McLeish could be the manager to take this club forward

[Rudy Can't Fail]

We had the General with his "the intention is still to finish 4th, sorry I meant 5th, my finger slipped while I was typing." and "imagine what McLeish will do with proper backing from a manager like Randy."  Utter, utter, utter bollocks.

Oh I do love it when you get angry. *winky*

I'd imagine the General was by that time out the loop and never imagined the financial mess we were in. I remember a season or two back when then was alarm bells ringing about the latest accounts and an huge loss posted, only for the General to say it wasn't a shock to the board and that they'd planned for it. My guess is that the summer MON left, he'd presented valuations on players that could be off loaded and the reality was nothing like it. If the board were to learn anything from it, is was to get a football man on the board, not only helping with a true assessment of the potential value of the squad but somebody that has the experience to find the right manager. A year and a half later and they still haven't got their man, instead relying on 'advisors', whoever the fuck they may be.

Randy's micro-management experiment has been a very expensive lesson both for him and the club in general.

[hawkeye]

Spot on, Lets look at thier strategy
Appoint MON, The charecter appointment, give him total control over the Bank Account and then realise he had over commmited the clubs finances, an arguement he walks. Dither with Booby Mac,
Appoint Houlier, a more technical manager with the intent to introduce a style of play and build a playing ethic, A PR disaster with a health problem and an assistant with man management defiences.
Then they cant work out what to do, Hughes? no, Martinez?No Ok lets find the most contreversial appointment with a track record of relegation and agricultural football, enter Mcliesh
You could not make this stuff up, it demonstrates a complete and total lack of understanding and strategy. Mcleish is not the cause of our problems merely a sympton of the inept way the club is being run.

The MON appointment was made / recommended by Doug so they can't be blamed for that appointment, although obviously allowing him complete reign on transfers was an amateur mistake. As for the "Booby Mac" dithering, having a manager walking out at that time was always going to make it hard to get someone in straight away. I won't argue with too much more though, although it would have been interesting what a second season of Houllier would have brought. No Collins, No Warnock, No Hutton, possibly Cabaye.

The point is they lost controll, or never had it, they have reigned over multiple fuck ups and the thing that is holding this club together is the youth system which is the most successfull part of the club and the part that they are not responsible for.

[Somniloquism]

The point is they lost controll, or never had it, they have reigned over multiple fuck ups and the thing that is holding this club together is the youth system which is the most successfull part of the club and the part that they are not responsible for.

Get you now.

[hawkeye]

The point is they lost controll, or never had it, they have reigned over multiple fuck ups and the thing that is holding this club together is the youth system which is the most successfull part of the club and the part that they are not responsible for.

Get you now.

Cheers mate UTV

[Eigentor]

The other thing I hear the club saying is that McLeish is a good person to talk to, as if that's some kind of qualification for the job. Give me a miserable up-his-own-arse c*** like Ferguson who gets results any time.

The one thing McLeish and Houllier seem to have in common is that they are good at talking. Houllier made some PR gaffes* in interviews etc., but journalists always pointed out in their features how likeable and eloquent he was when talking to them one-to-one. Apparently, he also was very impressive in the job interview -- blowing the likes of Curbishley and Sven out of the waters. Now, we're hearing the same things about McLeish: such a nice bloke, reasonable, easy to talk to.

Based on this assessment, it's probably easy to prefer that duo to someone like Hughes or Benitez. The latter are probably perceived as uptight, not so easy-going, having strong opinions and sticking to them, and not so easily instructed by someone who they perceive as less competent than themselves.

Problem is: the board was appointing the club's new manager, not their new best mate.

*Allthough it is probably more obvious to McLeish (who has managed at Rangers) that he shouldn't mention his time at Villa's rivals, than it is for he more aloof Houllier that he shouldn't be going on about his time as manager for one Villa's Premiership rivals all the time.

[Simba]

My understanding is that season ticket holders are included in the official crowd numbers, whether they attend or not. Perhaps someone can confirm/deny this. Many ST holders are not going notwithstanding their investment so the actual attendances are (maybe) even lower.

As for next season - I think the Club are in for a shock. And let's just hope we are still in the Premier League.

The management appointment and other decisions such as 'sell to buy' have been portrayed as necessary for business reasons. Bloody poor strategic planning imho as it is creating a downward fiscal spiral of which poor attendances are only a part.  Randy needs to get brave to sort this out and that includes realising that AMC was a mistake. His record with the Browns does not fill me with hope however.

