AVFC statement - McLeish sacked.

[PaulWinch again]

Mcleish going is important to move us forward. We can follow the approach of trying to make astute signings from the continent, but with a manager who is more adept and more attractive to potential players.

[Mazrim]

If we have a consistent approach to the type of players we should be looking at then the manager isnt so important in terms of being "his" players. That way if a manager doesn't work out we can get another in to play the way we want and he can use the players for the previous managers term without too much grief.

At the moment we're staggering from one confused philosophy to another. There is no consistency.
And if the MO really is just to play the kids coming through and supplement here and there (which is fine) then in the absence of a top manager and footballing director coming in, put Sid and KMac in charge. At least they know the players and won't send the team out with such negativity. Who knows, it might even be entertaining again.

[Brend'Watkins]

Mcleish going is important to move us forward. We can follow the approach of trying to make astute signings from the continent, but with a manager who is more adept and more attractive to potential players.

You're right.

We can all debate about whether AMc is the right or wrong man for the job but I think we'd all agree that he is lacking in the looks department.  Whether that has any impact on potential signings I'm not so sure.

[Concrete John]

If we have a consistent approach to the type of players we should be looking at then the manager isnt so important in terms of being "his" players. That way if a manager doesn't work out we can get another in to play the way we want and he can use the players for the previous managers term without too much grief.

At the moment we're staggering from one confused philosophy to another. There is no consistency.
And if the MO really is just to play the kids coming through and supplement here and there (which is fine) then in the absence of a top manager and footballing director coming in, put Sid and KMac in charge. At least they know the players and won't send the team out with such negativity. Who knows, it might even be entertaining again.

Nothing wrong with that, other than neither Sid or K-Mac striker me as premiership manager types.  Here the blueprint I'd like to see:-
1.  DOF type role to oversee scouting and player recruitment.  Would address the 'football experience' on the board.  Houlklier would have been ideal for this.
2.  Let K-Mac and Sid do what they're good at and coach, providing consistency from youth through to first team level.
3.  Appoint a manager with good tactical and motivational abilities.  He'll be the figurehead/mouthpiece, with a strong support structure behind him, so if/when he leaves the club has no great hole to fill as the coaching and scouting continue.  Maybe someone like Martin Laursen would fit this?

[Vanilla]

AVFC and the fans are stuck in a rut at the moment. That's why the opinions of the manager keep fluctuating wildly.

One minute we scrape a win against Fulham and sign an Australian, and the opinions are 'the team has has good fighting spirit; quality signings like this with the kids coming through and we can move forward etc etc.'

The next we are absolutely dire against Arsenal, and the opinions change to 'This ain't the man to take us forward; we are going backwards; the new breed are abject; free signings will get us nowhere etc etc.' 

It's a 'catch 22' situation, a manager has to have a couple seasons to put his stamp on the team, but in Villa's case, by then it could be too late. 

[jembob]

AVFC and the fans are stuck in a rut at the moment. That's why the opinions of the manager keep fluctuating wildly.

One minute we scrape a win against Fulham and sign an Australian, and the opinions are 'the team has has good fighting spirit; quality signings like this with the kids coming through and we can move forward etc etc.'

The next we are absolutely dire against Arsenal, and the opinions change to 'This ain't the man to take us forward; we are going backwards; the new breed are abject; free signings will get us nowhere etc etc.' 

It's a 'catch 22' situation, a manager has to have a couple seasons to put his stamp on the team, but in Villa's case, by then it could be too late. 

I can't agree that opinions on the manager fluctuate - it's the response the the level of performance and ineptitude for particular games that fluctuate. After this time, I can't believe that there is more than a small percentage of Villa fans that don't want to see the back of Mcleish and the only reason that he has any support seems to be that people don't have a readily available, decent alternative.

[ozzjim]

There is not 1 villa fan that I know that want him in charge this weekend, let alone next season. Even most Blues fans I know, while finding it funny, say if they were us they would want him out as soon as possible.

Paulie - I think more a Spurs approach with younger signings, spend decent money but not masses on youngish players.

[Villanation]

Mcleish going is important to move us forward. We can follow the approach of trying to make astute signings from the continent, but with a manager who is more adept and more attractive to potential players.

You're right.

We can all debate about whether AMc is the right or wrong man for the job but I think we'd all agree that he is lacking in the looks department.  Whether that has any impact on potential signings I'm not so sure.

Well, seriously, would you get in the shower with him after a steamy training session, Ok if your Gabby, but poor old Warnock must have a rectum the size of the channel tunnel by now, so remember this guys next time you start knocking him for getting nutmegged once to often.

[Greg N'Ash]

all very well going with youth players and bringing in cheap players to supplement them, but to do it your youth players have to be 'good'. i think the jury's out on all of them long term currently and if they turn out to be not good enough, we're a shoe-in for relegation. Not much of a Plan B really.

