Protest? Not in my name...the football match is the main event

[exiled on the wirral!]

I was unhappy, Mcleish was appointed. I didnt want him here because he was ex blues, he just got a team relegated and he played boring football. I said at the time i wouldnt renew my season ticket, and although i didnt join the original protests, i fully supported them and there objectives.

And then like most things in life you get over it. I renewed my season ticket 2 weeks later and couldnt wait for the season to start. My initial thoughts were correct, lets face it, the first half of the season was crap, no other way to describe it, and i thought relegation was a certantity. The Liverpool performance was one of the most gutless performances ive have ever seen and i again vowed i wouldnt set foot in villa park again, whilst mcleish was still there.

Then we played arsenal, and since then i  have seen a lot more improvement, in an attacking sense at least which is what we were crying out for. True we struggle defensively still but eventually i believe that could be put right with time.

All that anger i had during the summer has gone now, as i actually see some potential in our team now. I wouldnt say im a Mcleish convert now, but sacking him now would be futile, and put us back to 'square one'. I personally give him the rest of this season and all of next season and see where we are as a team then. As far as protests go well, come on lads dont be silly, if this was blues, we would laughing ourselves silly at them.

Please dont shame our proud club in front of the monument of one of our founding fathers on sunday. We are better than that, we have more class than that. We all love the villa, potential protesters or not, lets get behind the team and manager on sunday and be proud of our club not embarrased by it.

[Chris Smith]

Does having the financial wherewithal to attend most/all Villa games mean that said Villa fans views on the club (or matters pertaining to) are infallible?

You can definitely make a pretty logical argument that if he has seen -for example-  one of our promising young players over an extended period of time he might know a bit more about him than the stayaway lot.  Or the overseas/ expat crew.

I get the impression that DC5 was a fan of McLesh long before he came to B6 though, and was far from unhappy that he was appointed.  Which is a bit different.  If I've misjudged that, I apologise.

I admire the way he defends him on here, even if I don't share his admiration for the ginner one.

Some of the blind faith put in McLesh on here is getting quite boring.
He is going nowhere and we are not going down.
A nothing season whenever there was one.
But the jumping up and down when somebody has a go at the Ginger One is getting silly.
The days of a balanced debate have gone because of the stupid protest sites and people are getting way too protective.

I don'r see any blind faith. Instead what I see, from the more balanced amongst us, is a willingness to give a decent man a fair crack of the whip. So much of the criticism lacks any balance, concentrating entirely on any negatives in his record and declaring the positives as irrelevant. I think that attitude leads to a circling of the wagons from the rest of us against the shrill calls from the over excitable. 

[VillaAlways]

I was unhappy, Mcleish was appointed. I didnt want him here because he was ex blues, he just got a team relegated and he played boring football. I said at the time i wouldnt renew my season ticket, and although i didnt join the original protests, i fully supported them and there objectives.

And then like most things in life you get over it. I renewed my season ticket 2 weeks later and couldnt wait for the season to start. My initial thoughts were correct, lets face it, the first half of the season was crap, no other way to describe it, and i thought relegation was a certantity. The Liverpool performance was one of the most gutless performances ive have ever seen and i again vowed i wouldnt set foot in villa park again, whilst mcleish was still there.

Then we played arsenal, and since then i  have seen a lot more improvement, in an attacking sense at least which is what we were crying out for. True we struggle defensively still but eventually i believe that could be put right with time.

All that anger i had during the summer has gone now, as i actually see some potential in our team now. I wouldnt say im a Mcleish convert now, but sacking him now would be futile, and put us back to 'square one'. I personally give him the rest of this season and all of next season and see where we are as a team then. As far as protests go well, come on lads dont be silly, if this was blues, we would laughing ourselves silly at them.

Please dont shame our proud club in front of the monument of one of our founding fathers on sunday. We are better than that, we have more class than that. We all love the villa, potential protesters or not, lets get behind the team and manager on sunday and be proud of our club not embarrased by it.

Great post !!

[DB]

Does having the financial wherewithal to attend most/all Villa games mean that said Villa fans views on the club (or matters pertaining to) are infallible?

You can definitely make a pretty logical argument that if he has seen -for example-  one of our promising young players over an extended period of time he might know a bit more about him than the stayaway lot.  Or the overseas/ expat crew.

I get the impression that DC5 was a fan of McLesh long before he came to B6 though, and was far from unhappy that he was appointed.  Which is a bit different.  If I've misjudged that, I apologise.

I admire the way he defends him on here, even if I don't share his admiration for the ginner one.