[not3bad]

As for next season - I think the Club are in for a shock. And let's just hope we are still in the Premier League.

From the things I've been hearing from the crowd around me you are correct. 

[Irish villain]

I wonder what our players make of the attendances?

[pauliewalnuts]

My understanding is that season ticket holders are included in the official crowd numbers, whether they attend or not. Perhaps someone can confirm/deny this. Many ST holders are not going notwithstanding their investment so the actual attendances are (maybe) even lower.

Season ticket holders are always included, so, if you have 25000 season ticket holders, then the crowd will be at least 25k, regardless of whether they're there or not.

[not3bad]

Quite a well stated 'Fan viewpoint' here...

http://www.skysports.com/fanzone/blogs/story/0,,19343_7440075,00.html

[Stu]

Quite a well stated 'Fan viewpoint' here...

http://www.skysports.com/fanzone/blogs/story/0,,19343_7440075,00.html

Yeah it is, and I pretty much agree with everything said there. However, I don't think the article has emphasised how disenfranchised the fanbase feel. From my perspective, the Villa don't feel like 'my' team at the moment, and it's the appointment of McLeish that has done that. I just can't get my head around the fact that he's our manager, its like a bad dream. Coupled with the near silence of the board on what our aims are (save for Faulkner's laughable suggestion that McLeish is capable of delivering European football), I feel like I've been hoodwinked.

[ez]

As for next season - I think the Club are in for a shock. And let's just hope we are still in the Premier League.

From the things I've been hearing from the crowd around me you are correct. 

I think some of our current season card holders bought them before McLeish was appointed so yes i think so too

[KevinGage]

As for next season - I think the Club are in for a shock. And let's just hope we are still in the Premier League.

From the things I've been hearing from the crowd around me you are correct. 

I think some of our current season card holders bought them before McLeish was appointed so yes i think so too

Problem is, even if they eventually rectify the thing and make a more suitable appointment (my money is about 3/4 months into the start of next season) I'm not sure it will be enough to get supporters back on side. 

They've lost a fair bit of goodwill and credibility on this one, and just about killed any feeling of forward momentum that characterised the first four years of the RL era.

[villa `cross the mersey]

As for next season - I think the Club are in for a shock. And let's just hope we are still in the Premier League.

From the things I've been hearing from the crowd around me you are correct. 

Two in this household who will not be renewing or even going to the QPR and Man City games due to the messing around with fixtures - to be blunt, going to Villa Park has become a chore. Poor results, poor performances, lack of passion from players, manager and fans.
Have I seen worse teams and performances?  Yes I have, but back in the day players were not picking up the obscene pay packets they do right now - Fuck `em !!!

[Simba]

As for next season - I think the Club are in for a shock. And let's just hope we are still in the Premier League.

From the things I've been hearing from the crowd around me you are correct. 

Two in this household who will not be renewing or even going to the QPR and Man City games due to the messing around with fixtures - to be blunt, going to Villa Park has become a chore. Poor results, poor performances, lack of passion from players, manager and fans.
Have I seen worse teams and performances?  Yes I have, but back in the day players were not picking up the obscene pay packets they do right now - Fuck `em !!!

Well said. As fans working to pay for the ticket, travel etc via a pay packet it becomes onerous when we want to support our club but feel disconnected from the players we actually pay. They have the Bentley at 25 we have a cold pie. If they look lazy then of course we will give them the verbal finger. Even if their shirt matches our scarf.

Football has changed since I watched in the early sixties and Vic Crowe ran a shop up the road in Castle Bromwich when he retired. (Aftab -next to the Farthings). I could relate to him as I could my own Dad, working for a living.

We are not fickle but simply pissed off. I mean give us some effort, passion, skill, tactical nous, heart FFS. Give us a chance to win something. Drunk driving a Range Rover at your age Bannan. Idiot. Wonder why the Holte is quiet? Watch the bloody match recordings. No passion on the pitch and you blame the fans for becoming trappist monks. Fans are bemused. Staggered at the arrogance.

 And if you own the Club or manage the team - do it properly. And remember who actually owns this proud history. Or admit you are not good enough and piss off. Thank you. Alex. Randy you have some good will but it is quickly running out deserved or not. Get back here and fix this crap.