Dean Smith - Confirmed

[kippaxvilla2]

We really should have gone all out for Gary Cahill.  He would be an immense leader in this side.

[Risso]

I believe it's the right thing to do.

Though I understand why others would completely disagree.

The next two games are obviously huge for him.  Two wins and things should look a bit healthier and would give us momentum going into the transfer window.  A win and a draw not the end of the world.  Anything less though, and two defeats especially, are they really going to want to throw good money after bad and back a manager who'd lost 6 in a row and was a minimum of 6 points from safety?  Big call that.

[Drummond]

I believe it's the right thing to do.

Though I understand why others would completely disagree.

The next two games are obviously huge for him.  Two wins and things should look a bit healthier and would give us momentum going into the transfer window.  A win and a draw not the end of the world.  Anything less though, and two defeats especially, are they really going to want to throw good money after bad and back a manager who'd lost 6 in a row and was a minimum of 6 points from safety?  Big call that.

Can't disagree. But I hope they do support him whatever. Back him, back themselves.

I just hope things don't turn toxic from the stands.

[Risso]

Backing a manager in those circumstances (after two more defeats) would be disastrous I reckon.  Things would turn toxic very quickly.  I don't see any sort of managerial genius in Smith that would make him worth sticking with if he took us down at the first attempt.  We'd lose the few good players we have like Jack, McGinn and Heaton, and be stuck with the overpriced non-performers like Wesley and Trezeguet.  Not much to look forward to there.

[villa `cross the mersey]

I believe it's the right thing to do.

Though I understand why others would completely disagree.

Hi Drummond I  want the guy to succeed as much as anyone but as Risso says it's a massive decision to have to take -relegation would be a huge blow for the club and fans in particular

[PaulWinch again]

I don’t think it’s a binary thing. If we get relegated having played really well for the remainder of the season and just missing out on survival he should stay. If we get relegated having continued to put in displays like we did at the weekend then he should be sacked.

[Drummond]

Backing a manager in those circumstances (after two more defeats) would be disastrous I reckon.  Things would turn toxic very quickly.  I don't see any sort of managerial genius in Smith that would make him worth sticking with if he took us down at the first attempt.  We'd lose the few good players we have like Jack, McGinn and Heaton, and be stuck with the overpriced non-performers like Wesley and Trezeguet.  Not much to look forward to there.

I think McGinn, Grealish and Mings would go. The rest I'm not so sure about, which is telling in itself I guess.

[Ads]

We're going to spend ALL THE MONIES!1 instead.

Fair enough.

[themossman]

I don’t necessarily mind him staying if we buy a few luxury players to suit his very specific tactics. It’s an expensive way to fix the problem and it’s absurd that we’re buying players IN JANUARY to plug gaping holes in the only formation he’s prepared to try, but it’s better than nothing.

[villa `cross the mersey]

Replacing Mings and SJM shouldn't  too difficult however losing Jack would leave a massive hole in the team and deflate the fans
Never seen my club as a yo yo team ......worse times yes, but I thought that the new owners were the real deal and having us thinking big ....now I'm doubting that
Having said that its their money on the line and its in their interests to get   it right
For the record I'd forsake attractive, attacking football for a pragmatic approach scraping points to get us to safety - this season was always going to be about survival - at the moment we are not on target to achieve that - drastic measures are required

[KevinGage]

We really should have gone all out for Gary Cahill.  He would be an immense leader in this side.

We offered. But apparently he wanted to be nearer to his new pile in Surrey.

Doesn't appear to deter Terry.

[The Moose]

We have to stay up, relegation will be a disaster. All of the planning from those running the club will be wasted if Smith takes us down, which currently looks probable. Villa don't normally do knee-jerk reactions to managers failing - I think this is what we need to do now. There are better, more experienced coaches and managers out there. If our owners are serious about us becoming a top flight club challenging for honours, then they have to act now or risk being placed with Randy Lerner's also-rans.

[ktvillan]

The manager is not going to get sacked any time soon.

How long ago did they give him a new contract and talk about how he is absolutely integral to the 'project'? Two weeks or so?

I don't think he'd get the bullet if we went down.

If that was to happen it would make me question not just Smith but also the owners and the credibility of this "project".

I think they viewed getting promoted as an unexpected bonus which they weren’t prepared for because we bought a billion players with only Mings  as a stand out. Most of the rest seem like targets that we had in mind to buy with the Jack and SJM money. So next season, we might have the Championship team they were anticipating for this year.

I thought similar, the signings  have a look about them as if made with half an eye on being back in the Championship next year.  Which might also explain the contract extension, maybe they see us struggling this year but want Smith to bring us up again if we go down.  Problem with that is Smith's shortcomings and limitations are becoming very plain and without Grealish I'm not convinced he'd be able to get us back up.

[hilts_coolerking]

I thought similar, the signings  have a look about them as if made with half an eye on being back in the Championship next year.  Which might also explain the contract extension, maybe they see us struggling this year but want Smith to bring us up again if we go down. 

If that's what they did it's barking mad.  Go up, buy players for the Championship, get relegated, try again.

Why not buy players for the Premier League and stay up?

[Risso]

A £22m Brazilian record signing doesn't scream "planning for relegation" to me.  If that's what they were intending, surely they'd have kept the likes of Whelan and Hogan.  The fact that Wesley has turned out to be awful wasn't intentional, just a complete failure of scouting and planning.