Eric Black

[old man villa fan]

So, he has gone off Powell now.

[PaulWinch again]

He has done dreadfully when it comes to trying to get the team and the supporters closer together and that's purely down to his team selection.

[tomd2103]

He has done dreadfully when it comes to trying to get the team and the supporters closer together and that's purely down to his team selection.

And surely must mean he can't stay on at the club after this season.

[Villa in Denmark]

Because I'd have brought Okore back in.
In the absence of Clark, I'd have settled for ditching Richards and playing Lescott along side, as that pairing has looked probably our second best pairing over the last 18 months.

I'm talking about what I'd have done. Not what could or couldn't be achieved within the straitjacket Black has tied himself up in.

But what you would do is beside the point. Okore has made himself unavailable for selection. Saying you'd pick him doesn't change the reality of the situation.

If we're playing "what would you do in Black's shoes" it does.

I think the man's a bigger cock than Sherwood and I can't think of bigger insult than that.

Whatever's gone on, there is as they say 2 sides to every story and the truth is often somewhere in the middle.

Unless Okore has turned round and said no way under any circumstances am I sitting on the bench then there's room for manoeuvre and compromise. As you say elsewhere, that should be a natural part of Black's skill set, so either Okore was so militant that there was no chance of sorting things out or Black has for whatever reason, ascerting his authority as numero uno maybe, blown the whole thing out of all proportion.

So yes I'm in Black's shoes and I'm bringing Okore in from the cold, because it's within my power to do that, unlike Clark who's injured and out of the picture.

[Mister E]

Black has no - that's zilch - credibility and does not warrant a role as assistant here.

[peter w]

So ViD you'd allow the manager's authority to be undermined even though as you say we don't know what's happened fully? That would be outrageous and pounced on by every chancer in the team. It would leave him sitting as a dead duck with no authority or respect in the dressing room. For the first time in a long time it appears that they guy picking the team will not put up with dissent in the media, wasters, and those whose attitude he is questioning. That has my 100 % support and approval.

Just because you may like Okore the fact is that he was dropped for playing poorly and the is at odds with the manager. It's not about being the bigger person or bringing someone in from the cold. It's about Black laying down a code of conduct that Okore broke.

It's not as if we're desperate for Okore to be in the team so maybe a period of quiet reflection may do him some good. I really am amazed that anyone would countenance any possible challenge to the manager's authority.

[FatSam]

As far as selection is concerned, Green, Davies and Lyden at the very least could have been given some game-time. Had Black shown some nous, he'd have realised that playing som of the youth players would have reduced the booing and generated some positive support for an otherwise-desperate environment.

He's given Lyden and Toner game time, and he's called out Gabby. I don't think ge's the incompetent that some people are making out.

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

So ViD you'd allow the manager's authority to be undermined even though as you say we don't know what's happened fully? That would be outrageous and pounced on by every chancer in the team. It would leave him sitting as a dead duck with no authority or respect in the dressing room. For the first time in a long time it appears that they guy picking the team will not put up with dissent in the media, wasters, and those whose attitude he is questioning. That has my 100 % support and approval.

Just because you may like Okore the fact is that he was dropped for playing poorly and the is at odds with the manager. It's not about being the bigger person or bringing someone in from the cold. It's about Black laying down a code of conduct that Okore broke.

It's not as if we're desperate for Okore to be in the team so maybe a period of quiet reflection may do him some good. I really am amazed that anyone would countenance my possible challenge to the manager's authority.

If he's stupid enough to play Lescot and Richards, leaving a fit Okore on the bench then he deserves all the abuse he gets. I don't blame Okore from asking what he's got to do to get a game.

[edgysatsuma89]

So ViD you'd allow the manager's authority to be undermined even though as you say we don't know what's happened fully? That would be outrageous and pounced on by every chancer in the team. It would leave him sitting as a dead duck with no authority or respect in the dressing room. For the first time in a long time it appears that they guy picking the team will not put up with dissent in the media, wasters, and those whose attitude he is questioning. That has my 100 % support and approval.

Just because you may like Okore the fact is that he was dropped for playing poorly and the is at odds with the manager. It's not about being the bigger person or bringing someone in from the cold. It's about Black laying down a code of conduct that Okore broke.

It's not as if we're desperate for Okore to be in the team so maybe a period of quiet reflection may do him some good. I really am amazed that anyone would countenance my possible challenge to the manager's authority.

You say though peter that for the first time we have someone picking the team who will not put up with wasters but that's the problem people have, he still is. I guess it depends on your interpretation of the word 'wasters'. For me you don't have to be seen toking on a shisha pipe to be classed as one.

[brian green]

Eric Black was entrusted with, and failed to protect, a task of getting to the end of the worst season for a generation without doing more damage to the club's shattered relations with its supporters.  Whether or not Okore does or does not play is a miniscule detail compared with the outrage and hostility directed towards the owner and the hardcore of the non performers in the team.  It could easily take ten years to restore trust in the club by the fans after what we have experienced under the ownership of Randy Lerner.

Eric Black has approached his caretaker responsibilities like Lambert or McLeish would have done.  Straight, mainstream "We go again".  Not a spark or a glimmer of flexibility or imagination.  Not even the slightest nod in the direction of trying to prevent rigor mortis setting into the team.  Any fleeting acknowledgement of the fans' years of pain has been insincere and patronising.

