AVFC statement - McLeish sacked.

[jembob]

It's difficult to get to page 121 of this thread and not repeat what has been said before and I'm sure what I'm about to say has been said many times.

But none of the players seem to have learned from their mistakes this season and I would love to know what they do during the week?

For example, do they practise defending set pieces? McLeish was a centre half, specialises in defensive football, yet we look so frail at the back. Do they practise corners that will beat the first man and find a claret and light blue shirt? Do they try tackling in order to avoiding stupid bookings? Do they try passing to each other? Running off the ball?

None of the above. I don't think that they look particularly fit this year either. Confidence is obviously at a very low ebb within the sqaud at the moment and I'm sure much of this is to do with the lack of preparation, tactics, style etc.
Mcleish has continually moaned about injuries but I have not seen one game this season which suggests that there is any planning and preparation going on in training.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Our board are naive, they're not stupid.

I'm sorry Paul, but employing such an unsuitable and sub standard Manager like McLeish is rank idiocy.
The decisions they have made since O'Neill flounced off go beyond mere naivety.

[garyellis]

I think I have anger management issues when I read articles like that!

You're not the only one. It's a hard job waiting for Alex to be put out of his misery. Unfortunately we'll probably have to wait until after Norwich, but how can you keep on a manager who's scared to leave his dugout because he knows the consequences if he does? How can you keep a manager who will ave such a catastrophic effect on season ticket sales and attendencies? Randy Lerner is NOT that stupid.

One would think..

but needing change and being able to afford change are two different things. Sacking McLeish won't come cheap at a time where financial responsibility is of the utmost importance.

I am betting that McLeish is still our manager at the start of next season.If he is gone after the Norwich game then that's great but i have a sneaking suspicion that he will still be with us. He has done everything that Lerner and Faulkner have asked, sell best players for huge profit, cut the wage bill, use what resources you already have and keep quiet and just be a yes man. Just a feeling.

Again, I'm fed up of reading this.  I just don't understand why so many fans have gone through this revisionism process to make out that this season is exactly what the board were expecting.  It isn't, just look at the comments that were being made around his appointment, the board thought they were getting someone who could belie his poor record across the city and get us back to playing the way mon did.  They saw a guy who organised a solid defence (his record in this regard is good across his career, he's failed with us mainly due to the terrible form of both fullbacks and a 'good for at least one fuck up a game' central pairing) and scored on the counter attack, saw a squad built for that purpose and thought it would be a good fit.  They failed to account for the one thing mon is great at doing, getting players to give 100% week after week.

There is no chance that the board employed him with the idea being that 15th would be seen as an achievement, that idea is such clear nonsense I can't contemplate how so many fans seem to accept it as an irrefutable truth.  Our board are naive, they're not stupid.  I can understand why they thought it would work, and if it had it'd have saved us millions and avoided a full clear out of the playing squad.  The only question now is whether they think he's had enough mitigating factors to deserve the chance to bring in some more of his own players and clear out some deadwood, or if regardless of all that he's not done a good enough job.  I think the fan concerns will play a part as well though and the responses from the call around about season tickets is probably the decider if they can't make a decision otherwise.

Fully agree with this. Personally I fail to see how they think he has done enough and I thought the statement after the Bolton game was pretty damning about it not been good enough. McLeish is obviously going to sit tight and wait for some kind of deal. If he goes he gets a pay off if he stays he has pretty much said he requires access to funds that he did not have at the beginning of the season. I suspect all is not a bed of roses at Villa Park despite the texts from RL. You do not invest £200m and play Russian roulette, no way something has to give and fans voting with their feet will be a factor.

[jembob]

" 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."

Just had a quick look through the CVs of our first team squad and it looks like this:
Shay Given – Full international
Brad Guzan – Full international
Alan Hutton – Full international
Stephen Warnock – Full international
Richard Dunne – Full international (Captain)
James Collins – Full international (Captain)
Charles N’Zogbia – Full international
Stephen Ireland – Full international
Darren Bent – Full international
Emile Heskey – Full international
Gabby Agbonlahor – Full international
Mark Albrighton – International U21
Nathan Delfounesu – International U21
Fabian Delph - 2009: Football League Young Player of the Year
Stiliyan Petrov – Full international (Captain)
Ciaran Clark – Full International (Ireland). Also Captain of England U21
Carlos Cuellar - Clydesdale Bank SPL Player of the Year: 2007–08
Barry Bannan – Full international
Chris Herd – International U20

Plus if you add in a sprinkling of talented young players progressing from the vibrant reserve set up and the squad looks full of talented players. For him to suggest now that he thought this squad would finish 11th or lower is despicable. We didn't really have the flair to crack the top 6, but by executing the basics of the game, this squad should have at least another 15 points.
For a manager used to working with idiots and journeymen players, turning up at BH and finding this array of talent must have seemed like Christmas. It just illustrates what a pathetically dismal job he's done in turning this silk purse into a pig's bollock.

[HalesowenVilla]

I think his latest comments are a clear indication that the clown will be here next season. "I think randy will be pretty pleased with yesterday's outcome. He's been very supportive in texts over the last few days, which indicates great support for me" a piece out the mail today.
That doesnt sound like a man who's been told to keep his head down and pick a team till the end of the season followed by a nice little pay off does it? Im convinced they think he's doing a good job which is frightening to say the least.

[Californian Villain]

]Fully agree with this. Personally I fail to see how they think he has done enough and I thought the statement after the Bolton game was pretty damning about it not been good enough. McLeish is obviously going to sit tight and wait for some kind of deal. If he goes he gets a pay off if he stays he has pretty much said he requires access to funds that he did not have at the beginning of the season. I suspect all is not a bed of roses at Villa Park despite the texts from RL. You do not invest £200m and play Russian roulette, no way something has to give and fans voting with their feet will be a factor.

