Dean Smith - Confirmed

[Dazvillain]

I am starting to come around to the opinion that some on here have been stating for a little while, in that we need to start building now for next season.  I want to see some more of the younger players in the match day squad and team.  I want to see Smith try some ideas out and I'm prepared to lose some games in the process.  What I have zero desire to watch is more of the same.  If he does that, he will lose me a bit i'm afraid. 

To say that this season is pretty much over in terms of promotion is probably about right at this stage.   

Younger players of suitable quality are all out on loan.... hope they’re being meticulously watched as they could well be involved in starting 11 next August

[Chris Smith]

He'll be here next season, at least for a while.

I've already seen enough to be sure that he won't be here long term though. He's not got it in him to take us back to where we want to be.

Looking at him lately, I think he knows it as well.

What have you detected from “looking at him” that gives you your insight?

Anyone who judges his long term prospects on trying to get a tune out of this bunch of misfits needs their bumps felt.

He looks like he hasn't got a clue what's going on, let alone now to change it.

If two players being absent is enough to expose his limitations to this degree, then he's not the manager most hoped for.

But, hey. Let him sign 18 of his own players and he'll have us playing like Brentford and finishing mid table.

I know it's only going to take another year or so of my life but, I can hardly wait.

So who would YOU bring in then?

Ah. That old chestnut. The manager might not be up to it, but who would a random stranger put forward that's not as shit? And if you can't think of a name we should keep the guy who's not up to it.

It's not up to me. There are people at the club paid a lot more than my wage to decide who.

If you pushed me into a corner though, I would have to say, someone better. You know, someone who can cope with losing two players without everything turning to shit for two months.

It’s not up to you to decide if he’s the right man either but that doesn’t stop you banging on about it 50 times a day. Although “someone better” shows a level of insight Robbie Savage would be proud of.

[XXVilla]

He'll be here next season, at least for a while.

I've already seen enough to be sure that he won't be here long term though. He's not got it in him to take us back to where we want to be.

Looking at him lately, I think he knows it as well.

What have you detected from “looking at him” that gives you your insight?

Anyone who judges his long term prospects on trying to get a tune out of this bunch of misfits needs their bumps felt.

He looks like he hasn't got a clue what's going on, let alone now to change it.

If two players being absent is enough to expose his limitations to this degree, then he's not the manager most hoped for.

But, hey. Let him sign 18 of his own players and he'll have us playing like Brentford and finishing mid table.

I know it's only going to take another year or so of my life but, I can hardly wait.

Give it a rest will you? You've been relentlessly on Smith's case for quite a while now

I doubt Dean is reading this and it’s affecting his performance. And why should you be all happy clappy when things at the moment are clearly dire, even though they may improve next season according to some of the reasoning on this forum? Which I don’t necessarily disagree with by the way. Plus it is a discussion forum...

[sickbeggar]

I never said MON was the answer, I said Martin Jol, at that point in our history would have been a very good choice. If your post was replying to mine

Yes it was though i wasn't having a go. Just a general comment that the more money and better players you have, even a pretty average manager isn't going to get a team relegated. I think even Bruce could have threatened the top6 with the money MON had, and RDM did it with chelsea. It's when your down at our level that a good manager really makes a difference.

Yes I agree, and we all have opinions on managers who could have been good. I certainly don’t expect everyone to agree with the three options I mentioned. I’m just really confused as to what has happened, what is happening & what we bloody do next

Well yeah.... I put it down to a skinflint selling to an idiot selling to a fraud. If the new owners break that cycle then things will improve eventually, but most clubs that do well/bad mirror the people running them.

[Villa75]

He'll be here next season, at least for a while.

I've already seen enough to be sure that he won't be here long term though. He's not got it in him to take us back to where we want to be.

Looking at him lately, I think he knows it as well.

What have you detected from “looking at him” that gives you your insight?

Anyone who judges his long term prospects on trying to get a tune out of this bunch of misfits needs their bumps felt.

He looks like he hasn't got a clue what's going on, let alone now to change it.

If two players being absent is enough to expose his limitations to this degree, then he's not the manager most hoped for.

But, hey. Let him sign 18 of his own players and he'll have us playing like Brentford and finishing mid table.

I know it's only going to take another year or so of my life but, I can hardly wait.

So who would YOU bring in then?

Ah. That old chestnut. The manager might not be up to it, but who would a random stranger put forward that's not as shit? And if you can't think of a name we should keep the guy who's not up to it.

It's not up to me. There are people at the club paid a lot more than my wage to decide who.

If you pushed me into a corner though, I would have to say, someone better. You know, someone who can cope with losing two players without everything turning to shit for two months.

