Did Remi influence our summer spending?

[Salsa Party Animal]

This it is working with Arsene Wenger and Arsenal help to influence Tom Fox and Henrik's vision for Villa. Plus Paddy getting those French players. Remi Gande is highly rated and he worked with Wenger and Houllier.

[Hoppo]

I've just seen this thread. Eddie I've been thinking the same thing.

[Vegas]

It is one of life's great mysteries, why people try and see conspiracy theories everywhere when the public story is more plausible, and there's no reason to lie anyway.

We sacked Lambert. We brought Sherwood in. He kept us up. We put in place a back office structure. They identified a few French-based transfer targets, and some other targets too. we bought some of these targets.  We sacked Sherwood, and brought in a manager to work with the new style of signings.

If Garde had been identified in the summer, why not sack Sherwood then?

[brian green]

I get the Ganges part but what was the Gillet experiment? Is that a tablet typo for Gillette and a subliminal reference to the creepy janitor? You late night guys leave this place in such shit order.

[Ryu]

I think they way the club now has a sporting director or whatever his title is and Paddy Reilly being very influential with who we sign their plan has always been to bring in a proper, modern coach type happy with working in that sort of system. And let's be honest that type of manager was never going to be English.  I think they were sort of lumbered with Sherwood after he did well initially and now they've got someone in who suits their plans. 

And we only actually signed 2 French players I think. But even if they'd all been French I still don't think it points to the plan having been "let's sign some French players Sherwood doesn't rate  then 3 months into the season sack him and bring in a manager who does even though said manager will be offered another premier league job in the meantime."

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

I get the Ganges part but what was the Gillet experiment? Is that a tablet typo for Gillette and a subliminal reference to the creepy janitor? You late night guys leave this place in such shit order.

I'm just disappointed this hasn't led to a massive river/shaving pun-fest.

Shame on the lot of you, sticking to the thread topic and not meandering through its landscape like a cut-throat razor.

[Lucky Eddie]

I can understand people finding it difficult to credit this inept board with having a credible plan A never mind a plan B - I'm happy to stay in the minority on this but I'm confident Remis been involved with us for months and that he'll hit the ground running.

Always nice when an occasional posters thread turns into an opportunity for puns, piss taking and back slapping - the Chris Evans Show has got nothing on you lot at times x

[CJ]

Garde has certainly got the players to gel better than Sherwood did

[Vegas]

I can understand people finding it difficult to credit this inept board with having a credible plan A never mind a plan B - I'm happy to stay in the minority on this but I'm confident Remis been involved with us for months

is there any evidence anyone could provide that would convince you this wasn't the case?

[Dave]

Always nice when an occasional posters thread turns into an opportunity for puns, piss taking and back slapping - the Chris Evans Show has got nothing on you lot at times x

I wouldn't take it personally - pretty much every thread on here turns into an opportunity for puns, piss taking and back slapping.

It's only because we like you.

[Brend'Watkins]

There might be something in what Eddie is purporting to. As soon as news became official about TS's sacking Remi's name was linked heavily with the job.  A name out of nowhere unless somebody can tell me otherwise.  A bit like the names, Veretout, Ayew, Gana, Amavi came out of nowhere and certainly not Sherwood players.

Sherwood was given his chance which he deserved having achieved what he was employed for but we did have a back up plan with players and manager and the direction we want to go in should we need to.  Getting rid of a manager and having a manager in place is a first for Villa.  Having a direction regardless of manager is a first for Villa.  Gone are the days of, new manager = new (his ) players = new style of play. 

[Monty]

I wouldn't be surprised if Remi always headed the list of potential replacements. Every club with any sense has a list like that these days. I'm also pretty sure that if Hendrik Almstadt had been here in February there'd have been no Sherwood - he seems to have made a big difference to the general way the club thinks about football (i.e. not just vaguely in favour of young players, progressive football etc, but actually curious about how that might be achieved - not sure Sherwood would have been good at answering specific questions).

[passitsideways]

There might be something in what Eddie is purporting to. As soon as news became official about TS's sacking Remi's name was linked heavily with the job.  A name out of nowhere unless somebody can tell me otherwise.  A bit like the names, Veretout, Ayew, Gana, Amavi came out of nowhere and certainly not Sherwood players.

Sherwood was given his chance which he deserved having achieved what he was employed for but we did have a back up plan with players and manager and the direction we want to go in should we need to.  Getting rid of a manager and having a manager in place is a first for Villa.  Having a direction regardless of manager is a first for Villa.  Gone are the days of, new manager = new (his ) players = new style of play. 

I'd frame it as Garde being one component of a broader shift in approach which the club was willing to bring in depending on whether or not Sherwood was up for it; as distinguished from a more conspirational notion that all the things we've done since, say, March or whenever it was with a view to setting it all up for Garde in particular to be our manager.

[dave.woodhall]

I doubt if Arsenal haven't had a succession plan for Wenger in place for years and Remi was on their radar during that time. Fox and Almstadt have been aware of him and at some stage saw him as a potential replacement for Sherwood. No plot, no conspiracy, no duplicity, just taking advantage of prior knowledge.

[LeeB]

I doubt if Arsenal haven't had a succession plan for Wenger in place for years and Remi was on their radar during that time. Fox and Almstadt have been aware of him and at some stage saw him as a potential replacement for Sherwood. No plot, no conspiracy, no duplicity, just taking advantage of prior knowledge.

Indeed.

I think it's the fact that the club appear to be operating like a competent, forward thinking unit that's throwing people. People always look for the ridiculous to explain what they can't comprehend, that's why we have religion.