Remi Garde - Departs Aston Villa

[paul_e]

Thing is, if we've decided to keep our powder dry for the January window because we're 10 points behind and couldn't attract our top choices then I'm fine with this - but ONLY if Remi Garde has understood and agreed to this policy. 

However, if the Club has pulled the rug from under him and changed strategy WITHOUT Remi's understanding and agreement then I think he'll walk.  In fact taking off my Villa supporters hat, I think he should walk.

Problem is, you could read Garde's comments a number of ways.  And you could read his body language a number of ways. Pissed off yes, but pissed off at what, the general situation? the players who told him they'd come? the players agents who upped the wage demands at the last minute? the Club for not backing him? some of the above? or all of the above?

It easy (too fucking easy with this mob) to immediately believe its incompetence on behalf of the transfer committee and the Board - and McGrath knows they've been culpable in the past.  But let's cool down and not jump to too many conclusions until we've heard another press conference from RG.   

It might be as simple as us making offers for the players he really wanted and none of the fuckers wanted to sign.  So we didn't want to throw money at the 2nd/3rd string options.  You see, I can totally understand that.

Anyway, that's my straw I'm clutching at because if we lost Garde over this - well that just cannot be allowed to happen.  I do know one thing though, we need him more than he needs us right now.

Spot on, not sure this is the right crowd though.

I think it's very easy to see no signings and just assume that the board have refused to spend money, and once a handful of people say as much it becomes fact without there being any evidence to support it.  I personally believe that Garde decided to prioritise Doumbia and Kalinic and his disappointment is that neither of those came off and then he didn't have time to find replacements.  I just don't hear the hatred of the board that so many have picked up in his press conference, but then I wasn't listening to it waiting for that.

[MattW]

Thing is, if we've decided to keep our powder dry for the January window because we're 10 points behind and couldn't attract our top choices then I'm fine with this - but ONLY if Remi Garde has understood and agreed to this policy. 

However, if the Club has pulled the rug from under him and changed strategy WITHOUT Remi's understanding and agreement then I think he'll walk.  In fact taking off my Villa supporters hat, I think he should walk.

Problem is, you could read Garde's comments a number of ways.  And you could read his body language a number of ways. Pissed off yes, but pissed off at what, the general situation? the players who told him they'd come? the players agents who upped the wage demands at the last minute? the Club for not backing him? some of the above? or all of the above?

It easy (too fucking easy with this mob) to immediately believe its incompetence on behalf of the transfer committee and the Board - and McGrath knows they've been culpable in the past.  But let's cool down and not jump to too many conclusions until we've heard another press conference from RG.   

It might be as simple as us making offers for the players he really wanted and none of the fuckers wanted to sign.  So we didn't want to throw money at the 2nd/3rd string options.  You see, I can totally understand that.

Anyway, that's my straw I'm clutching at because if we lost Garde over this - well that just cannot be allowed to happen.  I do know one thing though, we need him more than he needs us right now.

I had almost the exact same view, until I read the Telegraph story by John Percy. It clearly wasn't just an interpretation of Garde's quotes like the other pieces may have been. He'd clearly been backgrounded on the specifics of some deals, and how they'd collapsed.

The straw I'm still clinging to is that Garde is giving notice that the summer window is their last chance to back him. I think Garde is a man of particular integrity and wants to finish the job of trying to rescue the club this season because someone has to and it's the right thing to do.

The players have to back him with a gutsy performance against West Ham. The problem is that when i think of who those players might be, i struggle. Gana, Lescott, Okore... Lyden?

[Jimbo]

Quite right, Paulie. It's not spending money that has fucked us. It's spending money badly on the wrong people.

Now we have a manager who appears to have a brain, perhaps we should trust in his judgement and let him bring in who he thinks might help us at least try to get out of this mess.

Be under no illusions, the same idiocy that has sent us crashing out of the Premier League is the same idiocy that will see us struggle in the Championship. 

[Dave]

Thing is, if we've decided to keep our powder dry for the January window because we're 10 points behind and couldn't attract our top choices then I'm fine with this - but ONLY if Remi Garde has understood and agreed to this policy. 

However, if the Club has pulled the rug from under him and changed strategy WITHOUT Remi's understanding and agreement then I think he'll walk.  In fact taking off my Villa supporters hat, I think he should walk.

Problem is, you could read Garde's comments a number of ways.  And you could read his body language a number of ways. Pissed off yes, but pissed off at what, the general situation? the players who told him they'd come? the players agents who upped the wage demands at the last minute? the Club for not backing him? some of the above? or all of the above?

It easy (too fucking easy with this mob) to immediately believe its incompetence on behalf of the transfer committee and the Board - and McGrath knows they've been culpable in the past.  But let's cool down and not jump to too many conclusions until we've heard another press conference from RG.   

It might be as simple as us making offers for the players he really wanted and none of the fuckers wanted to sign.  So we didn't want to throw money at the 2nd/3rd string options.  You see, I can totally understand that.

Anyway, that's my straw I'm clutching at because if we lost Garde over this - well that just cannot be allowed to happen.  I do know one thing though, we need him more than he needs us right now.

Great post.