Some of the blind faith put in McLesh on here is getting quite boring.
He is going nowhere and we are not going down.
A nothing season whenever there was one.
But the jumping up and down when somebody has a go at the Ginger One is getting silly.
The days of a balanced debate have gone because of the stupid protest sites and people are getting way too protective.

I don'r see any blind faith. Instead what I see, from the more balanced amongst us, is a willingness to give a decent man a fair crack of the whip. So much of the criticism lacks any balance, concentrating entirely on any negatives in his record and declaring the positives as irrelevant. I think that attitude leads to a circling of the wagons from the rest of us against the shrill calls from the over excitable. 

Names the positives from this season.....
By same token don't let your full support of him get in the way of ignoring all the negative from his Villa reign so far.

PS 'decent man', yes he may be but that is totally irralavent - it's how he does in the job that I care about.

[andyh]

I won't be protesting, I don't think its very dignified,and it won't acheive anything anyway.
 
I did not want Mcleish, and he has done little to win me over (not that he has to).
My fear is that his track record in the prem reaks of failure.
Even after spending huge (for them) amounts of money, he still took a team down.
Even after winning a trophy, the pinnacle of the clubs history, and with 3 months to see relegation looming, he still took a team down. He did not have the nous or ability to change his approach to the game and try and save his team from the drop.
I really can't see this 'give him time' and 'give him the backing/money' argument.
His record says that with both, he will still blow it.
Personally, I would rather not take the risk that he will come good, his history does not support it.

On a seperate note, there are some very self rightous people on here, telling others what they should and should not do.
Anyone and everyone has a right to protest.
Its a way to get your views aired, its the reason that the EDL can protest.
The anti foxhunting lobby could protest.
The anti-government cuts brigade could protest.
Just because we might not agree with it, doesn't mean it cannot or should not happen for the people who feel strongly enough about it.

If some want to protest let them, its up to them.


   
   

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The Liverpool performance was one of the most gutless performances ive have ever seen and i again vowed i wouldnt set foot in villa park again, whilst mcleish was still there.

Then we played arsenal, and since then i  have seen a lot more improvement, in an attacking sense at least which is what we were crying out for. True we struggle defensively still but eventually i believe that could be put right with time.

All that anger i had during the summer has gone now, as i actually see some potential in our team now. I wouldnt say im a Mcleish convert now, but sacking him now would be futile, and put us back to 'square one'. I personally give him the rest of this season and all of next season and see where we are as a team then.

Absolutely. Whilst I'm yet to be 'converted', I do see something that looks potentially very exciting, don't get me wrong, it still could go either way but there are signs that we could become a very attractive footballing side given time. As I've mentioned numerous times, I'm more confident knowing that we have Kevin McDonald and Sid coaching the team, add to that AM's desire to prove doubters wrong that his sides play "dull" football. Whilst MON talked the talk, I had zero confidence in Walford and Robertson's ability as coaches. It's one aspect of modern football that can no longer be ignored.

It was always going to be a tough season but as you said, there most certainly are signs that we may be close to playing to our potential. The one thing we're really lacking is some confidence and if we can find that we really could finish the season in some style. Lots of 'ifs' I know but the fans have a part to play, it's a two way thing. Just think back to the last game at Villa Park and how in the second half both the fans and team combined to make it once again a special place to be.

After so many years of poor football at Villa Park, I think we more than deserve our share of entertainment, something McLeish recognises and is trying to develop. Whether he can deliver is another matter but he deserves the chance to give it a go.

[exiled on the wirral!]

Of course its within anyones right to protest, those protests you mention are all worthy of mass demonstrations. But if you are going to protest, make it a worthy cause. Are all of our current problems purely down to Mcleish? If we were, in say, Portsmouth position, then yes, il be down protesting, but are things really that bad at the moment.

Im dont think im being self righteous in dismissing the protestors, i just dont want a few mindless idiots giving further ammunition to the likes of the mail/mercury and them w*****s at talk sport to ridicule our proud club.



 

[Merv]

I really can't see this 'give him time' and 'give him the backing/money' argument.
His record says that with both, he will still blow it.
Personally, I would rather not take the risk that he will come good, his history does not support it.

Me neither, really. I do enjoy the fact that those who do have serious concerns about McLeish (and I did, and still do) have our misgivings so easily blown away. I'm confident in my judgement on his ability to take the team forward, but in every sense I'm giving him time to convince me. I don't have a lot of choice in that, the length of time he has at VP is out on my control, so I continue to wait and watch for signs of progress.

I admit to needing a bit of help in finding the positives, to be honest.

[Chris Harte]

... i just dont want a few mindless idiots giving further ammunition to the likes of the mail/mercury and them w*****s at talk sport to ridicule our proud club.

This.

