunch of Villains]

Anyone who intends to boo, criticise and abuse our new manager and chariman please stay away from Villa Park next season - nobody needs it.  There is nothing worse that boo's coming from within your own 'fans'.  Its no better than the mindless idiots that de-faced our training ground... YES 'OUR TRAINING GROUND!  Would you ruin your own house to make a point?  This is our football club, support and treat it with respect!

We have to accept this and move on whilst continuing to SUPPORT our club.

If you buy a ticket focus your efforts on supporting the team, not on negative chants!!

I've already renewed my season ticket and am looking forward to next season!

UTV!!!

[Eigentor]

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'.

If we had hired Pep Guardiola I doubt that the club would have thought it necessary to justify the appointment by quoting praise from Alex Ferguson.