Email from McLeish

[pauliewalnuts]

As I said before, you can say what you like if you have the ability and results to back it up.  McLeish's football and results in the Premier League have been mostly awful, so he should keep a dignified bit of schtum until his league record is something to shout about.

I'm one of the bigger critics of the bloke, but that's unbelievably harsh.

[Risso]

As I said before, you can say what you like if you have the ability and results to back it up.  McLeish's football and results in the Premier League have been mostly awful, so he should keep a dignified bit of schtum until his league record is something to shout about.

I'm one of the bigger critics of the bloke, but that's unbelievably harsh.

Why is it?  His football was dire at Blues, and he got them relegated twice.  Thus far at Villa it's been the same old story.  Crap football and very few goals scored.  I don't care if he thinks the season has been "satisfactory" so far, I don't think it has at all.

[pauliewalnuts]

As I said before, you can say what you like if you have the ability and results to back it up.  McLeish's football and results in the Premier League have been mostly awful, so he should keep a dignified bit of schtum until his league record is something to shout about.

I'm one of the bigger critics of the bloke, but that's unbelievably harsh.

Why is it?  His football was dire at Blues, and he got them relegated twice.  Thus far at Villa it's been the same old story.  Crap football and very few goals scored.  I don't care if he thinks the season has been "satisfactory" so far, I don't think it has at all.

He's telling us what he's trying to do, he's hardly shouting about anything.

if he continues to fail to deliver it, then there's your stick to beat him with.

On the positive side, it at least shows he's aware of the criticisms he's getting - not just that he's being criticised, but what it is about - and is saying he's trying to do something about it.

I hope he manages to do it, and quick, or I'm going to slowly pass away of terminal boredom at one of our games some time soon, but to suggest he's shouting about anything seems somewhat harsh.

[old man villa fan]

He's telling us what he's trying to do, he's hardly shouting about anything.

if he continues to fail to deliver it, then there's your stick to beat him with.

On the positive side, it at least shows he's aware of the criticisms he's getting - not just that he's being criticised, but what it is about - and is saying he's trying to do something about it.

I would suggest a 900 carefully worded email is 'shouting' something and he is certainly beating his own drum if he did actually write it, which I doubt very much.

Do you believe Alex McLeish visits this site to gauge the fans reaction because just about every point that is covered in the email is in response to items raised on this site over the past few months.  Coincidence, I don't think so.

I want Villa to be successful and if it is with AM, so much the better as it will mean that it will be achieved sooner rather than later but I am not that gullible to believe that this is his personal heartfelt message to the fans.

[Toronto Villa]

Unbelievable. The club, manager, whoever, somebody at Aston Villa tries to reach out to supporters and people want to hammer them. They don't talk to us, they get criticized. It's amazing that whatever direction they turn there's someone in the grass ready to jump out and blast them. They are trying to accept some responsibility, and the manager is saying he understands our frustration and wants to address them despite only being here a short time and yet some people just want to crush him regardless. It has gotten to a point that whatever he does he'll never be accepted by some. That people want him to fail because it fuels their own dislike of him and justifies their anger.

[Simba]

We all know that the Club monitors these supporter sites and thank God they do. The E mail also proves that  after summarising the genaral mood they are prepared to respond to it.

The E mail was a clever piece of PR, addressed the issues and also gave the Manager a forum to present his case and (I hope) his football philosophy. Now it is truly up to him to prove it. Brave.

It is because the Club reads our comments that I am against any silly protest at this time. They know exactly what supporters think.

I am also glad that this site is obviously and deservedly recognised as being the most mature and intelligent forum.

[brian green]

Once again I agree with you toronto villa.

We live in an age where anger rules.   Everybody has to have something to be mad about and the tower of babel created by instant electronic communication enables people to lash out in any and every direction.

Over the years we have had infinitely worse managers than Alex McLeish and infinitely worse owners than Randy Lerner but they screwed up the Villa when the penny post reigned supreme and so were able to escape unscathed by popular opinion.

