The Big Ecks welcome to VP barometer

[stuart r]

“The heritage, the history of success and the tradition of Aston Villa are compelling and irresistible."

Who was the last new manager to say something like this?

the last manager who either a)meant it or b)had to win the fans over?

I don't like him standing there it just feels  all wrong. He's a Nose.He's tainted and nothing yet will change my view on him. I want him gone but that will only mean we are doing very badly which is not something I want to see. Moreover, and this is something that hasn't been really hit upon, but a sacked/removed McLeish means we have to face the board making us look a laughing stock again with another managerial 'after you Claude'.

He is not really a 'nose' though is he? (I feel a bit daft using the term 'nose'). He just did a job for them. Some managers are forever associated with a particular club but many seem pretty detached. I wanted O'Neil to become a Villa man like GT and BFR but he never convinced me that he had that attachment to the club and I think its the same with McLeish and Birmingham. Hopefully he'll be given time to learn, make a few mistakes and then become a great manager and a Villa man..... Barry Fry was a 'nose' (amongst other things) as was Terry Cooper and Garry Pendrey. Their kind of simpleton/daft personalities and lack of ambition or managerial ability seemed well matched with the club but Ron Saunders was never a 'nose' and neither was Alf Ramsey and neither was McLeish I don't think.

[lordmcgrath5]

He wasn't my first choice but I was certainly never 'against' him so there's not much winning over to do to be honest

This.

[lordmcgrath5]

In my job at VP i have met many managers and chatted with a good few of them. One thing i will say is that AM is a real gentleman - an example is as follows

On the day of the 5-1 thrashing of the Blues
He came out to look at the stadium (which was his first time there he said) and was talking to a few fans - his first words were "What a magnificent place and you dont know how lucky you are to have it" There is a young girl who is a serial autograph hunter and she asked him for his and a photo (you would not believe how many managers and players look at the kids / fans like they are shit) he duely obliged and spent an age with them. There were a few of ours that in a nice way were taking the piss out of the noses - he took this really well and was giving it back. Then this young girl asked him if he could speak to her uncle who was a nose and proceeded to call him who was at home. He then chatted on the phone to her uncle (after a few attempts to prove he was who he said he was)

After the game and after being gubbed 5-1 he still was polite and signed a few more people autographs

Then during the press conference he had nothing but respect for us and the performance.

Now i too have some concerns over his style of play and i hope it was just a case of necessity with the dog shit - but as a man he deserves at the very least our respect because he is a very decent bloke - a lot more accomodating and generous with the fans than MON ever was

Very interesting and doesn't surprise me in the slightest. I've always thought he was a decent bloke. Doesn't mean he's going to be a good manager for us, granted, but I always like to think we maintain certain standards of decency at Villa Park.

[eamonn]

In my job at VP i have met many managers and chatted with a good few of them. One thing i will say is that AM is a real gentleman - an example is as follows

On the day of the 5-1 thrashing of the Blues
He came out to look at the stadium (which was his first time there he said) and was talking to a few fans - his first words were "What a magnificent place and you dont know how lucky you are to have it" There is a young girl who is a serial autograph hunter and she asked him for his and a photo (you would not believe how many managers and players look at the kids / fans like they are shit) he duely obliged and spent an age with them. There were a few of ours that in a nice way were taking the piss out of the noses - he took this really well and was giving it back. Then this young girl asked him if he could speak to her uncle who was a nose and proceeded to call him who was at home. He then chatted on the phone to her uncle (after a few attempts to prove he was who he said he was)

After the game and after being gubbed 5-1 he still was polite and signed a few more people autographs

Then during the press conference he had nothing but respect for us and the performance.

Now i too have some concerns over his style of play and i hope it was just a case of necessity with the dog shit - but as a man he deserves at the very least our respect because he is a very decent bloke - a lot more accomodating and generous with the fans than MON ever was

Nice story, but - apologies if I've mixed-you up with another username, did your signature on here used to be something like ''They have a different agenda to us'' - Ginger Scottish Twat, April 2008'?

[frank]

Barry Fry was a 'nose' (amongst other things) as was Terry Cooper and Garry Pendrey. Their kind of simpleton/daft personalities and lack of ambition or managerial ability seemed well matched with the club but Ron Saunders was never a 'nose' and neither was Alf Ramsey and neither was McLeish I don't think.

Stan Cullis was another - never a nose

[GJH]

He's fighting a losing battle, but to be fair he is a nice bloke.
If you were manager of the blues and you got a call from Randy Lerner saying come and manage Villa and i'll pay you 6m over 3 years who wouldn't take the job!! He is only an employee but he's in a no lose situation, if he is succesful (trophies, european places) he will keep his job, if not he will be sacked and walk away with his money.

Randy has appointed a "yes man" in some respects, at Blues he said he never had the players because the money was tight, isn't that our situation now?
I don't think he will ever be accepted properly and my problem isn't with him it is with the way in which the board have appointed him. We've gone back 5 years if not further.

