AVFC statement - McLeish sacked.

[PaulWinch again]

Everything he comes out with is embarrassingly delusional, just fuck off Alex you are a joke.

[Steve67]

With proper planning you've done well?  Three relegation scraps in fours years? Unless of course, that's what you've planned for?

Please don't waste our time flouting your Scottish football CV because we all know that their league is the equivalent of League One. Perhaps that's the sort of standard where you belong.  Such utter rubbish.

[Toronto Villa]

with proper planning means that he didn't properly plan this season. I don't really care about the ones before. This is the biggest job he is ever going to get and if what he is saying suggests he didn't take it seriously then he should be ashamed.

[TheEgo]

I'm still holding out in hope of a buy out. The remit was to keep us in the premier league, full stop. Now we're safe the Arabs can ride into town and save the day. Hence Randy being really pleased and McCleish wanting a crack at the "big time" a man can hope right?!......

[caster troy]

Everything he comes out with is embarrassingly delusional, just fuck off Alex you are a joke.

And we only hear from him once or twice a week, imagine having him as your boss, working with him day in day out.

[VillaAlways]

" when I assessed the squad at the start of the season I thought there was a possibility of being in the lower half of the table. Despite the name Aston Villa, it comes down to depth, strength of squad and quality."

I specifically remember when he took the job him saying that he had and I quote "a cracking squad here" The man is an out and out liar

[PaulWinch again]

" when I assessed the squad at the start of the season I thought there was a possibility of being in the lower half of the table. Despite the name Aston Villa, it comes down to depth, strength of squad and quality."

I specifically remember when he took the job him saying that he had and I quote "a cracking squad here" The man is an out and out liar

Excuse ridden bollocks as usual, he's a joke. 'Possibility of lower half' is also not very nearly relegated.

[James]

From Sporting Life, with an outrageous quote from Merse included:

Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish will demand a big improvement from his players next season after effectively making sure of avoiding relegation from the Barclays Premier League with one game remaining.

Villa's 1-1 home draw with Tottenham on Sunday lifted them three points clear of Bolton and there would have to be an unlikely 17-goal swing on the final day for the midlands club to go down.

McLeish can point to a shortage of experience, a lengthy injury list, blooding too many youngsters and having to drastically reduce the wage bill as mitigating circumstances.

But the former Birmingham boss will still expect better during 2012/13.

He said: "We are assessing next season. It's all been ongoing. We've been assessing it every single week. We've got to start putting a plan of action in place.

"Listen, I have taken a lot of weight on my shoulders this season. I was happy to take pressure off the players.

"I am not going to again next season though. They had better get their finger out.

"We've had to be in a bit of a dogfight all season.

"Our early-season form wasn't too bad but, since the New Year, we've had problems to contend with injury-wise.

"To lose two of your most experienced players (Darren Bent and Richard Dunne) for such a long time will hurt any team."

McLeish has struggled to win over the Villa fans and there were again calls for his sacking in some quarters after Sunday's clash with Harry Redknapp's side.

But he said: "I think the Villa fans in general have been excellent. I met some nice people at the end-of-season dinner the other night.

"I felt the guys I met were genuine, they knew what I was working with. If I get that kind of understanding, then great."

McLeish added: "I would certainly look to be strengthening the squad for next season.

"This season we have taken the plunge into the reduction of wages. It's hopefully helped the finances a little bit.

"It has put us through the mill, no doubt about it, but we're planning and we can rise. At clubs I've worked with before, with proper planning, we've done well.

"If I can go through that this season, I will have to have a crack at the big time and try and enhance the quality of the squad.

"At the end of the day, it's down to the players."

McLeish received backing from Redknapp who said: "Alex has had a hard season here. The league is getting tougher, everyone is having a go.

"They need to have a bit of a go next year to try and get back to where they were to give Alex a chance otherwise it's a hard.

"Villa keep producing good young players and have got a fantastic youth set-up.

"But Alex needs one or two players to strengthen his team."

Former Villa midfielder Paul Merson claimed: "If Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho or Arsene Wenger were in charge, Villa would still be where they are."

[PaulWinch again]

That is an horrendous article.

[Jimbo]

Good heavens.

[danlanza]

Is Merson for real or is he taking the piss?

[old man villa fan]

From Sporting Life, with an outrageous quote from Merse included:

Former Villa midfielder Paul Merson claimed: "If Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho or Arsene Wenger were in charge, Villa would still be where they are."

The football fraternity defending one of their own.

The only critical analysis you get these days from the media is where the person is not an ex player.  Even then there are only a few that give deep unbiased analysis.

[Clampy]

I love Merse but blimey how many had he had to drink when he said that? What a nonsense thing to say. No wonder he did'nt suceed as a manager.

[Californian Villain]

Former Villa midfielder Paul Merson claimed: "If Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho or Arsene Wenger were in charge, Villa would still be where they are."

I think he means the club would still be located in B6....which is probably true.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

"If Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho or Arsene Wenger were in charge, Villa would still be where they are."

So sad to see that he's clearly back on the bottle.