[TonyD]

Apart from the few obvious exceptions most PL managers are charlatans of the highest order that seem to grow rich in the relentless pursuit of failure and mediocrity.  AM is living proof. Your average fan would have done better this season with the squad we have.

[LeeB]

Apart from the few obvious exceptions most PL managers are charlatans of the highest order that seem to grow rich in the relentless pursuit of failure and mediocrity.  AM is living proof. Your average fan would have done better this season with the squad we have.

I'm afraid I have to agree.

[paul_e]

all very well going with youth players and bringing in cheap players to supplement them, but to do it your youth players have to be 'good'. i think the jury's out on all of them long term currently and if they turn out to be not good enough, we're a shoe-in for relegation. Not much of a Plan B really.

It's difficult to judge the kids fairly when they come through a youth and reserve system which relies on one style of football and are being asked to play a different way and often in different positions when they get a chance in the first team.

As I've said many times this is my biggest complaint about McLeish, he's not the right guy to get the reserves and youth playing in the first team, to do that you need a smooth transition and the one thing he will never give us is a first team that play the way our other sides do, which massively devalues the whole setup.

[Greg N'Ash]

all very well going with youth players and bringing in cheap players to supplement them, but to do it your youth players have to be 'good'. i think the jury's out on all of them long term currently and if they turn out to be not good enough, we're a shoe-in for relegation. Not much of a Plan B really.

It's difficult to judge the kids fairly when they come through a youth and reserve system which relies on one style of football and are being asked to play a different way and often in different positions when they get a chance in the first team.

As I've said many times this is my biggest complaint about McLeish, he's not the right guy to get the reserves and youth playing in the first team, to do that you need a smooth transition and the one thing he will never give us is a first team that play the way our other sides do, which massively devalues the whole setup.

I don't think they're ready personally. If we're relying on them over the next 2-3 years its gonna be a bumpy ride IMO. albrighton is a case in point, looked a real prospect but seriously needs to be taken out of the firing line, but thats what happens with kids. Could be Herd next season who has a drop in form. Doesn't help we can't rest them or they're playing in a poor side. a lot of the others we don't even know if they can hold down a place in a premiership side. I agree Mcleish's style of football doesn't suit how they play, but i'd say MON's didn't either (could be why he sold a lot of them). Even so relying on 7/8 kids to come through long term to solve our problems is risky whoever the manager is.

[john e]

all very well going with youth players and bringing in cheap players to supplement them, but to do it your youth players have to be 'good'. i think the jury's out on all of them long term currently and if they turn out to be not good enough, we're a shoe-in for relegation. Not much of a Plan B really.

It's difficult to judge the kids fairly when they come through a youth and reserve system which relies on one style of football and are being asked to play a different way and often in different positions when they get a chance in the first team.

As I've said many times this is my biggest complaint about McLeish, he's not the right guy to get the reserves and youth playing in the first team, to do that you need a smooth transition and the one thing he will never give us is a first team that play the way our other sides do, which massively devalues the whole setup.

I don't think they're ready personally. If we're relying on them over the next 2-3 years its gonna be a bumpy ride IMO. albrighton is a case in point, looked a real prospect but seriously needs to be taken out of the firing line, but thats what happens with kids. Could be Herd next season who has a drop in form. Doesn't help we can't rest them or they're playing in a poor side. a lot of the others we don't even know if they can hold down a place in a premiership side. I agree Mcleish's style of football doesn't suit how they play, but i'd say MON's didn't either (could be why he sold a lot of them). Even so relying on 7/8 kids to come through long term to solve our problems is risky whoever the manager is.

but for every kid who has a blip or a drop in form i would give you one of our so called experiened players, Gabby, N'Zog, Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Petrov, Heskey etc have all showed the same traits of inconsistancy.

i would bet Albrighton in a team playing for the manager and with a bit of confidence would be a totaly different player, actually the player we have seen in glimpses in the past.

what i'm saying is, we look at the youngsters and say 'they arnt ready yet' when we have seasoned proffesionals out on the pitch doing even worse, sometimes playing like absolute crap.

i would be more than happy to take the risk with our younger players as long as we had the right manager to bring them on and get them playing in a style that suits them, which is obviously the key to the whole thing

[Concrete John]

The issue with the kids is not so much relying on them, but being able to use them.  We have limited funds, so why go and spend £5m and £20-30K a week on an average midfielder who is no better then Herd?  What that then does is leave that £5m and £20-30K a week to be used in other areas, such as added to a similar amount earmarked for a striker and then get a £10m and £60k a week man in.  If you look and Man Utd, they really haven't produced their own superstar since the Beckham/Giggs generation, but they've still been able to get the likes of O'Shea out of their accademy, who have filled up squad places.  So that's what I see us doing with our kids - using them and then using the money they save us to make sure we don't rely on them.