AVFC statement - McLeish sacked.

[Monty]

If we are going to go a different route and someone with a good standing in the game isn't available, then I'd rather give it to a rising name like Poyet, Rodgers, Lambert etc or someone from the continent and give them a contract that allows them the freedom to truly build something at what still is a very big football club.

One of the plus points of this appointment is the board would really have to go some to make an even worse one next time.

Make a chart of all the managers outside of the elite clubs in the top 4/5 foreign leagues, stick a pin in it and chances are you'll get a better candidate than McLeish.

Probably not the most thorough or scientific way of selecting a manager, true.  But it's about as credible as Lerner's rationale. Namely, that the wee ginger scab had always said nice things about the club whilst B-lose manager.  And Fergie likes him.

I'd look at German candidates. A fair few good, young-ish, progressive, forward thinking managers there. Obviously the big 2, Klopp and Low, are out of our reach, but there are others. And their English is likely to be very good as well.

[villadelph]

Unless there's another magical shot up to 9th I can't see Randy sticking with McLiesh now. There needs to be a mass uprising if you all want something to be done. These 500 man protests are child's play.

[KevinGage]

German or Dutch would be the obvious ones.

But even a manager/ coach of a mid ranking>lower half French side will probably have a better grasp of tactics, defensive organisation and so forth.    Our vulnerability from set pieces hasn't improved this year.  Post match, McLeish has often said there's not much else he could have done.  And I for one believe him. He's probably operating at the very top of his game, stretching every sinew when it comes to imagination and inspiration. But it's still nowhere near good enough.  So we don't need to look hard for reasons to fire him. He's virtually talked himself out of the job these past few weeks.  At any normal club anyroad.

[MonsXI]

Unless there's another magical shot up to 9th I can't see Randy sticking with McLiesh now. There needs to be a mass uprising if you all want something to be done. These 500 man protests are child's play.

Really? I think Lerner will be pretty happy with staying up and the reduction in wage bill for last year to this. Let's face it Lerner didn't bring in Mcleish to push for Europe, he knows that Mcleish won't moan about lack of funds and he'll keep trotting out in front of the press ruing our bad luck etc. Also with Mcleish being hated by so many fans he take the heat of Lerner and Faulkner who have been downgrading the ambitions of the club for a few years.

[Toronto Villa]

German or Dutch would be the obvious ones.

But even a manager/ coach of a mid ranking>lower half French side will probably have a better grasp of tactics, defensive organisation and so forth.    Our vulnerability from set pieces hasn't improved this year.  Post match, McLeish has often said there's not much else he could have done.  And I for one believe him. He's probably operating at the very top of his game, stretching every sinew when it comes to imagination and inspiration. But it's still nowhere near good enough.  So we don't need to look hard for reasons to fire him. He's virtually talked himself out of the job these past few weeks.  At any normal club anyroad.

The set piece thing is as much a mystery as it is a disaster. McLeish's defence was never this bad at Blues, but then again he bought both of those CB's. You would think he could transfer this to the current lot, but maybe now.

Agree on possible places to look for new coaches. I certainly am not advocating just British talent if something better or equivalent exists on the continent.

[Toronto Villa]

Nothing is constant Risso. The days weren't always dark under Doug. I bet Newcastle fans thought like you do under Ashley, that following relegation it would be hell forever. The one thing we know is that nothing stays the same. I'm optimistic that things will improve. Prospective managers will all come with the ambition to make us great again. That has always been one of the great selling points of Aston Villa.

We haven't managed to tempt anybody in a decent job the last two times, and things are now even worse on the financial front.  It's nice to look at things through rose-tinted spectacles when it comes to Villa, but the reality is we're not seen as a big club by most people any more. 

Not looking at through rose tinted glasses at all. Attracting Paul Lambert or a Brendan Rodgers or some up and comer from thr continent isn't the same as getting a Villas-Boas. We're certainly in the category below from that perspective. But to those types of manager we'd be an attractive option. Just because you are pissed off with the current board, doesn't mean those within the game would consider us toxic at all. We'll have to disagree on the Houllier appointment then as well. He was a very established name within the game and irrespective of how the hiring took place, it was still a good acheievement by the club given the season had already begun.

