Next manager?

[Ads]

Same reason it overwhelmed Lambert, who went from a swashbuckling attacking manager to an absolute husk, having us play square balls from goal kicks.

[Risso]

Same reason it overwhelmed Lambert, who went from a swashbuckling attacking manager to an absolute husk, having us play square balls from goal kicks.

I'd say that working for Lerner during the really bad years had more to do with it than any sense of being overwhelmed.

Steve Bruce has no such excuses, he's had the sort of resource made available to him that most other Championship managers can only dream of, yet look at that absolute shambles of a defence yesterday. 

[Ads]

I appreciate that. I'd prefer us to make an appointment that was more balls out so to speak. We've got the money and ambition, it would be nice to see us pluck the next Poch and handing a coach with those sort of qualities the keys to this squad, I'd fancy us to to win the while show.

Defensively, we're a bit of a shambles. But you'd think getting them into the auditorium to watch DVDs of the next opponents corners and set pieces and then picking something staggering such as players in the right spot, would see us a lot better off.

This Amazon series of Pep has made me quite jealous.

[Risso]

I appreciate that. I'd prefer us to make an appointment that was more balls out so to speak. We've got the money and ambition, it would be nice to see us pluck the next Poch and handing a coach with those sort of qualities the keys to this squad, I'd fancy us to to win the while show.

Defensively, we're a bit of a shambles. But you'd think getting them into the auditorium to watch DVDs of the next opponents corners and set pieces and then picking something staggering such as players in the right spot, would see us a lot better off.

This Amazon series of Pep has made me quite jealous.

Oh definitely.  I'd love a Wagner/Poch/Gracia type.  I just think if it was Smith, he'd do a good job.

[richtheholtender]

So we need an up and coming coach, who gets his teams playing good passing football and can get the best out of our underperforming players (Scott hogan as an example). The candidate also needs to be able to sell players for significant amount more than purchase for which will aid any FFP fears. We are basically going foreign to get a version of dean smith? In terms of being overwhelmed, John Gregory had no such issues and he went up two divisions.

[mr underhill]

so long ago it bears no resemblance to the way things are now

[Rudy65]

Dean Smith would cope just fine I reckon. He’s a good, progressive manager and I think he’d get us playing decent football and the results would follow. No point hoping for a Howe or Wagner type if you think a similarly talented manager would flop at Villa.

Howe and Wagner are significantly better managers than Smith IMO. I don’t get the love for Smith, he has done a decent job at Brentford but nothing more. He has hardly done a Warnock and taken them to promotion. Many being swayed by his suport of Villa

Ranieri anyone?

[TopDeck113]

On the basis that I was suggesting Lambert for about two years before his appointment as being a great fit for us and then was pleased when we got Bruce as I thought he would have the necessary nous to get us promoted, I haven't got a particularly good track record in picking the right man.  i also don't have the knowledge of who is who across Europe to now offer a left-field suggestion.

However, for what it is worth I think Smith is too much the fans' sentimental choice and I could easily see it ending in tears. I also tend to think that the likes of Dyche at Burnley and Howe at Bournemouth are those right place, right time appointments that don't replicate elsewhere.  Experienced DoF and young protégé? Possibly, but when you hear names like Wenger/Henry banded around I then think someone past their sell by date coupled with the inexperienced is not what we want.  Rodgers is a good choice as he appears to be a progressive, positive coach, who having been in the Liverpool and Glasgow goldfish bowls is not going to be daunted by the supposed size of the Villa.  But, how many Old Firm managers have come south and subsequently pulled up trees?  McNeill? Souness? O'Neill? McLeish? Strachan?

In short, I haven't got a clue.

[Rudy65]

If there is nobody available, what is the harm in going for a Terry or a Henry for the season, with a review at the end of it?

It simply cannot be any worse than sticking with Bruce and his ridiculous refusal to trust his players to take games to the opposition.

Frank Lampard has started OK at Derby and if we fail to go up, we would have the opportunity to change things next summer.

I would have taken Lampard in the summer. I think he is going to be a decent manager

[Risso]

Dean Smith would cope just fine I reckon. He’s a good, progressive manager and I think he’d get us playing decent football and the results would follow. No point hoping for a Howe or Wagner type if you think a similarly talented manager would flop at Villa.

Howe and Wagner are significantly better managers than Smith IMO. I don’t get the love for Smith, he has done a decent job at Brentford but nothing more. He has hardly done a Warnock and taken them to promotion. Many being swayed by his suport of Villa

Ranieri anyone?

I think Smith has done a very good job for a club like Brentford.  Three top 10 finishes in a row, while continuously selling their best players is no mean feat at all.

[achilles]

Dean Smith would cope just fine I reckon. He’s a good, progressive manager and I think he’d get us playing decent football and the results would follow. No point hoping for a Howe or Wagner type if you think a similarly talented manager would flop at Villa.

Howe and Wagner are significantly better managers than Smith IMO. I don’t get the love for Smith, he has done a decent job at Brentford but nothing more. He has hardly done a Warnock and taken them to promotion. Many being swayed by his suport of Villa

Ranieri anyone?

I think Smith has done a very good job for a club like Brentford.  Three top 10 finishes in a row, while continuously selling their best players is no mean feat at all.

Although I agree, Aston Villa is a totally different kettle of fish!

[VinnieChase84]

Brendan Rodgers for me. Feel like he’s knows he’s done as much as he can in Scotland. Surely a big exciting project could tempt him!?

[Chris Smith]

I think we have been stung by the failure of whatever we have tried manager wise post MON (and even that didn’t end well) that whoever we go for when the time comes will cause disquiet amongs some of us and to be honest at the level we are currently at everyone is likely to be a gamble.

All we can hope for is some clear thinking and a plan to support whoever we appoint post Bruce.

[hilts_coolerking]

It's quite true that Dean Smith has done a decent job at Brentford, in the context of what constitutes doing a decent job there means.  What would be expected of him here is significantly different to and more challenging than that.  I don't see compelling evidence to believe that Smith will do as well here; that's not to say he couldn't, I just don't see (yet) the evidence that convinces me he would.  Let's face it, he'll be expected to get more out the players, play a more up to date attacking style, win most of his games and challenge for automatic promotion within probably 18 months.  After that, assuming he's succeeded, he'll be expected to keep us in the Premier League which I think I'm right in saying he has zero experience of either as a player or a manager.

I think appointing Smith would be a bigger risk than we need to take at this point.

[Singapore Villa]

Why would Rodgers come to Villa?  If he did decide to leave Celtic surely it would be back to a Premier League club.

I just can’t see it personally, as much as I would love it to happen...