Remi Garde - Departs Aston Villa

[peter w]

Well yes Brian but this has been said to death. After yesterday it's difficult to be angry after the shell shock and humiliation. But we're all now left with accepting relegation and in a huge spot of trouble.

[brian green]

Yes it has been said a lot I agree but what is new, in my opinion of course is that the denial of funds in January to Remi Garde did not just come about through bad luck or circumstance, it was deliberate policy.  As for relegation, I accepted it before the clocks went back.  The chickens coming home to roost were plain to see.

[Clampy]

I don't think Bacuna was any worse than anyone else yesterday.

[peter w]

As did I -relegation - but found myself seeing a 5 point gap and seeing a little light. That the players and the manager couldn't is mystifying as mush as disappointing. As for the transfer window it was a 50/50 whether we'd spend money due to the hopelessness of the situation. But as much as our league position would deter several potential signings I can understand why the board wouldn't sanction the spending on others. As it is all we seemed to really have had is a keeper with a failed work permit and another player who chose Newcaatle because of our league position.

[NeilH]

I doubt there are many here that would would disagree with the refusal of funds being a deliberate move from the club. I suspect that they foolishly expected a bigger managerial bounce from Garde, because 'that's what happens.' There is simply little or no logic put into many of the decisions these days and this would be another one. Having said all of that, the fact remains that Garde looks like a dead man walking and the team is as divided now as it was in August. He's an articulate man who's carried himself with dignity through all of this, but I cannot see him surviving.

[aj2k77]

Dead cat bounce? All we got is when a corpses eyelids flicker a bit and scare you. Remi is just another place holder for the remaining games before another ''plan'' is put in to action by people who don't know what they are doing. Whilst Lerner is in charge all his goons are just place holders, nothing of substance will be built.

[Chris Smith]

I don't think Bacuna was any worse than anyone else yesterday.

No, they were all fucking useless.

[brian green]

I agree with all of that Peter. What I am trying to rationalise to my own satisfaction exactly what will start to happen in the summer.  Will Remi Garde stay?  I have serious doubts (see DW's comparison of Garde and Josef Venglos).  If he stays how tight will the purse strings be?  Will they be sufficiently loose to win the Championship at first attempt or will money management oblige the manager (whoever he is) that the play offs might be the first step on the road?

[pbavfckuwait]

Peter W yes we did spend 50 million last year, but as stated many times, that was in the main Benteke and snakes money, the players that will be going this summer will not bring in  alot, how much for
Guzan, Richards, Hutton, Okore, Westwood, Gill, Veretout, Ghana,Gabby, Ayew, Kozak, Gestede, Clark, Baker, Bennet, Lionel Messi Baccuna taking into account what we paid for them, some of those mentioned we could not shift apart from on loan, so why is someone going to start throwing money at Aston Villa for our dross.
When Garde goes and I think after yesterday that could even be before May, whoever wants to come in and replace that lot, or if not replace, upgrade should be given all the sympathy in the world, that or certifying.

[pbavfckuwait]

Brian as mentioned above, what we will see the start of is further decline in Randy Lerner FC, as cut after cut is implemented, no new money given to re-invest in players, who ever takes on the challenge, as stated before, this does not stop until we stop being Randy Lerner FC and come back to being Aston Villa F.C

[Risso]

I don't think Bacuna was any worse than anyone else yesterday.

Don't agree, even under the conditions of yesterday's omnishambles, he stood out as an atrocious excuse for a footballer.  Richards ran him a close second, mind.

[FranzBiberkopf]

Peter W yes we did spend 50 million last year, but as stated many times, that was in the main Benteke and snakes money, the players that will be going this summer will not bring in  alot, how much for
Guzan, Richards, Hutton, Okore, Westwood, Gill, Veretout, Ghana,Gabby, Ayew, Kozak, Gestede, Clark, Baker, Bennet, Lionel Messi Baccuna taking into account what we paid for them, some of those mentioned we could not shift apart from on loan, so why is someone going to start throwing money at Aston Villa for our dross.

Indeed. And thats what will do for Fox/Reilly/Almstadt - they will carry the can for spunking the money on substandard players this summer. Whilst Garde will carry the can for not being able to gel sub-standard players into a coherent / semi competent team.

They'll be a cull come May. As DW said in his article a lot of people will go who don't deserve to go (those that work behind the scenes). But more positively, a lot of people will go who absolutely deserve to go (Fox/Reilly/Almstadt/Garde(?))

[Clampy]

I don't think Bacuna was any worse than anyone else yesterday.

Don't agree, even under the conditions of yesterday's omnishambles, he stood out as an atrocious excuse for a footballer.  Richards ran him a close second, mind.

I feel it's wrong to single people out after that utter shambolic performance because they should all take a share of the blame but if I was forced to pick one, it would be Richards. I had no idea where he was meant to be playing as he strayed out of position that much it was untrue. There was one moment where he lost the ball in the middle of the park, then just stood there with arms out without making any attempt to get back into position. It might explain Bacuna's performance as I presume he's was the one who was meant to be covering him when he went awol up the pitch, which he did nearly all game.

[brian green]

Agree Kuwait.  I see the situation much more clearly and less emotionally than I did before Christmas.  My Damascene moment was when I read the simple words posted by Ads.  He described Steve Hollis as "a de facto administrator".   We are in administration in everything but name.  Lerner has put Hollis in place to oversee the minimising of expenditure (10p a mile car allowance at the Academy stopped) and maximising of income. Private administration.  I know the mileage thing was not a Hollis decision but a very big straw in the wind none the less.

[brian green]

Bacuna was a bag of nerves made worse by the booing.  Richards was my Mandy of the Match because most of the others do seem to care a bit (very little bit in Lescott's case) but Richards clearly does not give a shit.