[SoccerHQ]

I think he's taking us down. Not this season, but likely next.

I am left wondering what on earth the boards plan was?

Me too. This season is reminiscent of 05-06 under O'Dreary and Ellis. I think we'd have gone down the following season if the takeover hadn't occured.

McLeish should be sent packing in the summer. The sad thing is I don't have much faith in Randy coming up with a better alternative.

[SoccerHQ]

German or Dutch would be the obvious ones.

But even a manager/ coach of a mid ranking>lower half French side will probably have a better grasp of tactics, defensive organisation and so forth.    Our vulnerability from set pieces hasn't improved this year.  Post match, McLeish has often said there's not much else he could have done.  And I for one believe him. He's probably operating at the very top of his game, stretching every sinew when it comes to imagination and inspiration. But it's still nowhere near good enough.  So we don't need to look hard for reasons to fire him. He's virtually talked himself out of the job these past few weeks.  At any normal club anyroad.

The set piece thing is as much a mystery as it is a disaster. McLeish's defence was never this bad at Blues, but then again he bought both of those CB's. You would think he could transfer this to the current lot, but maybe now.

Agree on possible places to look for new coaches. I certainly am not advocating just British talent if something better or equivalent exists on the continent.

The second corner we conceded from yesterday was a complete shambles.

IMO Heskey was brought on at 2-2 to protect us from Chelsea pushing to win the game through corners and high balls.

Remember when Carew was here. He always used to stand by the near post and would flick away any low flying corners from the opposition.

I expected Heskey to be in that position but instead he ended up towards the back post (watch this again tonight). Ivanovic's header just crept inside the near post aswell. If someone had been on the line, they'd have headed it away.

That's what I don't get about McLeish. He gets panned for being defensive but all season we've given away cheap goals from corners through basic marking.

McLeish commented on this in mid October when we lost to Man. City and lost two goals from corners. Five months later and it's still costing us games.

He really needs to get the boot, the football is joyless and the negative defensive things that are supposed to be his forte, he's crap at.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't think it is being defensive that McLeish gets panned for, it is being negative.

if he were being defensive, you'd think he'd have some idea how to make it work. For all his use of Heskey in situations as described above, how many times has it actually worked? Has it ever worked?

[Legion]

I don't think it is being defensive that McLeish gets panned for, it is being negative.

Agreed. Boring, sterile football.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't think it is being defensive that McLeish gets panned for, it is being negative.

Agreed. Boring, sterile football.

Which is exactly what we all knew we'd get this season, and what we know we will get next season, too.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

The side looks very unadventureous, as i've said before, the creative players seem to be unwilling to roam out of what seems a pre ordained zone worked out for them by the coaching staff.

Why can everybody see what a disaster it all is except for Eckythump and Blandy Lerner?

[MonsXI]

I don't think it is being defensive that McLeish gets panned for, it is being negative.

Agreed. Boring, sterile football.

Precisely, I'd take being on the same points in the same position if we we're trying to play some decent attacking football but we're not and lets face it nobodies surprised.

[Cuz]

Correct he must go he has not improved what has been going wrong all season so i have to ask what is he doing on the  training ground ?how he got the job is a mystery!
However his confidence can't be great at the moment as this is a bit similar to when he took the Blues down with a bit of a push he may jump......fingers crossed

[SoccerHQ]

Correct he must go he has not improved what has been going wrong all season so i have to ask what is he doing on the  training ground ?how he got the job is a mystery!
However his confidence can't be great at the moment as this is a bit similar to when he took the Blues down with a bit of a push he may jump......fingers crossed

He only resigned from SHA as he couldn't believe his luck we wanted him so it was an amazing escape opportunity. Otherwise he'd have stayed, they'd have probably been knocked out of europe early and been mid table in the championshp and he'd have been sacked by now there.

There's no prospect of a better side than us wanting him this summer so he'll be staying until told otherwise.