It’s not up to you to decide if he’s the right man either but that doesn’t stop you banging on about it 50 times a day. Although “someone better” shows a level of insight Robbie Savage would be proud of.

I remember you also being this 'precious' about anyone who criticised Bruce.

That turned out well, didn't it?

[sickbeggar]

He'll be here next season, at least for a while.

I've already seen enough to be sure that he won't be here long term though. He's not got it in him to take us back to where we want to be.

Looking at him lately, I think he knows it as well.

What have you detected from “looking at him” that gives you your insight?

Anyone who judges his long term prospects on trying to get a tune out of this bunch of misfits needs their bumps felt.

He looks like he hasn't got a clue what's going on, let alone now to change it.

If two players being absent is enough to expose his limitations to this degree, then he's not the manager most hoped for.

But, hey. Let him sign 18 of his own players and he'll have us playing like Brentford and finishing mid table.

I know it's only going to take another year or so of my life but, I can hardly wait.

So who would YOU bring in then?

Ah. That old chestnut. The manager might not be up to it, but who would a random stranger put forward that's not as shit? And if you can't think of a name we should keep the guy who's not up to it.

It's not up to me. There are people at the club paid a lot more than my wage to decide who.

If you pushed me into a corner though, I would have to say, someone better. You know, someone who can cope with losing two players without everything turning to shit for two months.

It’s not up to you to decide if he’s the right man either but that doesn’t stop you banging on about it 50 times a day. Although “someone better” shows a level of insight Robbie Savage would be proud of.

I remember you also being this 'precious' about anyone who criticised Bruce.

That turned out well, didn't it?

There's supporting the wrong man for too long i agree, but its preferable to the oppostive where you get Smith out threads started by people who actually state in their opening gambit that they wanted him to arrive in the first place. After 4 months and you've totally turned against someone? I mean, the mind boggles frankly.

[Chris Smith]

He'll be here next season, at least for a while.

I've already seen enough to be sure that he won't be here long term though. He's not got it in him to take us back to where we want to be.

Looking at him lately, I think he knows it as well.

What have you detected from “looking at him” that gives you your insight?

Anyone who judges his long term prospects on trying to get a tune out of this bunch of misfits needs their bumps felt.

He looks like he hasn't got a clue what's going on, let alone now to change it.

If two players being absent is enough to expose his limitations to this degree, then he's not the manager most hoped for.

But, hey. Let him sign 18 of his own players and he'll have us playing like Brentford and finishing mid table.

I know it's only going to take another year or so of my life but, I can hardly wait.

So who would YOU bring in then?

Ah. That old chestnut. The manager might not be up to it, but who would a random stranger put forward that's not as shit? And if you can't think of a name we should keep the guy who's not up to it.

It's not up to me. There are people at the club paid a lot more than my wage to decide who.

If you pushed me into a corner though, I would have to say, someone better. You know, someone who can cope with losing two players without everything turning to shit for two months.

It’s not up to you to decide if he’s the right man either but that doesn’t stop you banging on about it 50 times a day. Although “someone better” shows a level of insight Robbie Savage would be proud of.

I remember you also being this 'precious' about anyone who criticised Bruce.

That turned out well, didn't it?

Then your memory is as defective as your analysis. I said he should go after the playoffs the problem was the club fell apart and there wasn’t anyone in place to do the hiring and firing.

[Risso]

For every example of a Farke you can give, there's one from the other view point.  Take Leeds and Paul Heckingbottom.  Sacked after 4 months, I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that his replacement Bielsa is doing slightly better than he managed.

[Chinchilla Bathhouse]

He'll be here next season, at least for a while.

I've already seen enough to be sure that he won't be here long term though. He's not got it in him to take us back to where we want to be.

Looking at him lately, I think he knows it as well.

What have you detected from “looking at him” that gives you your insight?

Anyone who judges his long term prospects on trying to get a tune out of this bunch of misfits needs their bumps felt.

He looks like he hasn't got a clue what's going on, let alone now to change it.

If two players being absent is enough to expose his limitations to this degree, then he's not the manager most hoped for.

But, hey. Let him sign 18 of his own players and he'll have us playing like Brentford and finishing mid table.

I know it's only going to take another year or so of my life but, I can hardly wait.

Give it a rest will you? You've been relentlessly on Smith's case for quite a while now

I doubt Dean is reading this and it’s affecting his performance. And why should you be all happy clappy when things at the moment are clearly dire, even though they may improve next season according to some of the reasoning on this forum? Which I don’t necessarily disagree with by the way. Plus it is a discussion forum...

