It's not Sherwood!

[Mister E]

I do wonder about Lambert at the moment. Seriously. What is he thinking watching a breath of fresh air coming in and seeing these previously hamstrung group playing with freedom. Does he feel cheated? Does he realise that he was getting too far into the wood to see the trees around him?

yeah, I was thinking something similar.
TS's brashness is somewhat accentuated by the withdrawn attitude of the last two managers - it's all relative. Football managers do have that real delicate balance between being confident and assertive vs being arrogant and over-the-top. Given the precarious nature of their employment, they are bound to be somewhat Alpha in style.

[Jimbo]

I do wonder about Lambert at the moment. Seriously. What is he thinking watching a breath of fresh air coming in and seeing these previously hamstrung group playing with freedom. Does he feel cheated? Does he realise that he was getting too far into the wood to see the trees around him?

He's probably sitting on his solid gold Chesterfield, chucking wads of Scottish banknotes on the fire, eating deep-fried swan, thinking: "How did I hoodwink them for so long?"

[Toronto Villa]

Depends on how accountable he feels. If he is still coming out with the same bollocks about nobody knowing what was going on behind the scenes then he'll remain in denial that where we ended up had nothing to do with him. I hope he's enjoying us winning again. But he's probably blaming the players for letting him down.

[silhillvilla]

Ultimately Lambert lost control and respect . He needs to reflect on that. I doubt he will.

[Dante Lavelli]

A significant thing for me was that he failed to recognise (or to convince Fox) that he needed help from an assistant manager and decent coaches.  If he was denied the coaches by Fox (or whoever) then he was probably pretty resigned to losing his job eventually and was waiting for the chop in order to get the maximum pay-off.

...The problem is that he may have dented his reputation quite significantly whereas going out in a blaze of glory and revealing this (assumption) then he might be more employable.

[Damo70]

I don't think it is a case of where it all went wrong with Lambert. It was never right it the first place. Certain victories and odd bursts of form seemed bigger than they were because they stood out amongst all of the rubbish we had to put up with.

[silhillvilla]

Couldn't agree more. Look at his very first game a lacklustre 0-1 loss at West Ham. Things only really got worse from there onwards .

[peter w]

Couldn't agree more. Look at his very first game a lacklustre 0-1 loss at West Ham. Things only really got worse from there onwards .

I was thinking about that very game recently. Really looked forward to it and went to a mate's place with beers in hand to celebrate the new Villa. We were dreadful and ordinary. I was telling myself, and him, that it was a typical first game performance but I was worried deep down. We were just horrible to watch.

[LeeB]

Couldn't agree more. Look at his very first game a lacklustre 0-1 loss at West Ham. Things only really got worse from there onwards .

The Everton game the following week was the sign of things to come, we were hopelessly outclassed.

[brian green]

My guess is that he is deeply embittered towards Randy Lerner.   Just like TSM1 he was in awe of Lerner being an American billionaire and went out of his way to assure the owner that his investment was safe in his hands.   To that end Premiership survival became the be all and end all of his plans.   Lerner clearly like both of the TSMs and they repaid him with slavish negativity.   If he stays Lerner will probably grow to hate Sherwood because Sherwood will be cheeky and gobby and disrespectful and if challenged will not say "whatever you say Mr Lerner" he will say "what do you know about football?"

[silhillvilla]

Very good point Brian. I'd add the 2 TSM's were Lerner appointments, sherwood was very much a Fox decision.

[Toronto Villa]

I don't think he will Brian. I think he'd be just as respectful. Sherwood might be cocky and brash but he has come off as being very respectful to the club, fans, history and those who have employed him. I think he is most grateful at getting his first proper job, and I mean that in the sense that he was seen as a stand in at Spurs. He'll also know that in the event of a takeover he'll be on the hotseat as the new bloke might want to bring in someone else. He'll want to keep a good relationship with the boardroom whether he thinks he knows more about football or actual does know more it than them.

[brian green]

Agree TV it was hyperbole to suggest he will be disrespectful.  He obviously will not be, but Randy would find him much less of a cap doffer than the TSMs and that can only be good for the club and, if he stays, good for the owner.   Playing the amateur psychoanalyst I think Randy was deeply hurt by MON.   He took it very personally so when he got not one but two loyal Scots who wanted to be no more than John Browns to his Queen Victoria he took to them both and they to him.   

[OCD]

He certainly seems to have a type does Randy as he was desperate to bring Moyes in on a couple of occasions too.

[pelty]

Very good point Brian. I'd add the 2 TSM's were Lerner appointments, sherwood was very much a Fox decision.

Brian's point is nonsense and worthy of no further comment. It ought to be noted that Fox was very much Lerner's decision, for better or worse. The first TSM was a hire not worthy of any defense because it was an idiotic decision; the second was one that many saw as a good hire, so it is a bit disingenuous to lay the "blame" at Lerner's feet... and to say nothing of Faulkner who was very much involved in that hire.