The man has communicated.   The content of that communication is appropriate.   Whoever the author and whatever the motivation, accept it at face value or ignore it, do not use it to perpetuate the concept of Aston Villa season ticket holders as victims.

[Risso]

Unbelievable. The club, manager, whoever, somebody at Aston Villa tries to reach out to supporters and people want to hammer them. They don't talk to us, they get criticized. It's amazing that whatever direction they turn there's someone in the grass ready to jump out and blast them. They are trying to accept some responsibility, and the manager is saying he understands our frustration and wants to address them despite only being here a short time and yet some people just want to crush him regardless. It has gotten to a point that whatever he does he'll never be accepted by some. That people want him to fail because it fuels their own dislike of him and justifies their anger.

I don't dislike him at all, I just don't think he's a good manager, and I also don't think he really understands the problems as proved by all the rubbish he writes about him not being a defensive minded manager.  He is, he proved it at Blues and he's proving it here.  Rubbish football, few goals scored and 13th in the table.  Load of crap, satisfactory my arse.

[Small Rodent]

I think the club just meant it as a half-season review. A queens speech as you were - "this is what happened, I realise your not happy with all of it etc., this is what i hope to do" I don't see the problem really as it seems sincere. Now its up to him.

I agree too. No problem with that. It's like an extended manager's notes from a match program.

[cheltenhamlion]

I don't get the hand wringing over this. Its a decent gesture, attempts to address the criticisms they have had of late and acknowledges where we need to improve.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't get the hand wringing over this. Its a decent gesture, attempts to address the criticisms they have had of late and acknowledges where we need to improve.

If anything, it is quite brave, as he's given everyone something to point at and say "hang on, what was it you said you wanted to do" if things continue to be shite for any great length of time. The rope to hang him with, as it were.

The proof of the pudding is going to be what we see on the pitch, though - as someone else said, don't tell us, show us.

[VillaAlways]

Unbelievable. The club, manager, whoever, somebody at Aston Villa tries to reach out to supporters and people want to hammer them. They don't talk to us, they get criticized. It's amazing that whatever direction they turn there's someone in the grass ready to jump out and blast them. They are trying to accept some responsibility, and the manager is saying he understands our frustration and wants to address them despite only being here a short time and yet some people just want to crush him regardless. It has gotten to a point that whatever he does he'll never be accepted by some. That people want him to fail because it fuels their own dislike of him and justifies their anger.

I don't dislike him at all, I just don't think he's a good manager, and I also don't think he really understands the problems as proved by all the rubbish he writes about him not being a defensive minded manager.  He is, he proved it at Blues and he's proving it here.  Rubbish football, few goals scored and 13th in the table.  Load of crap, satisfactory my arse.

Well we were in the bottom 3 this time last season with Young and Downing in the side so it's a bit more satisfactory than that.I'm optimistic that we will have a better second half to the season,like the last one

[stubbsyandy]

It's a decent message to send to us and shows what a decent man he is. Ok, he may not be the best manager, but as has been said before, he had the courage to take this on, and we really should give him the chance to do what he can.
I am amzed by how some people expect us to turn into Barcelona overnight!
Lets put cynicism to one side and say well done for addressing the concerns of the fans, and not making any outlandish promises other than he will do his best.

[Concrete John]

I don't dislike him at all, I just don't think he's a good manager, and I also don't think he really understands the problems as proved by all the rubbish he writes about him not being a defensive minded manager.  He is, he proved it at Blues and he's proving it here.  Rubbish football, few goals scored and 13th in the table.  Load of crap, satisfactory my arse.

I'd agree 13th isn't satisfactory, but given our realistic ceiling is 7th right now, then it's not a million miles from where we should be.

However, I'd imagine your argument is more to do with the style of football than results, which is obviously more subjective.  Since Bolton away we've improved, other than Liverpool and Swansea, so I'm willing to let him get one with it and see how many performances for the rest of the season are like Arsenal at home as oposed to Spurs away. 

[not3bad]

Unbelievable. The club, manager, whoever, somebody at Aston Villa tries to reach out to supporters and people want to hammer them.

Unbelievable?  Typical I would have thought. *shrug*