Dean Smith - Confirmed

[Ads]

There's no guarantee that Smith is the answer. I think I've seen enough to make me hope and believe things can improve.

But, and the poster who wants him sacked now wanted him sacked a month or two back, would have seen Farke sacked long ago. Wilder sacked last season for their run of form. Johnson sacked numerous times over at Bristol. Wagnar sacked at Huddersfield for not improving them in year 1. Monk sacked at the Blues for their awful start.

At some point we've got to back a plan. It doesn't mean you accept the form or performances now, but you understand the context.

Cultural changes take time. China have been engaged in a cultural revolution since the 70s, building high rises to draw peasents out of the countryside, to live in cities and place a demand for an increase to the service economy for the new urban workers. Britain took 100 years in the 19th century to do the same. The leap from Bruce to modernity is on a similar scale.

A pre-season helps, but the more you look around this league the overwhelming difference is legs, running, ticker, whatever you want to call it. We're relying on full backs, central midfielders and wide men who have none.

The player threads are full of it and rightly so. We have the right idea, whether we have the right man time will tell.

I think it's foolish to accept the run, but doubly so to not afford this manager the opportunity of his peers. I think it will work out.

[chrisw1]

Good post ADS.

[TonyD]

We have such a shit heap squad of players that any manager would struggle to put together any resemblance of a defence or midfield.   

[Lastfootstamper]

Eloquently put, Ads. He might still prove to not be The One, but I've seen enough to think there's a chance he might be.

[darren woolley]

There's no guarantee that Smith is the answer. I think I've seen enough to make me hope and believe things can improve.

But, and the poster who wants him sacked now wanted him sacked a month or two back, would have seen Farke sacked long ago. Wilder sacked last season for their run of form. Johnson sacked numerous times over at Bristol. Wagnar sacked at Huddersfield for not improving them in year 1. Monk sacked at the Blues for their awful start.

At some point we've got to back a plan. It doesn't mean you accept the form or performances now, but you understand the context.

Cultural changes take time. China have been engaged in a cultural revolution since the 70s, building high rises to draw peasents out of the countryside, to live in cities and place a demand for an increase to the service economy for the new urban workers. Britain took 100 years in the 19th century to do the same. The leap from Bruce to modernity is on a similar scale.

A pre-season helps, but the more you look around this league the overwhelming difference is legs, running, ticker, whatever you want to call it. We're relying on full backs, central midfielders and wide men who have none.

The player threads are full of it and rightly so. We have the right idea, whether we have the right man time will tell.

I think it's foolish to accept the run, but doubly so to not afford this manager the opportunity of his peers. I think it will work out.

Excellent post Ads.

[tomd2103]

Eloquently put, Ads. He might still prove to not be The One, but I've seen enough to think there's a chance he might be.

Needs the summer and a good chunk of next season to build and bed in a practically new squad.  I just worry a bit about the impact the next couple of months could have really.   

[ASHTONVILLA]

I think the prospect of sacking a manager after 10 weeks of poor form is more of the same short sighted stupidity we've suffered for years in our approach to managers and squad building.

He's not performing at the moment, but has demonstrated a capability to have us perform perhaps better than we have in years and years.

I want to see how we recruit and how we rebuild the midfield.

I don't think the club have been shortsighted and got rid too quickly though, indeed quite the reverse at times. We kept McCleish,  Lambert and Bruce on for too long. If we had potted Bruce at the end of last season instead of letting him fuck the start of this one up and waste money in the transfer market then whoever had replaced him would have had a better chance. Better still he should have gone at the end of his first season when he failed to do what he was appointed for and it was clear he was not the man to get us promoted. The only manager afforded no patience in the last 20 years is RDM but having seen how we played at Preston before he got potted I think he needed to go.

As for having demonstrated a capability to have us perform at a better level, so did Sherwood. Is he any good? No idea yet, but he has no track record of achieving anything of note elsewhere. He built a mid table team at Brentford, and is on course to do likewise here. Villa are not Brentford, I hope he is the right man but jury is very much out at the moment.

[AVH87]

I really want to see who Smith signs in the Summer, I expect youthful, pacy, value bargains from the Continent.

The problem is that's a long time away and we have nearly a third of the season and he is clearly unsuited to the type of player and type of personality we have in our squad currently.

We also have key injuries to contend with, let's get a fully fit Chester back in for Elphick, Grealish back at no.10 and Lansbury or Carroll will surely prove better midfield options than Hourihane/Jedinak etc.

[XXVilla]

I don’t want him sacked but he needs to get more out of the players he’s currently got. We can’t keep saying that it’s not his team or players. If he has aspirations to be a successful manager then this excuse is just not good enough.

[Toronto Villa]

I think the prospect of sacking a manager after 10 weeks of poor form is more of the same short sighted stupidity we've suffered for years in our approach to managers and squad building.

He's not performing at the moment, but has demonstrated a capability to have us perform perhaps better than we have in years and years.

I want to see how we recruit and how we rebuild the midfield.

If anything last night would have reaffirmed to the board Smith is the right person. They got a first hand look at what it could look like in a year or two with the right investment and time.

Dean Smith looks a very frustrated man right now and if he was offered tomorrow being the end of the season he'd bite your hand off. He look like he's come to the realization that he can't do more with this group. It might improve when Jack and AT return but by then the playoff chase will likely be over. He has a huge task ahead of him and he needs a fresh start in order to do it.

[mike]

How many on here think Monk is better than Smith? How many on here think Birmingham have a better squad than us? I don’t think he is getting enough out of this squad. No reason to sack him but it’s a worry.

[Risso]

How many on here think Monk is better than Smith? How many on here think Birmingham have a better squad than us? I don’t think he is getting enough out of this squad. No reason to sack him but it’s a worry.

Monk is certainly doing a better job as things stand, but long term I'd still rather have Smith.  Let's just get this sorry arse of a season out of the way, rebuild in the summer and get off to a flyer next year.  No more excuses after this season though.

[Toronto Villa]

Where Monk is doing a good job is that he is making good use of what he has and has found a style to suit the players at his disposal. Smith is trying to get the players to play how he wants and it is getting worse because the players can't do it.

[Nev]

Smith is driving me mad and looks lost at the moment but I don't believe we should make any changes. It's hard to bear at the moment but let's fast forward a month or so and things could look different with returning personel, a bit of luck and the warm spring sunshine

[mr underhill]

so  in the interim why not try something else that might be better suited to the players you are stuck with for now?