AVFC statement - McLeish sacked.

[German James]

It's kind of funny that when you were linked with Benitez (a two time European champion) at the start of the season you were too good for him, and now you're facing possible relegation with a manager you think isn't good enough for you.

It's BECAUSE the manager isn't good enough that we're struggling at the moment... But thanks for your input, and well done in getting your carer to type it for you.

[Monty]

It's kind of funny that when you were linked with Benitez (a two time European champion) at the start of the season you were too good for him, and now you're facing possible relegation with a manager you think isn't good enough for you.

Ouch man, that cut deep, that cut real deep. I'll never be the same after that. I'm questioning my whole belief system now I've been so thoroughly zinged.

[garyshawsknee]

It's kind of funny that when you were linked with Benitez (a two time European champion) at the start of the season you were too good for him, and now you're facing possible relegation with a manager you think isn't good enough for you.

It's BECAUSE the manager isn't good enough that we're struggling at the moment... But thanks for your input, and well done in getting your carer to type it for you.

It's amazing what they can train chimps to do these days.

[caster troy]

So Keane likes him, so what? In my experience some of the worst performing people managers are popular with staff because they are too nice and let them get away with murder. The main consideration is the view of the customers and in this case they aren't happy.

It's not surprising really, he regularly tells us the teams performances are acceptable when they aren't so I assume he tells them the same.

[KevinGage]

Not sure it was a case of too good for him.

Rather a case that another control freak of a manager, who would want shitloads to spend might not be a perfect fit for us. Particularly seeing as we weren't even in Europe.   

Sorta negates his biggest selling point, no?

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

It's kind of funny that when you were linked with Benitez (a two time European champion) at the start of the season you were too good for him, and now you're facing possible relegation with a manager you think isn't good enough for you.

It's BECAUSE the manager isn't good enough that we're struggling at the moment... But thanks for your input, and well done in getting your carer to type it for you.

It's amazing what they can train chimps to do these days.

Not training. The infinite bluenose monkey theorem states that a bluenose hitting keys at random on a typewriter keyboard for an infinite amount of time will almost surely type a given text, such as a  legible comment on H & V. We await the complete works of Shakespeare. 

[JUAN PABLO]

The amount of people who have said to me today 'Villa are well in the shit now with Bent injured '   I replied we were in the shit with a fit Bent as the manager does not know how to play him but they all agreed AMC is a awful manager . These ex pro's and media people saying he is a good manager and needs to get his own players in , absolutely scares me.

[TheSandman]

The people in the media always say that so and so is a good manager. Irrespective of who it is or how terrible they are. They probably want to ensure they have a comfortable time at any pressers.

[cdward]

Randy needs to be at the games before this will end.  I wonder does he even watch all the games via AVTV or iraqi goals. I didn't watch the Wigan game, it is one of the few i have missed this season.
When i heard the result, i was disappointed, when i started reading the feedback on here, i knew it was bad. I didn't concern myself with it until i saw the highlights on MOTD and it didn't come across as badly as everyone was making out. Now i know what it was really like, having spoken to mates who were there, but the point is if the manager is ready with the excuses, backed up by the players, and the chairman only sees some edited highlights, it masks the real problems. The chairman then puts trust in his staff to advise him, step forward Paul Faulkner who must have been involved in the deal to bring McL here, so he is not going to admit to another balls up. So then it seems to the outside world that the fans are only moaning because we have a nose managing us, not because he is out of his depth.
I see this dragging on until next season unless Randy starts to see what we all see, which is difficult from the other side of the atlantic.

[Eigentor]

Not sure it was a case of too good for him.

Rather a case that another control freak of a manager, who would want shitloads to spend might not be a perfect fit for us. Particularly seeing as we weren't even in Europe.   

Sorta negates his biggest selling point, no?

Still, Benitez has a CV that most other contenders this summer struggled to match. On his day one of the best tacticians in the game, a much better transfer record than he is credited for, and winning trophies wherever he has been. The only reason he has a slightly iffy reputation is his final season at Liverpool (when the clueless Americans had his arms tied behind his back) and that Fergie's media mates lampooned him after his so-called 'rant' (which, contrary to myth, didn't affect his team's performance).

Still, a reason for caution is his history of quarrels with his superiors. That was the case at Valencia, with Rick Parry at Liverpool and his successor (whose name I don't remember). How much patience would the Spaniard had with Faulkner's lack of football know-how and Lerner's austerity regime? My feeling is that result could very well have been a civil war with Rafa openly criticising the club, and performances and results suffering badly as a result.

Even so, it's hard to make the case that Rafa's the wrong man for the club when Big Eck supposedly is the right.

[hawkeye]

It's kind of funny that when you were linked with Benitez (a two time European champion) at the start of the season you were too good for him, and now you're facing possible relegation with a manager you think isn't good enough for you.

If you are going to come on here on a wind up I suggest you get your facts straight, I dont think any one said Benitez we were too good for benitez, your second point is correct

[KevinGage]

Wouldn't disagree with most of that.

But wasn't it a case that he was keen on the job - until he was made aware of the constraints vis a vis wage bill and transfer budget- and had a change of heart?

That's how it was reported on the day he pulled out of discussions, so -if true- it was more a case of us cramping his style rather than the other way around and us being too good for him.

I do think it takes a particularly divisive individual to fritter away the advantage the Redscouse had when it came to being a top 4 side for years though.  To finish 7th with the players they had and the money he spent (and despite Laurel and Hardy in the boardroom he did spend a fair whack) takes some doing.

[WarleyWonder]

It really really fucking annoys me that the media think we are fed up with Mcleish because he came from them. It's because we don't fucking win and we play horrible horrible football, that's why he needs to go. I couldn't give a fuck about it coming from them.

Well said could not agree more glad more people are finally agreeing with the fans who never ever wanted him and not just because of where he came from AM is bringing our famous club down to his level.

[Eigentor]

I do think it takes a particularly divisive individual to fritter away the advantage the Redscouse had when it came to being a top 4 side for years though.  To finish 7th with the players they had and the money he spent (and despite Laurel and Hardy in the boardroom he did spend a fair whack) takes some doing.

Agreed. Even so, in his penultimate season, when he spent his energy managing the team, he came close to making Liverpool the best team in the Premiership, which is quite impressive given the set of constraints he worked under (I'm not only talking about the owners, but also Liverpool's belief that they should be title contenders no matter how good their team is). In his final season, he spent his energy fighting his bosses, and was a failure. So whether we would have got Benitez the manager or Benitez the office warrior matters quite a lot, in my opinion. Given the current set-up at Villa, there is a considerable risk that we would have got the latter.

[Vanilla]

It really really fucking annoys me that the media think we are fed up with Mcleish because he came from them. It's because we don't fucking win and we play horrible horrible football, that's why he needs to go. I couldn't give a fuck about it coming from them.

Well said could not agree more glad more people are finally agreeing with the fans who never ever wanted him and not just because of where he came from AM is bringing our famous club down to his level.

I think as achievements go, the manager must be congratulated on bringing us down to his level in such a short space of time.