[villajk]

Of course its within anyones right to protest, those protests you mention are all worthy of mass demonstrations. But if you are going to protest, make it a worthy cause. Are all of our current problems purely down to Mcleish? If we were, in say, Portsmouth position, then yes, il be down protesting, but are things really that bad at the moment.

Im dont think im being self righteous in dismissing the protestors, i just dont want a few mindless idiots giving further ammunition to the likes of the mail/mercury and them w*****s at talk sport to ridicule our proud club.



 

Exactly.

[Axl Rose]

As far as protests go well, come on lads dont be silly, if this was blues, we would laughing ourselves silly at them.

Please dont shame our proud club in front of the monument of one of our founding fathers on sunday. We are better than that, we have more class than that. We all love the villa, potential protesters or not, lets get behind the team and manager on sunday and be proud of our club not embarrased by it.

I agree with this man! Come on the Villa-let's throw a spanner into that horrid team's works on Sunday. They are horrible and plastic...we can beat them.

[Chris Smith]

I won't be protesting, I don't think its very dignified,and it won't acheive anything anyway.
 
I did not want Mcleish, and he has done little to win me over (not that he has to).
My fear is that his track record in the prem reaks of failure.
Even after spending huge (for them) amounts of money, he still took a team down.
Even after winning a trophy, the pinnacle of the clubs history, and with 3 months to see relegation looming, he still took a team down. He did not have the nous or ability to change his approach to the game and try and save his team from the drop.
I really can't see this 'give him time' and 'give him the backing/money' argument.
His record says that with both, he will still blow it.
Personally, I would rather not take the risk that he will come good, his history does not support it.

On a seperate note, there are some very self rightous people on here, telling others what they should and should not do.
Anyone and everyone has a right to protest.
Its a way to get your views aired, its the reason that the EDL can protest.
The anti foxhunting lobby could protest.
The anti-government cuts brigade could protest.
Just because we might not agree with it, doesn't mean it cannot or should not happen for the people who feel strongly enough about it.

If some want to protest let them, its up to them.


   
   

A bit of muddled thinking there, Andy. You appear to be defending the rights of people to protest but objecting to those exercising their right to disagree.

Having the right to do something is not the same as it being the right thing to do.

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

You've got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
And latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between

[Chris Smith]

Does having the financial wherewithal to attend most/all Villa games mean that said Villa fans views on the club (or matters pertaining to) are infallible?

You can definitely make a pretty logical argument that if he has seen -for example-  one of our promising young players over an extended period of time he might know a bit more about him than the stayaway lot.  Or the overseas/ expat crew.

I get the impression that DC5 was a fan of McLesh long before he came to B6 though, and was far from unhappy that he was appointed.  Which is a bit different.  If I've misjudged that, I apologise.

I admire the way he defends him on here, even if I don't share his admiration for the ginner one.

Some of the blind faith put in McLesh on here is getting quite boring.
He is going nowhere and we are not going down.
A nothing season whenever there was one.
But the jumping up and down when somebody has a go at the Ginger One is getting silly.
The days of a balanced debate have gone because of the stupid protest sites and people are getting way too protective.

I don'r see any blind faith. Instead what I see, from the more balanced amongst us, is a willingness to give a decent man a fair crack of the whip. So much of the criticism lacks any balance, concentrating entirely on any negatives in his record and declaring the positives as irrelevant. I think that attitude leads to a circling of the wagons from the rest of us against the shrill calls from the over excitable. 

Names the positives from this season.....
By same token don't let your full support of him get in the way of ignoring all the negative from his Villa reign so far.

PS 'decent man', yes he may be but that is totally irralavent - it's how he does in the job that I care about.

Where have I stated I  have "full support"? As with any appointment it takes time, he had half a team sold from under him and only given part of the money to bring in replacements. My view is that whichever manager had taken over would have taken time to sort things out and that this season was only ever going to see us around mid table.

The biggest positive for me is the opportunities given to the youngsters to stake their claim for a future at Villa. This will serve us well for the future and I think McLeish has handled them particularly well.

In the past 6 weeks or so we've seen a new confidence in our attacking play, sadly sloppy defending has undermined much of that but it does give me reason for cautious optimism for the future.

[Greg N'Ash]

Like most people on here I didn't want him but i tend to feel most of the blame lies with Lerner rather than AM on that one. I thought we were pretty awful upto Christmas but since then the team's shown a bit of potential here and there that hints at hope. I still think he's probably doomed long term without money but unless  we start looking really in the shit this season he deserves a bit of time to try  and fix things.

Protests are fine. What got most people's backs up was the likes of DazzyG calling us morons if we didn't agree with him. It's also hard to read some of his arguements and see some of the flids protesting and want to join them. They don't exactly come across as Mensa members