It is, but a good discussion involves listening as well as talking. There are some really good reasoned arguments on both sides here, but a particular couple of posters can't be bothered to read them. If they did they wouldn't need to keep repeating their same few tedious themes in a smart-arsed and sarcastic manner. Unless, of course, they're doing it wilfully to wind people up.

[sickbeggar]

For every example of a Farke you can give, there's one from the other view point.  Take Leeds and Paul Heckingbottom.  Sacked after 4 months, I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that his replacement Bielsa is doing slightly better than he managed.

That fair enough, but i wasn't a Smith fan and i'd give him more than 4 months. My problem was the guy who started it was! Now i didn't want Bruce in for a lot of reasons and as soon as the Bruce out bandwagon started i hopped on, but i'd feel a bit daft doing it if i'd championed him arriving in the first place. What does that say about your judgement or the life expectancy of the next manager you want in?

[Allan C]

He'll be here next season, at least for a while.

I've already seen enough to be sure that he won't be here long term though. He's not got it in him to take us back to where we want to be.

Looking at him lately, I think he knows it as well.

What have you detected from “looking at him” that gives you your insight?

Anyone who judges his long term prospects on trying to get a tune out of this bunch of misfits needs their bumps felt.

He looks like he hasn't got a clue what's going on, let alone now to change it.

If two players being absent is enough to expose his limitations to this degree, then he's not the manager most hoped for.

But, hey. Let him sign 18 of his own players and he'll have us playing like Brentford and finishing mid table.

I know it's only going to take another year or so of my life but, I can hardly wait.

You should spend more time watching the team then Smith. You’d possibly see then what an absolute sorry load of average players we have and he has to work with

[Ketzster]

For every example of a Farke you can give, there's one from the other view point.  Take Leeds and Paul Heckingbottom.  Sacked after 4 months, I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that his replacement Bielsa is doing slightly better than he managed.

I don’t think Leeds are anywhere near as big a club as the Villa personally, but their fans have high expectations like ours do. They went through people like Heckingbottom, Steve Evans, Brian McDermott etc, but it wasn't until they got somebody who had handled big jobs before, like Bielsa, that they actually looked like doing something. He made two signings that actually play in the summer so it just goes to show this needing your own players thing is complete and utter nonsense if you’re a good coach. And he went in and they were excellent and haven’t had a massive slump. Certainly not a 14 game one

Newcastle had Benitez, another club with big expectations. Somebody like Brendan Rodgers might have handled the pressure having managed Liverpool and Celtic, but Dean Smith will likely be our equivalent to Heckingbottom and McDermott. As much maligned as the players are, most of them have still played at a very high level and will know an awful lot about football. Things like the triple substitution at Wigan and never changing tactics will have quite a few of them thinking what on earth are you doing? Dean Smith doesn’t have a particularly high standing in the game, and isn’t a young up and coming manager, so he probably can’t get away with as much as a Steven Gerrard or Frank Lampard can for example. At least Bruce had 4 promotions with smaller clubs so there was a bit of historical success, whereas Smith has nothing to fall back on. Managers like Smith, Heckingbottom, Evans, McDermott won’t work at clubs like the Villa and Leeds but will at clubs like Brentford, Rotherham, Reading etc

[Brassneck]

That old chestnut - I can moan all I iike about something because this is a forum and I'm allowed to have my say on it, but when I get asked what I'd do instead it isn't my job.

True, on every single point. Well done.

But we're still left with a manager who's not doing the job we hoped he would. So we're no better off.

So you have no idea who should replace him yet you think he should be sacked?

Perhaps it might be an idea to look at the options available before coming out with such bold statements.  After all, you'd chastise Smith for not having a plan B.

If Pep or Bielsa become available, then it might be worth considering.  However, if the choices are between Allerdyce, Moyes and Mick McCarthy, I think I'd prefer to stick with what we have.

A new manager is just as much a gamble as sticking with Smith is at this point.  If we get to this time next year and things are the same, there is a reasonable argument for change.  The club are seeking some form of stability and are looking to build.  Smith has a track record of playing football that is pleasing on the eye.  This is a big plus as 99% of fans want to watch this type of football.  We should be able to attract better players than Brentford do so your argument that we would finish mid table does not add up.  It is possible for us to play good football and get out of the division under Smith.  He knows the league well and knows what is required. 

[Richard E]

We don’t have the second worst squad in the division but we have less wins in the last 13 games than all but one team. Dean Smith isn’t getting the best out of them. If they aren’t suited to his system he needs to play a system that they are suited to.

[XXVilla]

We don’t have the second worst squad in the division but we have less wins in the last 13 games than all but one team. Dean Smith isn’t getting the best out of them. If they aren’t suited to his system he needs to play a system that they are suited to.

If life hands you lemons etc. To quote a well worn cliche.