Why not? It makes just as much sense as several other decisions.

[paul_e]

" 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."

Just had a quick look through the CVs of our first team squad and it looks like this:
Shay Given – Full international
Brad Guzan – Full international
Alan Hutton – Full international
Stephen Warnock – Full international
Richard Dunne – Full international (Captain)
James Collins – Full international
Charles N’Zogbia – Full international
Stephen Ireland – Full international
Darren Bent – Full international
Emile Heskey – Full international
Gabby Agbonlahor – Full international
Mark Albrighton – International U21
Nathan Delfounesu – International U21
Fabian Delph - 2009: Football League Young Player of the Year
Stiliyan Petrov – Full international (Captain)
Ciaran Clark – Full International (Ireland). Also Captain of England U21
Carlos Cuellar - Clydesdale Bank SPL Player of the Year: 2007–08
Barry Bannan – Full international
Chris Herd – International U20

Plus if you add in a sprinkling of talented young players progressing from the vibrant reserve set up and the sqaud looks full of talented players. For him to suggest now that he thought this squad would finish 11th or lower is despicable. We didn't really have the flair to crack the top 6, but by executing the basics of the game, this squad should have at least another 15 points.
For a manager used to working with idiots and journeymen players, turning up at BH and finding this array of talent must have seemed like Christmas. It just illustrates what a pathetically dismal job he's done in turning this silk purse into a pig's bollock.

You're missing:
Jean Makoun - Full international
Eric Lichaj - Full international
Nathan Baker - International U21
Andy Weimann - International U21
Ben Seigrist - International U21
Gary Gardner - International U19 (and subsequently U21)

Quick edit:  Delph is capped at england U21 as well

and a handful of other U16, U18 and U19 international prospects.  And even then I'm worried I've missed a few major ones.

[Shrek]

I'm sorry but the board are Stupid.

ANYBODY who knows anything about football knows Alex McLeish is not a good manager, does not play good football and is incredibly negative.

It was obvious to the whole football world that the appointment wouldn't work, his one good season with blues was down to an outstanding season by the goal keeper of the year Joe Hart, who saved them easily 10-15 points that season.

I'm confident from the statement last week that he will be gone, my only worry is who will they appoint next because they haven't got a clue.

[Legion]

They could hardly do any worse.

[villa `cross the mersey]

What price another letter of recommendation from Old Trafford and in walks Steve Bruce?

[Ad@m]

" 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."

Just had a quick look through the CVs of our first team squad and it looks like this:
Shay Given – Full international
Brad Guzan – Full international
Alan Hutton – Full international
Stephen Warnock – Full international
Richard Dunne – Full international (Captain)
James Collins – Full international (Captain)
Charles N’Zogbia – Full international
Stephen Ireland – Full international
Darren Bent – Full international
Emile Heskey – Full international
Gabby Agbonlahor – Full international
Mark Albrighton – International U21
Nathan Delfounesu – International U21
Fabian Delph - 2009: Football League Young Player of the Year
Stiliyan Petrov – Full international (Captain)
Ciaran Clark – Full International (Ireland). Also Captain of England U21
Carlos Cuellar - Clydesdale Bank SPL Player of the Year: 2007–08
Barry Bannan – Full international
Chris Herd – International U20

Plus if you add in a sprinkling of talented young players progressing from the vibrant reserve set up and the squad looks full of talented players. For him to suggest now that he thought this squad would finish 11th or lower is despicable. We didn't really have the flair to crack the top 6, but by executing the basics of the game, this squad should have at least another 15 points.
For a manager used to working with idiots and journeymen players, turning up at BH and finding this array of talent must have seemed like Christmas. It just illustrates what a pathetically dismal job he's done in turning this silk purse into a pig's bollock.

I agree with the conclusion that AML has massively underachieved this season but I do always wonder what calling a player who has played once for his national team a 'full international' proves.

Given the multi-national nature of the Premier League I'd imagine the majority of Premier League clubs could put out 11 internationals on a regular basis.  It doesn't necessarily mean those players are any good (Alan Hutton and Stephen Warnock spring to mind).

[ozzjim]

If I had to stick money on it I would lump it on Curbishley, which while being about as unexciting as it gets, would be miles better than Eck

[Whiney MacWhineface]

If I had to stick money on it I would lump it on McLeish. The thought fills me with dread, but that's where I think everything (except logic and understanding) is pointing.

[Risso]

If I had to stick money on it I would lump it on McLeish. The thought fills me with dread, but that's where I think everything (except logic and understanding) is pointing.

Our board and logic and understanding are uneasy bedfellows.

[garyellis]

]Fully agree with this. Personally I fail to see how they think he has done enough and I thought the statement after the Bolton game was pretty damning about it not been good enough. McLeish is obviously going to sit tight and wait for some kind of deal. If he goes he gets a pay off if he stays he has pretty much said he requires access to funds that he did not have at the beginning of the season. I suspect all is not a bed of roses at Villa Park despite the texts from RL. You do not invest £200m and play Russian roulette, no way something has to give and fans voting with their feet will be a factor.

Why not? It makes just as much sense as several other decisions.

I agree to most of us the decision making looks poor and the lack of football knowledge on the Board has already been debated. The point is they believed they were making an informed decision, they did not expect to escape relegation by the thinnest of margins. They believed McLeish would do better given the quality within the squad. In no way am I defending how they came to that conclusion but what I am saying is it was not random. Unfortunately all the stats point to it being the wrong call and the aftermath does not leave the present manager with any goodwill from the supporters. That is not a good position to be in and to adopt a bunker mentality to me is beyond any sort of reasoning. McLeish's position is untenable they will have to act.