Brian Little Speaks

[Mister E]

Should be on another thread I know, but I'm pretty sure I saw his debut against Torquay. Coming on as a sub and scoring from a poor backpass to the keeper at the Witton end. He anticipated it and started running before the defender played the ball.

I've not googled it in case I destroy a treasured memory!

I don't think it was his debut as I believe he had come on as sub in an away game previously. As to the incident you mentioned I think he intercepted a back pass and squared it for Andy Lochead who scored. He who walks on water did bag himself a goal in the second half in the 5-1 victory which I'm sure was televised by Star Soccer, however all recordings from that era were unfortunately destroyed by ATV.

Welcome back.
Your memory is astounding given your long association with numerous boozers ...

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The man not only walks on water, he's not afraid to tell it as it is:

When Fox got abuse from fans, Little was in the directors’ box and asked him if he was okay.

“He said he was and then came out with this sentence about, ‘We are working hard on the commercial side’ and I’m going, ‘No, no Tom, that’s not it. It’s about the football’.

“You knew then there was a lot needed doing.”

Little has been back to Villa’s training ground to canvas views. Hollis, former FA chairman David Bernstein, who is also a new board appointment, and Little got the low-down on what has gone wrong.

“The academy coaches felt isolated from the top end, not from the manager’s point of view, but from Hendrik, he might have had more input.

“There’s staff at the academy from when I was manager and I’m privy to the things they might have wanted to say to a person in a directorial position, but for whatever reason thought they wouldn’t bother.”

[conman]

Is he really going in 6 weeks
Brian is the best man  to sort this shit out , from top to bottom

[ozzjim]

6 months was in the article, but would like it to be a much longer term arrangement.

[conman]

6 months was in the article, but would like it to be a much longer term arrangement.

thought it was just till the end of the season
initially

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Little’s role is for six months, but he would like it to develop into something more permanent and would drop other commitments to stay.

“I don’t think there is anyone on the planet who has done as many things at one club as I have. I’m comfortable in my skin at Villa Park, it’s become my club.

“People say how does it get under your skin? I say it’s sweeping the terracing at 15, eating fish and chips with the apprentice lads. Those early days form something which always stay there. It’s immense for me.”

[old man villa fan]

Little’s role is for six months, but he would like it to develop into something more permanent and would drop other commitments to stay.

“I don’t think there is anyone on the planet who has done as many things at one club as I have. I’m comfortable in my skin at Villa Park, it’s become my club.

“People say how does it get under your skin? I say it’s sweeping the terracing at 15, eating fish and chips with the apprentice lads. Those early days form something which always stay there. It’s immense for me.”

He is a true club man. Many were in his day. Although it will never happen to the same extent with modern day football, somehow the club has to try and develop pride in playing for the club.

[Jimbo]

Little’s role is for six months, but he would like it to develop into something more permanent and would drop other commitments to stay.

“I don’t think there is anyone on the planet who has done as many things at one club as I have. I’m comfortable in my skin at Villa Park, it’s become my club.

“People say how does it get under your skin? I say it’s sweeping the terracing at 15, eating fish and chips with the apprentice lads. Those early days form something which always stay there. It’s immense for me.”

He is a true club man. Many were in his day. Although it will never happen to the same extent with modern day football, somehow the club has to try and develop pride in playing for the club.

You've hit on the nub of the problem here. It's hard to turn around a position where the club is the butt of every joke, is synonymous with failure and defeat, is a byword for farcical appointments. In short, a soap opera. But it's even more difficult when the owner of that club seemingly has no pride or interest in it. That's when it and everybody in it drifts.

[KevinGage]

My concern all along is that this is tokenism.

Or -if I am being uber cynical (and why would a Villa fan go that route) it might be an attempt to put the kybosh on this 'lack of football experience' catcry once and for all.

If Brian/ Bernstein recommend a Bruce or Pearson (and people within football do look at that pair of oddbods in a different light than most football fans) and they turn out to be duff appointments, Lerner's people can say -similar to the Lambert appointment- "We tried it your way and that didn't work either."

Also, how much bite does this new footballing board actually possess?  The suggestion is that Bernstein, King and Little aren't taking any sort of salary for this. They might make recommendations, generate plenty of positive PR with upbeat, knowledgeable comments in the press. But then the actual decisions still get made by people (one person in particular) who has shown a distinct lack of aptitude for the job over an extended period of time.

[Gregorys Boy]

That we've been having a clear out of the non-footballing guys, and have been adding the "quote/unquote" footballing people must improve the chances of Brian staying on for longer.  As long as he's happy with the direction of the club long term I can see him being there next season.

[Witton Warrior]

hope he hed the chant of "Brian Little's Claret and Blue Army" today - made me all warm inside

[Villafirst]

I see, the club hands longterm contracts to Flabby, Bacuna etc. and gives Sir Brian 6 months?? Great thinking there...

[Toronto Villa]

I see, the club hands longterm contracts to Flabby, Bacuna etc. and gives Sir Brian 6 months?? Great thinking there...

They are hardly related decisions though are they?

[kippaxvilla2]

Hope it isn't true but I heard a story today that he is not directly involved in the decision making process regarding the next manager.  Also that he isn't really being 'consulted'.

[saunders_heroes]

Hope it isn't true but I heard a story today that he is not directly involved in the decision making process regarding the next manager.  Also that he isn't really being 'consulted'.

Where did you hear that?
What else would he be doing if he wasn't advising on the new manager appointment?