Welcome Roberto Di Matteo and Steve Clarke

[sickbeggar]

There hasn't been a blueprint on how to integrate young players into the first team squad for some time. We've been crap for about 6 years with some very poor, unprofessional older heads around and before then, O'Neill would rather spend a fortune on established Premier League players who were on their last big contract.

Over the next few years we need a strong core of professional, older heads who are prepared to encourage and lead younger players. Start having some success and then look to start bringing in good, promising players into a decent side.

Amen to that. And i think i'll give it a rest now seeing this thread has nowt to do with Black but hopefully a better era

[paul_e]

true but i've never heard this accusation aimed at garde/sherwood/lambert/etc.. . No-one complained that they were doing fuck all to bring young players through in fact, this time last season a lot were happy we were buying them from abroad from Barcelona and the likes

Garde you have a point but Sherwood and Lambert did a reasonable amount and the guy we got from Baarcelona is one of the players that most people think Black should've given game time to, not playing a very expensive youngster with huge potential but who's very raw when there's no pressure on the team is unforgivable for me.

[old man villa fan]

There hasn't been a blueprint on how to integrate young players into the first team squad for some time. We've been crap for about 6 years with some very poor, unprofessional older heads around and before then, O'Neill would rather spend a fortune on established Premier League players who were on their last big contract.

Over the next few years we need a strong core of professional, older heads who are prepared to encourage and lead younger players. Start having some success and then look to start bringing in good, promising players into a decent side.

Amen to that. And i think i'll give it a rest now seeing this thread has nowt to do with Black but hopefully a better era

As you say, hopefully we have bottomed out and will start the climb back again.

[Steve67]

I'm pleased that Clarke is also with us, really good coach and will have some good connections. Will know the Championship well too. Good management team.

[Villafirst]

Welcome to RDM & SC. The best thing about this when it's finally announced, is seeing the back of Eric fucking Black. What a disaster he turned out to be!!!

[Steve67]

Er, perhaps the players will finally be told when to return to preseason training!

I think season ticket sales will rise rapidly if we start our transfer business quickly.

[tomd2103]

I'm pleased that Clarke is also with us, really good coach and will have some good connections. Will know the Championship well too. Good management team.

Agree.  Clarke's presence has reassured me as he has a good reputation as a coach (not so good as a manager).  Will be interesting to see the comings and goings over the next month.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Seems a really solid pairing to me. Combined with real backing I think we can do very well. Pretty chuffed.

[robbo1874]

The Steve Clarke appointment is interesting and very welcome.

Agree DaveP. I've always rated Clarke well since I watched a doco on a bunch of school kids who got places with Chelsea's academy with a contract up for grabs as a reward for most promising player. I can't remember the name of it, but he came across very well in that show. Hadn't realised he was also a player and him and RDM played in the same Chelsea side, as suggested by the BBC article?

[Dave]

Hadn't realised he was also a player and him and RDM played in the same Chelsea side, as suggested by the BBC article?

Part of the final Chelsea teams before they become disgustingly rich.

Him, Frank Sinclair and Erland Johnsen across the back, Eddie Newton and Gavin Peacock in midfield and John Spencer up front. As mediocre a team as you can imagine.

He was on the way out by the time Di Matteo was coming in, but there will have been a couple of years of crossover.

[Gregorys Boy]

Welcome to the new management team.  RDM is a solid choice even if not my first choice, but we were limtied.  Having Clarke on board is a very good move.  Good luck to both of them, they have a huge task at hand.

[footyskillz]

Clarke was involved with west ham with Zola wasn't he

[Brazilian Villain]

Because Jack WOODWARD also left AVFC today so reporting of this non existent too!?

I expect us to get James Richardson in instead as RDM liked his Football Italia show. It's been one of those rare (recently) sort of days as a Villa fan.

Very happy with RDM's choice of No. 2 in Clarke and recognition that fitness is clearly an issue.

[cdward]

RDM with Steve Clarke as assistant is a great start.
With the likes of Pearson, Monk, Bruce, Dyche and others being linked with us, this is a great appointment.
Is this on the advice of Brian Little, or someone else, if not Little then who?
Not sure how much Xia knows about managers, so I am guessing someone is advising him.

[rob_bridge]

Good decisions in the context. Like Clarke think he is someone we have been missing for too long.