Mirror: How Alex McLeish is winning over the haters at Aston Villa

[Neil Hawkes]

If nothing else this is the first time for some time we have a manager who actually wants to be here.

Which can only bode well for the Club.

From what I've seen and heard so far from him, he is already Villa indoctrined.............everything is we and it's obvious he will use all our available resources to enable the club (not just him) to achieve success.

[Villa'Zawg]

Why is net spend an overwhelming indication of ambition? I would have thought finding gems and selling some of them periodically for over inflated prices at the right time, and then finding more gems would be a more intelligent way of running a football club. Wages paid should be better indicator of ambition, and if we find really good players for smaller transfer fees and pay them well based on a realistic salary scale isn't that a better way to retain our players, and build a more complete squad? Obviously in all that we have to be successful, but I'd rather find motivated hidden talent, a little bit like Wenger was doing for a while, than looking at how much we are spending to dictate whether are ambitious or not.

If this summer we were to spend less than we brought in, yet the players we do bring in are better for the squad, coupled with the players we have and our academy, as a club we'll be in a far healthier position.

That's a Wigan type definition of ambition isn't it?

[Ger Regan]

Which can only bode well for the Club.

From what I've seen and heard so far from him, he is already Villa indoctrined.............everything is we and it's obvious he will use all our available resources to enable the club (not just him) to achieve success.

This is what really confuses me the most about the "blue nose" stuff that some have been spouting on here, he's probably the least "blue nose" manager that shower have had in quite some time. Never played to the gallery by slagging us off, in fact quite the opposite. I could understand the uproar if he had decided to take cheap shots at us over the last few years, but he's maintained as much dignity as is possible when you're linked to that circus.

[eastie]

Come now villadawg, don't put the dampers on things- look ahead and think positive , I think mcleish will be great for this club and in the days before he arrived was banging his drum- I'm pleased the fans are uniting behind him and let's all enjoy the journey , there will be highs and lows but I have a feeling Alex will deliver silverware to us during his time here.

[VillaAlways]

Which can only bode well for the Club.

From what I've seen and heard so far from him, he is already Villa indoctrined.............everything is we and it's obvious he will use all our available resources to enable the club (not just him) to achieve success.

This is what really confuses me the most about the "blue nose" stuff that some have been spouting on here, he's probably the least "blue nose" manager that shower have had in quite some time. Never played to the gallery by slagging us off, in fact quite the opposite. I could understand the uproar if he had decided to take cheap shots at us over the last few years, but he's maintained as much dignity as is possible when you're linked to that circus.

Loved it when he referred to them as small time after the CCQF

[Simba]

FFS. Only time will tell. Give the bloke a chance. The players have. If he can revive the forgotten players under GH then we have a good squad.

Like most of us I hated the appointement of a relegated manager ( couldn't give a tinkers cuss about his previous club) but so far the vibes are good- and this group needs pragmatism and a good load of discipline.

I will support .

[kippaxvilla2]

I think he has done ok so far to be fair.  Although I wasnt very impressed with our Bob Tisdall football style against  Blackburn after we went ahead.

[Villa'Zawg]

Come now villadawg, don't put the dampers on things- look ahead and think positive , I think mcleish will be great for this club and in the days before he arrived was banging his drum- I'm pleased the fans are uniting behind him and let's all enjoy the journey , there will be highs and lows but I have a feeling Alex will deliver silverware to us during his time here.

You bang away mate and I wish you the best of luck. I can't help but base my outlook on the resources he is been given to work with.

[eastie]

I think he has done ok so far to be fair.  Although I wasnt very impressed with our Bob Tisdall football style against  Blackburn after we went ahead.

Crikey-you do realise how hot it was on that pitch I take it?

[andyh]

I must admit that McLeish's whole demeanour is very good. He kind of fits the club.
He appears to be very calm and professional and (at this moment in time) it just 'feels' right.
Ultimately though, time (and results) will tell

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

He's come over as very humble indeed in every press conference and interview he's done. I agree, he seems to be very comfortable in the job already and there's a steely determination about him, and it's filtering it's way through to the players. I said somewhere else that the Luke Young interview was for me, very telling about the new order. He's always been quite blunt, and you could see that the players have reacted well to McLeish. It's as if McLeish isn't doing us a favour by being here. It's quite the opposite and he feels very priviledged to be our manager.

Great post Toronto. That has really hit home with me. There is definitely a "steely determination" he seems to have. I still think Lerner has already told him he is going to back him. And we are going to see a couple of suprise signings before the window closes ........

[Dante Lavelli]

Considering everything, I do think he seems strangely suited to the club.
I also think he will work doubly hard to prove his doubters wrong, harder than I'd imagine Benitez or another 'name' would have done. He has to otherwise he 's fucked.

It's a huge opportunity for him and hd knows it.

[Toronto Villa]

Why is net spend an overwhelming indication of ambition? I would have thought finding gems and selling some of them periodically for over inflated prices at the right time, and then finding more gems would be a more intelligent way of running a football club. Wages paid should be better indicator of ambition, and if we find really good players for smaller transfer fees and pay them well based on a realistic salary scale isn't that a better way to retain our players, and build a more complete squad? Obviously in all that we have to be successful, but I'd rather find motivated hidden talent, a little bit like Wenger was doing for a while, than looking at how much we are spending to dictate whether are ambitious or not.

If this summer we were to spend less than we brought in, yet the players we do bring in are better for the squad, coupled with the players we have and our academy, as a club we'll be in a far healthier position.

That's a Wigan type definition of ambition isn't it?

No. It's an Arsenal type definition of ambition which is why I cited Wenger. If I wanted to use Wigan I'd have said Martinez or Bruce.

[KRS]

AM hasnt done anything wrong yet so hard for anyone to give any valid justification to criticise him. The Chelski game in HK will be a good test of where we are in terms of preseason preparations, the players in the squad and identifying areas where we may need to strengthen. As long as we're playing good football and picking up results then the majority of sensible fans will give him their backing.

[gaucho1966]

Is Villadawg secretly gregnash in disguise?