Christian Purslow - Resigned

[SoccerHQ]

Not sure what's wrong with drawing up a list of replacements.

Unless you prefer Tom Fox's 'list of one'.

It's odd because last time we sacked DS on the Sunday lunchtime and Gerrard had been installed by I think the Wednesday so it was obvious we'd put the feelers out to him in the weeks before. Or he was on Purslow's "list of one."

I do get the feeling the ownership genuinely thought Gerrard was going to turn this around up to the second half v Fulham so it's disappointing we haven't had a cast iron guarentee from someone they'll be coming in next week.

This time last year Spurs sacked Nuno only when they were certain Conte was going to come in so that's how you do it and they quickly flew up the league.

Hopefully this Danks guy can get one win before the break but can't say I'm confident. We're going to be firmly in bottom 3 in a months time.

[dave.woodhall]

I'm firmly convinced that Gerrard was Purslow's choice long before Smith was sacked.

[Drummond]

If reports are correct and it took one of the owners to flip last night for Gerrard to go then surely Purslow's position is untenable anyway. Should never have appointed Gerrard but after the Palace game it was clear something was very wrong. 

He has to go, sure the club ripped up it's structure to accommodate Gerrard and it's going to take a while to recover.

It won't take a while to recover. You're making it sound like were dead and buried. It's not exactly Graham Taylor 'This club is a shambles' territory.

It took almost 3 days. 3 fucking days, disgrace.

[London Villan]

I'm firmly convinced that Gerrard was Purslow's choice long before Smith was sacked.

It was probably some sort of master plan - which would go some way to explaining the changes in the coaching in the Grealish close-season, which didn't really help Smith at all.

[not3bad]

I'm firmly convinced that Gerrard was Purslow's choice long before Smith was sacked.

Yes I saw speculative articles linking Aston Villa to Gerrard a good 6 months prior to Smith leaving and Gerrard being hired.

[Ger Regan]

I'm firmly convinced that Gerrard was Purslow's choice long before Smith was sacked.

I also think that the owners were being held back by Purslow from making the change sooner. Sawiris' reaction on thursday would seem to indicate that.

[astonvilla82]

That's what you want from management, leadership and the balls to make decisions when required,I like the attitude from our owners, now and then I started to lose the love of football and Aston Villa, but with them they drag you back in from the darkness

[Toronto Villa]

I don’t think the appointment of Gerrard was only him being attracted to his name. It’s not he was coaching a youth set up with no success. There was some legitimacy to the thought that given his success in Scotland he could continue a promising early career with us. And I also understand to a point the loyalty to him. But that’s where it ends. And whether he did it himself or was pushed to do it Gerrard had to go.

[SaddVillan]

Time for us to appoint a proper Director of Football to oversee the playing side of things from the Academy teams through to the first team, including player, coaching and managerial recruitment as well as football analytics and scouting.

Purslow is clearly a top executive, but he should be focussing on commercial and financial matters as well as overseeing the ground redevelopment and construction of the Witton Academy.

Both the DoF and Purslow should report in to Naseef and Wes who set the overall goals and budgets.

[pauliewalnuts]

I for one never, ever want to hear the phrase "did well in Scotland" again when we're looking for a new manager.

[Exeter 77]

I for one never, ever want to hear the phrase "did well in Scotland" again when we're looking for a new manager.

Quite.
McNeil, McLeish and Gerrard. Only O'Neil with access to an open cheque book bucks the trend.

[Exeter 77]

Deleted. Double post. Bloody train wifi

[pauliewalnuts]

I am starting to think he's toast.

He looked like he was shitting bricks at the press conference today, and Emery has talked multiple times about dealing with Sawiris, barely a mention of Purslow.

[Ger Regan]

It's not inconceivable that he's burnt through a lot of goodwill with the owners re. SG and wouldn't be surprised if he was the one that held them back from acting sooner. Poor managerial appointments were the main worry with him from previous jobs if I recall.

[Footy-Vill]

Gerrard appointment was an experiment within the project.
Let's hope as much as it could be a risk it's a calculated move to have Emery in and that Purslow concerns himself more with other issues within development of Villa project.