Dean Smith - Confirmed

[JD]

Let's not get carried away. Let's just enjoy it for what it is.

He's currently showing himself to have done a very good job. No need to pile on the expectations or to point the finger of mistrust at this or that section of the media, at ourselves, or anyone for that matter. Just sit back and enjoy what is currently a very interesting time for us.

We are going to continue to be volatile - we're not going to start beating all and sundry, we're going to lose matches we never expect to, and we're going to win others equally unexpectedly. The most important thing by far, though, is that there's currently a degree of excitement and hope that hasn't been there for a fair while and the direction of travel, despite the peaks and troughs, is in the right direction.

What matters most right now is what we're seeing thus far, and it's much, much better than we have seen for a long time. Let's just enjoy it without piling on added pressure or letting unnecessary eexpectations grow.

Nah, in the middle of winter with a pandemic stalking the land I want to get carried away. I want optimism and thrills not caution and patience. I want to shake off the doubt that has become my normal pre-match feeling before every game and replace it with the belief that we are now the team others have to worry about and I want all of that to happen with Villa fans as manager and captain. In short I want romance and excitement not caution and pragmatism and for my kids to experience the same feeling I had in the 70s and early 80s.

You've hit the nail on the head Chris. This is exactly what i want as well.

[SaddVillan]

The thing I really like about Smith is his down to earth unfussy approach to the job.

Never too up when we win, never too down if things don't go our way. Carefully avoids giving the press anything too controversial, which keeps the spotlight off the players.

His handling of the squad seems assured, confident and even handed. The players not playing aren't screaming and shouting about the injustice of not being picked in the starting XI. They've seen that if you get a chance because of an injury and perform, then you've got the shirt. Clear signs of how good a man manager he must be.

He's managed in just two summer transfer windows to put together a tightly knit squad. Players who haven't come up to the mark have been moved out without rancour.rmony,

Harmony, togetherness, a lack of egos and a collective team spirit run through the DNA of the squad.

Looking forward and upwards.

[Singapore Villa]

Totally agreed SaddV.  Great post mate.

[Dave P]

I mentioned on a WhatsApp group during the game last night with 15 mins to go that, if we were to lose, I wouldn’t be that upset as we are tying to win the game. Not many managers would do that at Chelsea at 1-1.

[Dave P]

I also think Deano will be manager of the month for December. If he wins it in January, then who knows what we could achieve.

[Allan C]

Let's not get carried away. Let's just enjoy it for what it is.

He's currently showing himself to have done a very good job. No need to pile on the expectations or to point the finger of mistrust at this or that section of the media, at ourselves, or anyone for that matter. Just sit back and enjoy what is currently a very interesting time for us.

We are going to continue to be volatile - we're not going to start beating all and sundry, we're going to lose matches we never expect to, and we're going to win others equally unexpectedly. The most important thing by far, though, is that there's currently a degree of excitement and hope that hasn't been there for a fair while and the direction of travel, despite the peaks and troughs, is in the right direction.

What matters most right now is what we're seeing thus far, and it's much, much better than we have seen for a long time. Let's just enjoy it without piling on added pressure or letting unnecessary eexpectations grow.

Nah, in the middle of winter with a pandemic stalking the land I want to get carried away. I want optimism and thrills not caution and patience. I want to shake off the doubt that has become my normal pre-match feeling before every game and replace it with the belief that we are now the team others have to worry about and I want all of that to happen with Villa fans as manager and captain. In short I want romance and excitement not caution and pragmatism and for my kids to experience the same feeling I had in the 70s and early 80s.

You've hit the nail on the head Chris. This is exactly what i want as well.

Yeah, I’m so happy watching us with a smile on my face again, expecting to win games and not looking down the fixtures to see when the next possible win would be. Knowing that even after a great season, the owners won’t sit back but will continue to build. I havnt felt this way very often over the years, maybe four times and after the year we’ve had it couldn’t have come at a better time

[Dante Lavelli]

I’m enjoying this team as much as the Brian Little season where we came 4th.  There’s just a joyfulness about the whole set-up.  Smith has played a big part in that.

[Deano's Mullet]

I’m enjoying this team as much as the Brian Little season where we came 4th.  There’s just a joyfulness about the whole set-up.  Smith has played a big part in that.

We are a point worse off than we were after 14 games in 1995-96 which is amazing when we remember how good that side was. Incredibly we have scored nearly ten goals more which is crazy when you think we had Yorke, Milosevic and Johnson up front. I suppose the Liverpool 7-2 maybe accounts for that but we had rather a few 1-0 wins in those first 14 games of 95-96, we battered Coventry 3-0 and West Ham
4-1 but they were the biggest wins up to that point along with 3-1 over Mank Yoo.

[BC Villain]

still think Shakespeare was the missing ingredient
and I don’t say that to take anything away from Smith I’m a firm believer that great leaders delegate well and aren’t threatened by those around them

Indeed. In contrast to O'Neill and other dinosaurs who spent a career giving jobs to their mates and never adapted their style.

He trusts O'Kelly, clearly. But was open to the board suggesting Terry and is happy to get input from an experienced coach at this level like Shakespeare.

Ferguson was the same.  He didn't surround himself with the same backroom staff for the whole of his time at Manure

[Dave P]

Excellent point BC Villain

[exigo]

Switched channels after a couple of minutes tonight, to mute the ridiculous crowd noise (Old Trafford is NEVER that noisy).
Thanks to the stadium atmos, I now know that we colour code our corner routines.
Shout of 'blue' means high outswinger to the far post. Shout of 'white' is fizzed in under the crossbar.
Nice to have a management team that actually work on these things. We seem to have developed the art of keeping possession from our own throw-ins as well.

[Rudy65]

Switched channels after a couple of minutes tonight, to mute the ridiculous crowd noise (Old Trafford is NEVER that noisy).
Thanks to the stadium atmos, I now know that we colour code our corner routines.
Shout of 'blue' means high outswinger to the far post. Shout of 'white' is fizzed in under the crossbar.
Nice to have a management team that actually work on these things. We seem to have developed the art of keeping possession from our own throw-ins as well.

Still wish we would mix up our dead ball routines a bit though. Watch the really crap free kick from Bertie tonight which ultimately led to the Utd goal. Target is standing about 10 yards away free and a simple pass to him would have given him a shot at goal.

[john e]

Just seen Dean Smith’s interview with AVTV very impressed
he wasn’t given it the old we played really well, great performance stuff he was quite downbeat about the first half wanted more said we Need to be better

Sounded like a top boss who’s team just lost narrowly rather than a plucky outsider

[Steve67]

Quite rightly nominated for December Manager of the Month.

[Footy-Vill]

Quite rightly nominated for December Manager of the Month.

That's great news should get the accolade. 
Outstanding effort in December