Dean Smith - Confirmed

[Toronto Villa]

And that’s absolutely what we need. I imagine like any business they will do a year end review and while pointing to many positives, it wasn’t all rosy. I expect when next seasons goals are laid out, expectations will be high. As they should be. I said before there’s not a chance in hell looking at the record alone since he arrived that he will be fired. But the devil is in the details and that won’t be lost on the skilled business leaders and owners we have at the club now.

[Hockley Lion]

A measured response is always more preferable than a hysterical witch hunt.

At least that's what I've found on all the witch hunts I've attended 😂.

[sickbeggar]

I imagine they'll be satisfied overall. At least a lot of the criticism aimed at Smith is doing worse without Grealish which is something a lot of managers would struggle with. People sometimes need to get some perspective. Guardiola is a managerial great I suppose but Smith hasn't fucked up as bad tactically this season like he did last night.

[Steve67]

The pressure will be on Dean, to take the pressure off when Grealish is out of the side.  Hopefully, we are way down the line with the transfer targets and we all come back in August, very satisfied with the transfer dealings, just like we were last year.

[Lastfootstamper]

Were people satisfied last August? Yeah, we're satisfied with them now, they all look like hits. But there was plenty of 'we don't need a right back, we need a left back" & "Brentford have seen us coming again, will we never learn" at the time, along with widespread trepidation about the huge fees paid for a goalkeeper who'd spent a decade failing to oust anyone ahead of him, and yet another one footed lightweight winger from a "crap" league.

[Steve67]

I don’t recall anybody saying on the transfer thread last season, what a load of shit we’ve bought this season? I think we’ve moved forward again and are now expecting a higher quality of player on an individual basis. Last year, again we were buying in bulk as we were the season before. Now though, we are at a period of time where we need individuals of quality rather than wholesale changes.

[Lastfootstamper]

We only bought four players, hardly 'bulk'. And I'm not saying people said they were shit, an overall take of people's opinions on it at the time would've probably been 'underwhelming'.

I am rather underwhelmed with links to Ollie Watkins but I suppose we are not yet established enough to attract better/top quality players and have to take what we can, hope they get better, and become the type of player we always needed, moneyball stylee.  It's a risk because he might be crap in the Premier Division but as Jim Bowen used to say, 'that's the gamble'.

No chance. Watkins with all the pressure to score the goals in his first prem season, have we learnt nothing from Gestede and Wesley?

Some even viewed it as preparing for a return to the Championship.

But if there is any truth in the Cash, Watkins, Benrahma, Swift links, then I will find it massively underwhelming and it would feel too me as though we are attempting to build a squad too get out of the Championship.

[sickbeggar]

I thought Watkins was a risk at the price. He was, given the level he'd played at. Obviously Smith knew better than me and got it right.

[Lastfootstamper]

I thought Watkins was a risk at the price. He was, given the level he'd played at. Obviously Smith knew better than me and got it right.

They've all been risks. Since we came back, our only dabbles into the market of players tried and tested at this level have been, I believe, the loans of Drinkwater and Barkley. I've mentioned before about the utterly irrational level of faith I have in Smith based on a belief that in my entire 55 years on the planet, he and SGT are the only Villa managers better at the job than I would be, and that holds true with his transfer dealings too, so I'm not really including myself in this. I just think it's a bit of a stretch to suggest that as the window drew towards a close last summer, people were, on the whole, 'satisfied' with our dealings, given how we'd finished the previous season.

[sickbeggar]

I thought Watkins was a risk at the price. He was, given the level he'd played at. Obviously Smith knew better than me and got it right.

They've all been risks.  Since we came back, our only dabbles into the market of players tried and tested at this level have been, I believe, the loans of Drinkwater and Barkley. I've mentioned before about the utterly irrational level of faith I have in Smith based on a belief that in my entire 55 years on the planet, he and SGT are the only Villa managers better at the job than I would be, and that holds true with his transfer dealings too, so I'm not really including myself in this. I just think it's a bit of a stretch to suggest that as the window drew towards a close last summer, people were, on the whole, 'satisfied' with our dealings, given how we'd finished the previous season.

yeah I agree with you. I must say that I always thought Martinez was a bargain though. At least I think I did...

[Steve67]

Each to their own.  I was pleased with the business.  We brought in five players, one on loan.  I'd say that was bulk given it's nearly half a team.  Every transfer is a risk.  Some you win, some you lose.  We mostly won.  Berkley didn't work out, that's the risk we took. Other than Jota, I think we have bought very well generally.  Like I say, each to their own.

[Lastfootstamper]

There wasn't any stalking or anything going on, promise, I was just looking through towards the end of last season's transfer thread and found those posts I've quoted. That first 'underwhelming' Watkins one was yours, Steve.

[Steve67]

Fair cop, you stalking bugger you!  I think I was underwhelmed as I expected him to play on the wing (he says, backtracking wildly).  Lots of money I guess but it worked out for him and Villa.

[ez]

Jota and Samatta are the only flops so far. The jury is still out on a few like Sanson and Wesley but overall very good business.

[KevinGage]

Were people satisfied last August? Yeah, we're satisfied with them now, they all look like hits. But there was plenty of 'we don't need a right back, we need a left back" & "Brentford have seen us coming again, will we never learn" at the time, along with widespread trepidation about the huge fees paid for a goalkeeper who'd spent a decade failing to oust anyone ahead of him, and yet another one footed lightweight winger from a "crap" league.

Good point.