Poll: Are you going to give Alex McLeish a chance to prove himself?

[PeterWithe]

Regardless of the angry shouty stuff right now, unless we are planning to rock up to Villa Park at the start of the season hoping we are going go lose (which basically would be the realm of the mentally disturbed), we are all going to give him a chance, at the most simple of levels because, like it or not, he IS our manager so we have no choice in the matter.

Almost everyone on this site has found this to be a somewhat bewildering appointment but it's safe to say we'd all like him to prove us very wrong, I'd have thought that went without saying.

Yup thats about the long and short of it, I personally was only gnawing at the bone as a few seemed to be expecting a complete volte face just because he'd now actually signed a bit of paper making him our manager.

[Chris Smith]

Pointing to Faulkner's comments in a press release doesn't make the assertion that Lerner has been unusually vociferous correct. Why not accept Chris's point whilst expressing what you meant more clearly?

Because I don't think Chris is right.  That, for me, is not so much a normal press release as a justification.  And there is absolutely no reason to believe Lerner doesn't share the views expressed in it.  Unless you're aware of some rift between Lerner and the board.

Except that you were the one who brought Lerner into it by saying he had been unusually vociferous when he hasn't said a word. You were trying to make a case for ut being hugely significant when in reality it is the sort of stuff every chief exec makes with every appointment.

[hilts_coolerking]

The content of your opinion doesn't come into it, Lerner has not been unusually vociferous.

In my view he has. 

[hilts_coolerking]

Except that you were the one who brought Lerner into it by saying he had been unusually vociferous when he hasn't said a word. You were trying to make a case for ut being hugely significant when in reality it is the sort of stuff every chief exec makes with every appointment.

I accept that you can't see it Chris but that statement smacks of justification.  And you've not yet offered a reason why you think Lerner's view would be any different from what it contains.

[Chris Smith]

My main concern is that he doesn't get us playing the same defensive gash that Blues specialised in.

Play in a style which suits the players we have, try to entertain us, and he will build himself a better platform to build on, even if results are mediocre.

What will make it more difficult for himself is if he plays that dour Small Heath style, and the results are poor.

Agree with that but his remit here is going to be different to down the road so I'd hope that he will understand that being difficult to beat is only part of the job.

[hilts_coolerking]

Hilts, I thought you would perhaps prefer McLeish to Hughes or Moyes, given that you judge a manager on achievements?

Hmm.  One League Cup set against two relegations and a highest finish of 9th.  Nope, Hughes or Moyes are ahead of McLeish for me.  Even Martinez has managed to avoid relegations.

[pauliewalnuts]

Is it though, Chris?

That's my nagging concern. That and whether he is capable of doing things a different way.

Let's see how it goes. I just hope that if it doesn't work out, it doesn't cost the club too much, in financial terms, but also in lots of other senses, too.

[Chris Smith]

Except that you were the one who brought Lerner into it by saying he had been unusually vociferous when he hasn't said a word. You were trying to make a case for ut being hugely significant when in reality it is the sort of stuff every chief exec makes with every appointment.

I accept that you can't see it Chris but that statement smacks of justification.  And you've not yet offered a reason why you think Lerner's view would be any different from what it contains.

It's a press release for the new appointment and would have been similar whoever had got the job. There is absolutely no way to describe it as Lerner being unusually vociferous.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't know about him being more vociferous with regards to press releases, but I think we are seeing a change of some sort in his approach to the club and fans in making this appointment.

What that change is exactly, I don't know, but something has changed for them to have spent five years painstakingly cultivating customer relations only to go and do something potentially so damaging that this time last week, every single one of us on here would have considered it utterly unthinkable.

[Villa'Zawg]

The content of your opinion doesn't come into it, Lerner has not been unusually vociferous.

In my view he has. 

Fucking hell.

[hilts_coolerking]

It's a press release for the new appointment and would have been similar whoever had got the job. There is absolutely no way to describe it as Lerner being unusually vociferous.

I disagree.  You'll see it eventually Chris; I know it generally takes you about two years to catch up.

[hilts_coolerking]

Fucking hell.

I can understand why the idea of someone taking a view and sticking to it shocks you.

[jibba81]

It's a press release for the new appointment and would have been similar whoever had got the job. 

So when you read an official statement (whether from the government, your employer or Aston Villa) you just take it at face value and don't make any attempt to analyse the language and content to see how it fits their agenda?

Blissful ignorance sounds just about right.

[Chris Smith]

Is it though, Chris?

That's my nagging concern. That and whether he is capable of doing things a different way.

Let's see how it goes. I just hope that if it doesn't work out, it doesn't cost the club too much, in financial terms, but also in lots of other senses, too.

I think even if we accept the idea that Lerner has scaled back on his ambitions they are surely still going to be ahead of those at Small Heath.

Benitez adopted a similar stifling approach with Liverpool but because he had (much) better players achieved better results. I hope that isn't the way we go.

[Breezeblock]

Well i've just shelled out 400 quid for a season ticket so it's a yes from me.