[Hookeysmith]

In my job at VP i have met many managers and chatted with a good few of them. One thing i will say is that AM is a real gentleman - an example is as follows

On the day of the 5-1 thrashing of the Blues
He came out to look at the stadium (which was his first time there he said) and was talking to a few fans - his first words were "What a magnificent place and you dont know how lucky you are to have it" There is a young girl who is a serial autograph hunter and she asked him for his and a photo (you would not believe how many managers and players look at the kids / fans like they are shit) he duely obliged and spent an age with them. There were a few of ours that in a nice way were taking the piss out of the noses - he took this really well and was giving it back. Then this young girl asked him if he could speak to her uncle who was a nose and proceeded to call him who was at home. He then chatted on the phone to her uncle (after a few attempts to prove he was who he said he was)

After the game and after being gubbed 5-1 he still was polite and signed a few more people autographs

Then during the press conference he had nothing but respect for us and the performance.

Now i too have some concerns over his style of play and i hope it was just a case of necessity with the dog shit - but as a man he deserves at the very least our respect because he is a very decent bloke - a lot more accomodating and generous with the fans than MON ever was

Nice story, but - apologies if I've mixed-you up with another username, did your signature on here used to be something like ''They have a different agenda to us'' - Ginger Scottish Twat, April 2008'?

You are correct sir - when with them thats what he was as i am as fickle as every other fucker

I still do not think he is the right man for the job  - i am not professing he is - it was just that in reality he is a very decent human being (or at least comes over that way)

I love Randy Lerner but if he went to them he would instantly be "That American twat"  childish i know but there you go. Even in my old biased quote the fact that he did not slag us and pointed out in a underlining way that we were streets ahead of them came across well

[Ger Regan]

He's fighting a losing battle, but to be fair he is a nice bloke.
If you were manager of the blues and you got a call from Randy Lerner saying come and manage Villa and i'll pay you 6m over 3 years who wouldn't take the job!! He is only an employee but he's in a no lose situation, if he is succesful (trophies, european places) he will keep his job, if not he will be sacked and walk away with his money.

Randy has appointed a "yes man" in some respects, at Blues he said he never had the players because the money was tight, isn't that our situation now?
I don't think he will ever be accepted properly and my problem isn't with him it is with the way in which the board have appointed him. We've gone back 5 years if not further.

Try and remember the shambles we were in 5 years ago, we are a long way from those dark days imo.

[Lucky Eddie]

He's no more a nose than Paul McGrath was a filthy manc!

I'm still not happy, I ventured down to VP to protest his appointment, I left it late to renew, very late as it happens - we bought the last six this afternoon but he's here - he's our gaffer and he has my full support so if anyone gobs off at me should I feel like givin it some 'AM's Claret and Blue Army' tomorrow afternoon I suggest you bite your lip of get the fuck out of my face. 

He's one of us get used to it!

[pedro25]

Mortimer wasn't a nose either.

[eastie]

graham taylor was very much watford through and through and took them on on incredible journey but i think villa got into his blood and although he would still say watford are his club , villa are a very close 2nd- i actually think mon got the feel of the club and was proud to manage aston villa unlike mr o leary who seemed to thrive on belittling us .

there is no reason why eck cannot win over the fans but how i wish he the cash o neill was given during his tenure.

[tom jennings IV]

He's fighting a losing battle, but to be fair he is a nice bloke.
If you were manager of the blues and you got a call from Randy Lerner saying come and manage Villa and i'll pay you 6m over 3 years who wouldn't take the job!! He is only an employee but he's in a no lose situation, if he is succesful (trophies, european places) he will keep his job, if not he will be sacked and walk away with his money.

Randy has appointed a "yes man" in some respects, at Blues he said he never had the players because the money was tight, isn't that our situation now?
I don't think he will ever be accepted properly and my problem isn't with him it is with the way in which the board have appointed him. We've gone back 5 years if not further.

Try and remember the shambles we were in 5 years ago, we are a long way from those dark days imo.

Have to agree, everything from 2000 to 2006 (except the year we finished 6th) was a bit of a shambles apart from the occasional JPA flicker of magic and the camerarderie that existed against a common enemy. BigEck is giong to have to try very hard to annoy me more than O'leary. Absolutely no issue with a 0-0 away at the Cottage, the fact we look short of ideas in the final third is a worry but he needs our support so it would be churlish to want him out before he's even had a chance to stamp his mark.

[pedro25]

 What worries me is the mindset of the guy.  We have Gabby, Bent and N'Zogbia, what we need to supply them is Ireland or Bannan, not pick Heskey because he can help out in our box, that is a negative philosophy.

[Aston Manor]

What worries me is the mindset of the guy.  We have Gabby, Bent and N'Zogbia, what we need to supply them is Ireland or Bannan, not pick Heskey because he can help out in our box, that is a negative philosophy.

Well Bent will be up front. WithoutHheskey there we're not really going to be looking threatening at set-pieces. i think he'll score tomorrow. as for McLeish, i think he has a 90 minute honeymoon period starting at3pm tomorrow.

[gaucho1966]

Was bright and breezy on the barometer by my reckoning.