Eric Black had the chance to open the door and let the elephant out of the room and he has not even tried to do it.  He probably is too stupid to know that the elephant is there.

The elephant in the room is the fans' anger.   Open your eyes Eric and see the banners and the placards.  Open your ears and hear the players being booed.

As has already been said, if we have a home 0-0 against Rotherham in the first three games it will all kick off again in the crowd.  It should not.  We all know that but the damage to fan relations is so deep it has to be addressed specifically.  Not " we only have to nick a one nil and they will soon shut up".

[pbavfckuwait]

Agree totally Brian, he has continued to play players that have created an atmosphere at Villa Park that is toxic, if (a) They got us here so they deserve the abuse or (b) I have no other options. He is showing how far out of his depth he is managing Aston Villa.

We have had the seasons to end all seasons for absolute crapness, so he is given the task of playing out the games till we finish at Arsenal away, a clean sheet to try any tactics that would offer a glimmer of hope, to put players onto the pitch even if they are not up to the task, that will show effort, care for the shirt on their back, a willingness to earn what goes into their bank accounts each month, to turn the boos even into accepted silence and he has totally bottled it. The thought of Pearson does not fill me with much hope, but the thought of Pearson and this absolute bottler fill me with dread.

[aev]

So ViD you'd allow the manager's authority to be undermined even though as you say we don't know what's happened fully? That would be outrageous and pounced on by every chancer in the team. It would leave him sitting as a dead duck with no authority or respect in the dressing room. For the first time in a long time it appears that they guy picking the team will not put up with dissent in the media, wasters, and those whose attitude he is questioning. That has my 100 % support and approval.

Just because you may like Okore the fact is that he was dropped for playing poorly and the is at odds with the manager. It's not about being the bigger person or bringing someone in from the cold. It's about Black laying down a code of conduct that Okore broke.

It's not as if we're desperate for Okore to be in the team so maybe a period of quiet reflection may do him some good. I really am amazed that anyone would countenance my possible challenge to the manager's authority.

Because I'd have brought Okore back in.
In the absence of Clark, I'd have settled for ditching Richards and playing Lescott along side, as that pairing has looked probably our second best pairing over the last 18 months.

I'm talking about what I'd have done. Not what could or couldn't be achieved within the straitjacket Black has tied himself up in.

But what you would do is beside the point. Okore has made himself unavailable for selection. Saying you'd pick him doesn't change the reality of the situation.

If we're playing "what would you do in Black's shoes" it does.

I think the man's a bigger cock than Sherwood and I can't think of bigger insult than that.

Whatever's gone on, there is as they say 2 sides to every story and the truth is often somewhere in the middle.

Unless Okore has turned round and said no way under any circumstances am I sitting on the bench then there's room for manoeuvre and compromise. As you say elsewhere, that should be a natural part of Black's skill set, so either Okore was so militant that there was no chance of sorting things out or Black has for whatever reason, ascerting his authority as numero uno maybe, blown the whole thing out of all proportion.

So yes I'm in Black's shoes and I'm bringing Okore in from the cold, because it's within my power to do that, unlike Clark who's injured and out of the picture.

Nigel Spink suggested on WM the other night that there is more to the story than we are aware of. He is mates with Black I think form their time together at the rags.

[peter w]

There's bound to be more to the story and I hope it doesn't come out. We can do without it. leave it there and move on until the end of the season. the player and manager need to sit down and clear the air and move on. But, for now, he's dropped.

[footyskillz]

Eric Black was entrusted with, and failed to protect, a task of getting to the end of the worst season for a generation without doing more damage to the club's shattered relations with its supporters.  Whether or not Okore does or does not play is a miniscule detail compared with the outrage and hostility directed towards the owner and the hardcore of the non performers in the team.  It could easily take ten years to restore trust in the club by the fans after what we have experienced under the ownership of Randy Lerner.

Eric Black has approached his caretaker responsibilities like Lambert or McLeish would have done.  Straight, mainstream "We go again".  Not a spark or a glimmer of flexibility or imagination.  Not even the slightest nod in the direction of trying to prevent rigor mortis setting into the team.  Any fleeting acknowledgement of the fans' years of pain has been insincere and patronising.

Eric Black had the chance to open the door and let the elephant out of the room and he has not even tried to do it.  He probably is too stupid to know that the elephant is there.

The elephant in the room is the fans' anger.   Open your eyes Eric and see the banners and the placards.  Open your ears and hear the players being booed.

As has already been said, if we have a home 0-0 against Rotherham in the first three games it will all kick off again in the crowd.  It should not.  We all know that but the damage to fan relations is so deep it has to be addressed specifically.  Not " we only have to nick a one nil and they will soon shut up".

Exactly this . I only wonder if black is being instructed and carrying out orders as a yes man as he's a coach and certainly no manager. He'll be out in the summer months and maybe ,just maybe, he's just holding the forte so to speak. What is extremely failing is his lack of fans and supporters diusgruntledness and he merely seems a fall guy puppet who then looks like he doesn't care coz the deep rooted problems haven't and won't be addressed until summer/ new owners

[Meanwood Villa]

He will finish his Villa managerial career with a 0% win percentage. Richly deserved.