It's hit or bust for McLeish next season. So, what's his plan?

[Merv]

I think what will happen is he'll be here three seasons, in which we'll fluctuate between being just above the relegation zone and 10th or so. In that time, we'll stock up on unremarkable players, and play largely safety first, unadventurous football, whilst crowds plonk around the 32k mark.

Three years in, he'll get a little bit too close to the drop for comfort, and get sacked, at which point lots and lots of us (assuming we're still bothered enough to comment at that point) will look at Randy and say "told you so".

I'll go along with that. I can't see the kind of big transfer funds being made available over the next few years to allow McLeish to bring in top-class players who will drive us up to the next level, and I don't believe he's the type of manager who can thrive and succeed with a modest squad. I can see us settling into a Stoke City role, hovering around the middle of the table.

[pauliewalnuts]

No, but there are people that are using it as a justifiable reason for the club making a totally inappropriate appointment of a manager.

And there's the crux.
No matter what the circumstances, no matter how well he does, McLeish has no chance amongst a certain section of our fans, Wonder why.

There should be some sort of law about this, like Godwin's Law, where every discussion of McLeish ends up in a "it's because he came from Small Heath" argument.

The vast majority of those who thought he was a dreadful appointment did so based on the fact he's been relegated in 50% of the seasons he's managed in the Premier League, and had a reputation for playing dreadful, defensive football.

And that's exactly what we've seen for much of the season - dreadful football.

[pauliewalnuts]

His record in Scotland is irrelevant, it means absoloutely nothing with regards to the Premier League, Gordon Strachan was successfull in Scotland,He took Cov down. The place is a backwater in footballing terms.

if we're looking at his record in Scotland, we could also look at the fact he got Rangers third place in a two horse race.

[pauliewalnuts]

1.  Off the top of my head, I cannot think of another club who are having to downsize quite so aggressively.

There's no doubt this is a key factor, and it does Lerner no credit at all in the way he managed the club's finances that we've gone from one extreme to another so quickly, financially.

The problem is that, even with the players we have, McLeish so often manages to make them look like less than the sum of the parts.

The squad he has is far stronger than a lot of the clubs around and above us.

[Dave Cooper please]

His record in Scotland is irrelevant, it means absoloutely nothing with regards to the Premier League, Gordon Strachan was successfull in Scotland,He took Cov down. The place is a backwater in footballing terms.

if we're looking at his record in Scotland, we could also look at the fact he got Rangers third place in a two horse race.

And Motherwell to second in the same two-horse race.

[Villanation]

Firstly, I for one don't believe McLiesh will keep his job simply because if you look at the coming fixtures we are far from safe, this could come down to a must win v Bolton for our Premiership survival, when you put that together with the fact we have exactly the right man for the job to take us down then you realise this season has a long way to go.

Once you have established that fact we then have to consider that our pro active chairman is going to back a manager with hard cash which we will need in bucket loads after the departures and the outcome of this season in the close season, not even Randy can sit there and contemplate that one.

As for what I'm doing in the summer, have a look at England in the championships, its always good for a laugh, try and block out as much as possible the athletic event that's taking place in London, think they are calling it the London Olympics, get some sun with a bit of luck, and wait and see either how we are going to fair in the Championship or on the other hand what our new manager has in store for the club.

[Concrete John]

His record in Scotland is irrelevant, it means absoloutely nothing with regards to the Premier League, Gordon Strachan was successfull in Scotland,He took Cov down. The place is a backwater in footballing terms.

if we're looking at his record in Scotland, we could also look at the fact he got Rangers third place in a two horse race.

Yet when that is mentioned, why do people not acknowledge he also got Motherwell into 2nd in that two horse race they weren't even supposed to be in?  And the two relegations at Blues are balanced by their highest ever PL finish and winning them wining a trophy, and we all know how incredulous that was!

He's had highs and lows as a manager. 

[Concrete John]

Firstly, I for one don't believe McLiesh will keep his job simply because if you look at the coming fixtures we are far from safe, this could come down to a must win v Bolton for our Premiership survival, when you put that together with the fact we have exactly the right man for the job to take us down then you realise this season has a long way to go.

Simple question - do you think we will get relegated this season?

[Rip Van We Go Again]

No, but there are people that are using it as a justifiable reason for the club making a totally inappropriate appointment of a manager.

And there's the crux.
No matter what the circumstances, no matter how well he does, McLeish has no chance amongst a certain section of our fans, Wonder why.

I can't speak for all Villa supporters, but everyone who I know who supports the club says that he's not good enough to manage our club and his style of football is dire.

I also know Blues supporters who said the very same thing that the football was mind numbingly boring.

We're currently in a pathetic position of 15th, he's underperformed and served up Allardyce style football to boot.

If it looks like shit, smells like shit and tastes like shit.
Then it probably is shit.

[Percy McCarthy]

From looking at his CV it's difficult to tell if he's a good or bad manager. His time with us will prove career-defining I think.

[Concrete John]

From looking at his CV it's difficult to tell if he's a good or bad manager. His time with us will prove career-defining I think.

I think this is a good point.

The problem from his, and our, persepctive is that he has financial issues to contend with as well as footballing ones.

[nigel]

Nothing wrong with that as long as there's a set of creative outlets encouraged to go for it.

With all due respect, have you seen who is sat in the dugout pretending to be a manager?

We may have escaped the drop this year but I can see no light at the end of the tunnel.  Given the brief he was given and the deal F'Eck is on there will be no sacking, not even next Christmas, unless we are 10 points adrift at the foot of the table.
I said when he was appointed if not relegated this year then next year, and the only brightness I can see on the horizon is that the promoted clubs will not be as good a vintage as this year's crop and we may have just enough to escape by the skin of our teeth again.

On the other hand, we might slowly improve.

That's the spirit Dante.
I'm going to stick my neck out and say that I reckon next season will see a vast improvement.
We'll have a squad that want to be at Villa.
The deadwood should be gone, AMcL will bring in some decent Bosmans and a couple of decent buys too.
The young guns will be busting a gut to show what they did in the reserves can be repeated in the PL.
We won't win the league, we won't finish in the top 5 either, but I reckon 7th or 8th will be within reach and at a push even the heady heights of 6th again.
There you go, I feel pretty good now. Bring on next season 

[Rip Van We Go Again]

but I reckon 7th or 8th will be within reach and at a push even the heady heights of 6th again.

Kids.

Don't do drugs.

[Concrete John]

but I reckon 7th or 8th will be within reach and at a push even the heady heights of 6th again.

Kids.

Don't do drugs.

I think the top 6 is a stretch, but the players are there for anything below that, if AM can get them 'at it' in a similar way to Newcastle this season.  Obviously, that may change dependent on the summer dealings.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

but I reckon 7th or 8th will be within reach and at a push even the heady heights of 6th again.

Kids.

Don't do drugs.

I think the top 6 is a stretch, but the players are there for anything below that, if AM can get them 'at it' in a similar way to Newcastle this season.  Obviously, that may change dependent on the summer dealings.

Fair point John, it's all down to the quality of the signings we get, but all this talk of Bosmans is a concern.

I also hope we don't leave the squad thin, which seems to be a Villa tradition under most managers.