Dean Smith - Confirmed

[Rudy Can't Fail]

There is no chance Phillips was leaving Leeds in the summer unless the offer was so stupidly high it was impossible to be turned down. Leeds had no interest in selling hence start the bidding at £30m, Phillips had no interest in leaving. He's their version of Jack, local lad at his club who was always giving it more crack at promotion. If they don't go up this season then he'll be off, same as would have happened with Jack.

We were extremely close to signing him. Those were the headlines but you forget he was on a couple of grand a week, Leeds needed the money, hadn't a pot to piss in and both would have agreed to the move should the fee meet their demands. Their was an article a few months back in the YEP from their Leeds reporter, somebody that is renowned for having the inside track at Elland Road, claiming we failed to match their £20m fee. I'll try and find it later.

Wolves, Sheff Utd and a few others were sniffing around Phillips in January with £20m plus add-ons being seen as the price.

[PeterWithesShin]

Aston Villa were linked with a move for Phillips in the summer, but the midfielder opted instead to sign a new contract at Elland Road.

Phillips spoke last month on 'the big picture' of Leeds achieving promotion, being behind his decision to stay with the Championship club.

“I am just happy now," he said. "The owner made it clear that he didn't want to sell me, I am grateful for that and the patience he had. You always want to play in the Premier League but I am at my hometown club and there is no better place for me.

“It felt like if I did leave I would be going to maybe play maybe not play but at Leeds everybody loves me. I have always wanted to play Premier League but you have got to open your eyes to the bigger picture and if I can help Leeds to the Premier League then what an achievement.”

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Have a read by Phil Hay on the story. It appeared a few months back.

Phillips was prepared to move. Refused to sign a new contract. Felt undervalued at Leeds. Wanted to play in the PL. We failed to meet Leeds demands. Leeds fans wanted Phillips to stay and probably more important, so did Bielsa.

[Footy-Vill]

Here's how it is through my vigruous research regards the transfers . I believe I covered the first team players.
 
Dean Smith I pushed for these 
Tom Heaton
Tyrone Mings
Ezri Konsa 
Bjorn Engels
Kortney Hause 
Jota
*Anwar El Ghazi already at club on loan

Smith adamant to have his players signed he came up with whatever the price.
Smith adamant to have an experienced goal keeper and understood remit for outfield players 25 years and under would be targets.
Preference for UK based Suso and Purslow wanted to have cost effective moves
Suso and scouts deployed in Europe for value pedigree signings

Dean Smith
I pushed for these transfers but they didn't think it was financial savvy to spend on championship players and no loan to develop other teams players allowed strategy.
Kalvin Phillips
Adam Webster
Saïd Benrahma
Neil Maupay
Jared Bowen
Harry Wilson and Ethan Ampadu weren't allowed to be taken on loan deals

Jesús García Pitarch
Suso made Smith aware and imposed upon him signings :
Kalanic
Reina
Freddie Guilbert
Matt Targett
Douglas Luiz
Marvelous Nakamba
Trezeguet
Wesley Moraes
Aly Samatta.
Borja Baston

Kalanic forced into permanent signing previous deal agreed Suso took deal rather than scout for new GK Smith didn't want him.
Tried to sign Guilbert in January 2019 but loan back was the deal.
Tried to sign Nakamba in January 2019 in the championship and had been tracking him til summer . Whilst scouting Suso thought Wesley was catching the eye and if promoted was pushing for him as Abraham replacement . Villa bought both after Suso making Smith aware of Wesley

JT
John Terry's Chelsea players advisory signing
Danny Drinkwater

Salmon Kalou : received a call from Terry, who asked him to come and sign for Villa
The forward admitted that a move back to England would have been appealing, and he would have loved to play in premier league.
The whole move was undermining Smith and was a pointless action as no work permit was being available for 34 year old Kalou .

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Jared Bowen looks like single handedly saving West Ham. What a waste.

[Footy-Vill]

All these could have been signed if Villa were prepared to back Smith financially and take Smith signings and adopt the coach idea.
Including loaning Harry Wilson and Ethan Ampadu

Suso and Purslow had other ideas as the outlay of in around of £100 mil on
Kalvin Phillips
Adam Webster
Saïd Benrahma
Neil Maupay
Jared Bowen
Seemed too risky taking championship players and having a sporting director it was his job to go get players that could be of value.
For me I wish we signed that lot ! Bet Deano does too !

