AVFC statement - McLeish sacked.

[Brazilian Villain]

There is a sense of deja vu at Aston Villa. A little less than 12 months after Gérard Houllier's brief and thoroughly underwhelming reign as manager came to end, Alex McLeish drove out of the club's Bodymoor Heath training ground for the last time on Monday, sacked on the back of a season that proved to be even more disastrous than the one that had gone before.

Villa, in other words, have got two managerial appointments wrong in quick succession. They can ill afford to make it a hat-trick.

In the case of Houllier, there were mitigating circumstances, with Martin O'Neill's decision to walk out on Villa five days before the start of the 2010‑11 season leaving the club high and dry when it came to scouring the market for a replacement. Houllier, however, still felt like a left‑field choice. He had not managed in the Premier League for six years and had suffered serious health problems in the past which would resurface later in the season and contribute to his early departure in June last year.

What followed was a mess. Villa invited Steve McClaren for an interview but then cancelled on him after an angry backlash from supporters on message boards. Next they tried and failed to lure Roberto Martínez from Wigan Athletic. And then they made the decision which is still hard to fathom to this day, not because McLeish was with Birmingham City, Villa's arch rivals, but because he had just suffered his second relegation in three Premier League seasons and was synonymous with a negative brand of football that leads to draws and a lack of goals.

Villa, in short, got what it said on the tin when they gave McLeish a three-year contract last summer. Although McLeish is an amiable man and has handled the abuse he has received this season in a dignified manner, the brutal truth is that his teams are boring to watch. Villa won only seven Premier League matches all season, managed just 37 goals in 38 matches and finished with 38 points, only two more than relegated Bolton Wanderers.

Randy Lerner, the club's owner, has not been able to visit Villa Park on many occasions this season but he watches matches on a live feed from the United States and has sat in frustration at the depressing events unfolding in front of him. Last month, however, Lerner had first-hand experience of just how bleak things had become on and off the pitch at the club, when he dropped in to Villa Park for the game against Bolton. Villa lost 2-1 and the supporters directed ferocious abuse at McLeish. It was the tipping point for Lerner.

He made the decision to stick with McLeish for the final three games of the season but it was never going to be any longer. McLeish's position had become untenable. Attendances had plummeted, the fans protests were loud and clear and results were calamitous. Two points were collected in the games against West Bromwich Albion and Tottenham Hotspur to drag Villa over the line before the season finished with an abject display against Norwich City which sealed McLeish's fate. "Brutal" is how one club insider described the performance at Carrow Road.

Villa had to act and they did so swiftly, cutting McLeish loose less than 24 hours after the season ended. Lerner and Paul Faulkner, the club's chief executive, got that decision right and now they must follow it up with an appointment that will galvanise and revive the club and give the supporters something to cling to after two miserable seasons. Lerner admitted as much in the statement that accompanied confirmation of McLeish's dismissal yesterday afternoon.

"We need to be clear and candid with ourselves and with supporters about what we have lacked in recent years," Lerner said. "Compelling play and results that instil a sense of confidence that Villa is on the right track have been plainly absent. The most immediate action that we can take is to look carefully at our options in terms of bringing in a new manager who sees the club's potential and embraces our collective expectations."

Villa are still putting together their shortlist but they want a young and hungry manager who will reinvigorate the club, which should be music to the ears of the club's fans. Martínez, who is the early favourite, Brendan Rodgers at Swansea City and Norwich City's Paul Lambert would all appear to fit the bill, and it is possible an appointment could be made as early as next week.

Hiring and firing managers has become an expensive business for Villa, who revealed in their last set of accounts that they spent £12m in "exceptional charges" in 2010-11 relating to changing the club's "management personnel". McLeish's sacking will come at a cost and it looks likely that more compensation will have to be paid to another club for their manager. It has never been in doubt that Lerner is willing to put his hand in his pocket for Villa. What he now needs to do, though, is recruit a decent football manager. Guardian

Couldn't have put it better myself. Lambert please.

[DeeBoy1]

good to see some sections of the media actually 'get it'. Absolutely cracking article.

[Risso]

good to see some sections of the media actually 'get it'. Absolutely cracking article.

It's taken them along enough, only all season.  And all the time we've all been tarnished with the same brush, ie "they only hate him because of who he used to manage".

[Rick_avfc]

Its about time the media wrote about the real things and not just the fact that Mcleish was from blues.  Still annoyed it has taken them this long to realise the truth that Mcleish, albeit a good man,  is however a rubbish manager.

[supertom]

good to see some sections of the media actually 'get it'. Absolutely cracking article.

It's taken them along enough, only all season.  And all the time we've all been tarnished with the same brush, ie "they only hate him because of who he used to manage".