[NeilH]

Given that Fox had travelled over to the US to talk transfer targets with Lerner, clearly something changed from that moment to the inactivity of last night. My guess is that following our failure to have a new managerial bounce, coupled with the inability to shift the likes of N’Zogbia, Hollis simply refuse to sanction spending a single penny and opted to hunker down until August.
In my mind it is testament to those running the club that they would perceive a lack of managerial bounce to be squarely Garde’s fault and to punish him accordingly. Like Lambert before him, they want the manager to take all the flak while they sit high up in the Trinity Rd.
In their eyes, it’s ok for the club to wave a white flag, but they command and expect the loyalty of us fans. It’s an absolute sh*t storm and it’s raining down on us.

[andyh]

I don't think anyone can say whether Hollis is wrong or right.
That's because the bloke speaks in riddles and 'corporate speak' bollocks.

If he thinks he knows what the problems are or where they stem from and what the direction is, then just come out and fucking say it.

At the moment, the ambiguous shit he comes out with, makes him look as big a twat as his boss.

[TonyD]

We needed a striker and didn't get one.   Either way either Garde or the board dropped the ball.  They should have had many options to aim at so they ended up with at least one striker.  The fact we ended up with no striker speaks volumes.    You need go after several options and didn't hear us linked to diddly.  With this shower you will never know which dumbo fell asleep at the wheel.

[Villa in Denmark]

Hollis is right, if the question is about the troubles of the last five years, then the answer is not just to spend money.

If the question is how to get out of this mess right now, though, then he's wrong, the answer is to spend money - to strengthen the squad. Anyone who has watched us this season can see what a difference options up front would make.

There's no guarantee that spending money would save us, but not spending any at all guarantees we will go down.

Still, how would you expect someone who is not a football man to understand that? Why would you feel you have to persuade someone like that to take the job and then drop them in to it halfway through the window?

Randy's most damaging weakness is his tendency to make awful appointments. If this mess is Hollis's doing, then he just looks like another poor appointment to me.

This club is going to remain moribund and dysfunctional until the clueless chairman finds a buyer.

Bang on the money as usual.  Especially this bit.

" Anyone who has watched us this season can see what a difference options up front would make."  If that was all we'd done I'd have been OK with it.  That's the one spot that could have genuinely made a difference, both from a scoring goals point of view, but also giving the opposition something to worry about so they can't just pile forward with no regard to anything going the other way.

[cdward]

How do transfers work at Villa now. Does the manager identify who he wants or just what he wants?
Is Remi disappointed because he didn't get Doumbia or because he didn't get a striker?
Fox said previously that they would all agree on which players they wanted, so it looks as though we agreed on the player but baulked at spending the money, which given our position is pointless.
This could continue for ever, manager identifies a need, list of available options are produced, all agree on a player, negotiations start, club wont pay the money required, we don't sign anyone - repeat.

[pbavfckuwait]

cdward, transfers don't happen at Villa now.

[oswald funkletrumpet]

I like Garde, he has a dignified way about him and he has really been dumped on - as we all have.

BUT

before I get too teary eyed about him:

1. He is getting paid a lot of money
2. I had a quick look through his results which were:

Played 15 (PL Played 12 Won 1)
Won 2
Drawn 7
Lost 6
For 11
Against 23

I would like him to stay bur would I be fussed if he left?

No

[boboonthecorner]

I like Garde, he has a dignified way about him and he has really been dumped on - as we all have.

BUT

before I get too teary eyed about him:

1. He is getting paid a lot of money
2. I had a quick look through his results which were:

Played 15 (PL Played 12 Won 1)
Won 2
Drawn 7
Lost 6
For 11
Against 23

I would like him to stay bur would I be fussed if he left?

No

I don't think the issue is that he is leaving surely its why? Its been proven the board are inept....Ive had enough, nothing to do with the league position but give my hard earned to those pricks running the club.

[ClaretAndBlueBlood]

I like Garde, he has a dignified way about him and he has really been dumped on - as we all have.

BUT

before I get too teary eyed about him:

1. He is getting paid a lot of money
2. I had a quick look through his results which were:

Played 15 (PL Played 12 Won 1)
Won 2
Drawn 7
Lost 6
For 11
Against 23

I would like him to stay bur would I be fussed if he left?

No

I don't think the issues are that he is leaving surely its why? Its been proven the board are inept....Ive had enough, nothing to do with the league position but give my hard earned to those pricks running the club.

I will go to the rest of this seasons games because I already have my season ticket but after that I am not giving any more money to the club until Lerner, Fox and Hollis have left

really torn because I like Garde and think he is a good long term option but the only way to make a difference is to withhold my money

[Chico Hamilton III]

I like Garde, he has a dignified way about him and he has really been dumped on - as we all have.

BUT

before I get too teary eyed about him:

1. He is getting paid a lot of money
2. I had a quick look through his results which were:

Played 15 (PL Played 12 Won 1)
Won 2
Drawn 7
Lost 6
For 11
Against 23

I would like him to stay bur would I be fussed if he left?

No

Nobody knows whether Garde is the right man or not. All we know for sure is that he's doing slightly better than Sherwood did, which is hardly a ringing endorsement. However, It's not his job to sit in front of the media and explain why the fucking idiots who run the club (owner, CEO, Chairman) have surrendered and gone into hiding. What was that about the Marine spirit, Krulak? how about the board demonstrating some of that? wankers.

I feel really sorry for Garde.

[pbavfckuwait]

Krulak was right, it needs Marine spirit, the problem we have Holis is cutting back so we only bought Dads Army and a dozen brooms.

"Were doomed I tell you doomed" says Captain Richards
"Dont Panic Captain Richards" says Corporal Holis
"Its the bloody Frenchies they dont like it up em"says Captain Richards