[chrisw1]

All these could have been signed if Villa were prepared to back Smith financially and take Smith signings and adopt the coach idea.
Including loaning Harry Wilson and Ethan Ampadu

Suso and Purslow had other ideas as the outlay of in around of £100 mil on
Kalvin Phillips
Adam Webster
Saïd Benrahma
Neil Maupay
Jared Bowen
Seemed too risky taking championship players and having a sporting director it was his job to go get players that could be of value.
For me I wish we signed that lot ! Bet Deano does too !

No idea how much truth is in this but I can't believe we'd be struggling to survice if we'd got most of that lot.  Bowen, Maupay & Phillips?
No way we could have afforded them all though.

[N'ZMAV]

Eric Black until the end of the season.

I'd rather Cilla Black.

[N'ZMAV]

All these could have been signed if Villa were prepared to back Smith financially and take Smith signings and adopt the coach idea.
Including loaning Harry Wilson and Ethan Ampadu

Suso and Purslow had other ideas as the outlay of in around of £100 mil on
Kalvin Phillips
Adam Webster
Saïd Benrahma
Neil Maupay
Jared Bowen
Seemed too risky taking championship players and having a sporting director it was his job to go get players that could be of value.
For me I wish we signed that lot ! Bet Deano does too !

ifs and buts

However, Smith is the head coach - it doesn't appear that much coaching has been done... especially defending.

[Toronto Villa]

my unpopular opinion turned out to be a bit more popular than i was expecting

John it’s the same group of players that should have won at Tottenham, at Arsenal, vs Liverpool, at Man U as examples. But for any number of reasons we fucked up every game despite leading in every one of them. This squad isn’t as bad as they look, but between mistakes made and inept coaching and tactics they now look quite dreadful.

[Richard E]

Eric Black until the end of the season.

I'd rather Cilla Black.

I’d rather Jack than Fleetwood Mac.

[rougegorge]

my unpopular opinion turned out to be a bit more popular than i was expecting

John it’s the same group of players that should have won at Tottenham, at Arsenal, vs Liverpool, at Man U as examples. But for any number of reasons we fucked up every game despite leading in every one of them. This squad isn’t as bad as they look, but between mistakes made and inept coaching and tactics they now look quite dreadful.

Exactly.

The exceptions to poor performances this season have been few and far between.

Bruce got slated for his tactics, for Bruceball (whatever that was), for his style of play; so, because of that, because Dean Smith is a Villa fan and because he's a decent bloke, he has has had huge latitude this season.

What Smith has not shown are the coaching, tactical or management skills required at this level. Also, he's been consistently outthought by opposing managers all season.

[Ads]

Maupy has flopped.

[hilts_coolerking]

Maupy has flopped.

Yes, I never rated him and in any case had we signed him he would have been another expensive gamble on an untested player.

[john e]

my unpopular opinion turned out to be a bit more popular than i was expecting

John it’s the same group of players that should have won at Tottenham, at Arsenal, vs Liverpool, at Man U as examples. But for any number of reasons we fucked up every game despite leading in every one of them. This squad isn’t as bad as they look, but between mistakes made and inept coaching and tactics they now look quite dreadful.

i'm not arguing to keep Smith, if he has to go he has to go
i'm a bit worried about going with more of the same with a another British archaic old fashioned manager like we keep going for
but Smith is falling short i know that

the players are also falling short
however i see many think the recruitment is to blame and all i'm saying is i don't think its been a total disaster

for instance if we move on Guilbert, Nakamba, Luiz, Wesley, Samata, Target, Mings, Engels because they 'never worked out' it will in my opinion be Amavi, Guye, Veratout, Ayew, Traore all over again

every one of them will be playing top flight football for us or someone else in the future
we will be posting stuff on here about that 'Guilbert' fella we used to have is putting in some fine performances for whoever just like we do about Traore or Guye

most of them are new to this league and new to this country, they will adapt and improve
they have all had awfull games i know that but also had motm games as well, proving they can do it

players who wont be playing top class football are Elmo, Taylor, Hourahane, Konsa, Hause, Lansbury, Drinkwater
i know Suso/Smith/Purslow are responsible for a few of them but you cant get everyone right

thats just my opinion, if Smith goes at the weekend i will be disappointed it never worked out but feel he was out of his depth at the end with few ideas as to what to do

but the playing squad we have built up under him is not as disastrous as is made out imo
in fact i actually feel quite confident of a early return given we get the right manger in