Yeah it's taken long enough. It's as if a lot of the hacks haven't actually watched any of our games (don't blame them there) or looked at the league table. 38 points in a season for this club is absolutely diabolical. It was bad enough last season getting 48.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Lerner had first-hand experience of just how bleak things had become on and off the pitch at the club, when he dropped in to Villa Park for the game against Bolton. Villa lost 2-1 and the supporters directed ferocious abuse at McLeish. It was the tipping point for Lerner.

We can only surmise. But I think it is a reasonable assumption that when the full time whistle went the decision was made.
Full marks to Lerner for firing the gun within 24 hours of the seasons end.

Now make sure that not only the next appointment is right, but that the process is conducted right.
I do not want news of managers being approached then not brought in for interview, I do not want news of managers being approached who then turn us down.
The first real news I want of who it actually is, is when they are as good as at Villa Park ironing out details and are then unveiled. Isn't that how we used to do it?     

[nick harper]

Lerner had first-hand experience of just how bleak things had become on and off the pitch at the club, when he dropped in to Villa Park for the game against Bolton. Villa lost 2-1 and the supporters directed ferocious abuse at McLeish. It was the tipping point for Lerner.

We can only surmise. But I think it is a reasonable assumption that when the full time whistle went the decision was made.
Full marks to Lerner for firing the gun within 24 hours of the seasons end.

Now make sure that not only the next appointment is right, but that the process is conducted right.
I do not want news of managers being approached then not brought in for interview, I do not want news of managers being approached who then turn us down.
The first real news I want of who it actually is, is when they are as good as at Villa Park ironing out details and are then unveiled. Isn't that how we used to do it?     

It's clear the last 10 minutes v Bolton shook the club out of its torpor. It was as hostile an atmosphere as I can remember.

Hopefully, we will look back on those two goals in 60 seconds as a massive turning point for AVFC.

[olaftab]

I would like to see less or no personal abuse towards McLeish. He is  not a **** or other equal terms. No one should blame him for taking the job and the fact that he was  no good. He has been sacked for that and that is it. Move on.... This thread should be locked now?

[Risso]

I would like to see less or no personal abuse towards McLeish. He is  not a **** or other equal terms. No one should blame him for taking the job and the fact that he was  no good. He has been sacked for that and that is it. Move on.... This thread should be locked now?

That's your opinion.  I think he's an absolute c*** personally.  I don't blame him for taking the job, but I do blame him for nearly relegating our club, whilst playing the most mind-numbing football imaginable.  I also blame him for helping to maintain the belief in the press that we didn't accept him because of who he used to manage.

[TimTheVillain]

I would like to see less or no personal abuse towards McLeish. He is  not a **** or other equal terms. No one should blame him for taking the job and the fact that he was  no good. He has been sacked for that and that is it. Move on.... This thread should be locked now?

That's your opinion.  I think he's an absolute c*** personally.  I don't blame him for taking the job, but I do blame him for nearly relegating our club, whilst playing the most mind-numbing football imaginable.  I also blame him for helping to maintain the belief in the press that we didn't accept him because of who he used to manage.

In saying that, I genuinly think he planned on the football doing the talking, which it did in the end.

He's a dreadful Manager in many ways, and he's become wealthy on the back of it, so it's hard to feel sorry for him.

Onwards and upwards - NO MORE MISTAKES RANDY.

[JUAN PABLO]

Its about time the media wrote about the real things and not just the fact that Mcleish was from blues.  Still annoyed it has taken them this long to realise the truth that Mcleish, albeit a good man,  is however a rubbish manager.

Just heard Andy Gray say ' He did lose his goalscorer Bent after a quarter of the season'

Get your facts right Andy . 

[Diablo]

BFR quoted as saying McLeish was treated harshly (although he does make a couple of decent points)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18070294

[cheshire-villa]

‎9 wins in 42 competitive games.
 At just 21.43%, the lowest win ratio of any Villa manager in our entire history.
 37goals in 38 PL games.
38points in 38games - the lowest in the PL era.
 2points ahead of relegated Bolton.
 When will morons like Alan Shearer and the clowns on Talksport realise, it had nothing to do with Mcleish being ex-blues. HE WASNT GOOD ENOUGH

[TonyD]

He didn't stand a chance from the off IMO.

Because he is shit.

[Risso]

BFR quoted as saying McLeish was treated harshly (although he does make a couple of decent points)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18070294

That's disappointing from Ron.  Of course you'd expect most managers to have sympathy with another manager getting the sack, but the Scottish Manager's record was so appalling that to not even mention it is bizarre.  And this statement is just mental:

"If he'd come straight down from Rangers, everyone would have said he's a great signing for them."

Maybe so Ron, but the two relegations and fuck awful football that the Scottish Manager has served up since then should be taken into account, surely?  Or should we give the job to Frank Clark because he got Forest to third once?