Dean Smith - Confirmed

[paul_e]

So,anyone got any thoughts on Dean Smith?

To be fair, I did try to bring it back to a comparison between the 2 and the situations they arrived to but that bit was missed.

[robleflaneur]

But what a good argument.Bruce and stability,Benteke was a fluke.Only lacked a comparison with MON's record and Doug's legacy.

[themossman]

I thought Bruce was going to bring stability, which would have been worth putting up with his turgid football for. But he didn’t. He pissed what funds he had up the wall pursuing the same short termist approach that had gone before and any dressing room harmony appears to have had more with the likes of Terry and Snodgrass than anything Bruce did.

[stuart445]

I thought Bruce was going to bring stability, which would have been worth putting up with his turgid football for. But he didn’t. He pissed what funds he had up the wall pursuing the same short termist approach that had gone before and any dressing room harmony appears to have had more with the likes of Terry and Snodgrass than anything Bruce did.

I agree with your comment about Terry. Reminds me who got Terry to come to the Villa?

[Tayls_7]

The previous administration gambled and lost on Bruce. His performance with the treasure chest they provided was way below expectation. Sunderland, who some are touting for similarity, did no such spending so I'm not sure what comparison needs to be drawn. He came and failed. Any manager would have crawled over broken glass to accept that contract and that purse to walk out of here as the stabilser of the car crash that was AVFC.

[themossman]

Yep, it was Steve Bruce who built dressing room morale and on the pitch leadership around a player on a one year contract then failed to replace him when he predictably left at the end of his contract.

[stuart445]

Yep, it was Steve Bruce who built dressing room morale and on the pitch leadership around a player on a one year contract then failed to replace him when he predictably left at the end of his contract.

I'll admit Bruce's actions with the defence in the summer was confusing, it was very un Bruce like, but to get a suitable Terry replacement when we were broke most of the summer made that difficult.

I said it at the time and was laughed at that we should never have sold Baker because let's face it if he was still here our defence wouldn't be as bad as the Baker Chester partnership only conceded 6 more goals than the Terry Chester partnership.

[PeterWithesShin]

Remind me who sold Baker?

[stuart445]

Remind me who sold Baker?

Yeah it was Bruce and that was a mistake, but unlike Bruce haters I'm able to praise Bruce for making us competitive for the 1st time since 2010 but also critisize when he made a mistake.

[Steve67]

Yep, it was Steve Bruce who built dressing room morale and on the pitch leadership around a player on a one year contract then failed to replace him when he predictably left at the end of his contract.

I'll admit Bruce's actions with the defence in the summer was confusing, it was very un Bruce like, but to get a suitable Terry replacement when we were broke most of the summer made that difficult.

I said it at the time and was laughed at that we should never have sold Baker because let's face it if he was still here our defence wouldn't be as bad as the Baker Chester partnership only conceded 6 more goals than the Terry Chester partnership.

So they conceded more goals?  What's your point?  Baker, whilst we could with him this weekend, just to make up the numbers, really hasn't done great since leaving has he?

[Steve67]

Remind me who sold Baker?

Yeah it was Bruce and that was a mistake, but unlike Bruce haters I'm able to praise Bruce for making us competitive for the 1st time since 2010 but also critisize when he made a mistake.

He got rid of the losing mentality but failed with his main objective.  Lovely bloke, but the job was too big a step for him.  He does well with small clubs with less expectations attached.

[stuart445]

Remind me who sold Baker?

Yeah it was Bruce and that was a mistake, but unlike Bruce haters I'm able to praise Bruce for making us competitive for the 1st time since 2010 but also critisize when he made a mistake.

He got rid of the losing mentality but failed with his main objective.  Lovely bloke, but the job was too big a step for him.  He does well with small clubs with less expectations attached.

That's also the worry about Smith managing Brentford with fans that are happy to be where they are is a whole different kettle of fish to managing a club like Villa and the pressure and expectations that come with it. Judgement of Smith starts now for me as he can put his mark on the squad.

[Steve67]

I think we would all agree Stuart, just because Smith is a Villan, he shouldn't get a free ride.  He also has to prove his worth too.

[Ads]

Brentford aren't where they were.

For all the talk about "a Brentford machine in which Smith was a small cog" they've been shite since he left.

He's a good manager. We're going up, albeit the hard/exciting way and we're staying up.

[Legion]

He is. This season or next?