Fans Worried Over Villa Future

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Andy Gray mentions in his book that Doug used to piss Atkinson off by hoovering around the training ground.

Tight old git! You think he'd have paid cleaners to do it.

[dave.woodhall]

As I said before, I'm sure that Doug might have a word with managers all the time, whether the team are doing well or not. I'm also sure that any decent manager would have taken not a blind bit of notice.

Doug's the chairman. There probably aren't many chairmen in any industry that don't feel they could do every job in their company better than anyone else, and can't occasionally resist the temptation to pass on a few words of wisdom.  

Has he influenced the team selection? I don't think so.

Has he signed players the manager didn't want? No manager has ever said he has.

Has he denied managers reasonable access to funds? Not according to the ones I've asked.

[Laughing Gravity]

Let's be honest, this blind hatred of Ellis produces some ridiculous claims about him.

Such as? The team interference isn't a ridiculous claim and I can remember it being said back in the mid 80's.

Doug really believes he is a "sounding board for selections and tactics". The stronger managers were perhaps able to resist him. But I don't believe everyone did.

That's the way the man sees himself and wants everyone to see him.

[themossman]

Good link LG. He just sounds like he's on another planet, and that was when he was relatively young and in touch with the game. I think dol has the right approch, flattering his ego while subtly dismissing him as a failing old man. In his canny way he's probably wrestling more control off doug than a lot of recent managers have had. Not ideal though is it?

[Risso]

There probably aren't many chairmen in any industry that don't feel they could do every job in their company better than anyone else

They might think they can, the difference is most of them don't TRY to do every job.

Look at all the criticism he gets:

John Gregory's rant about Doug still thinking his outdated methods were cutting edge.

Ansell saying that he had to get's Doug's say so for ordering stationery

Langham leaving over "differences of opinion."

Countless players leaving citing lack of ambition.

[Laughing Gravity]

Dave that's your opinion.

My opinion that a man of with such an ego simply could not resist the temptation to give everyone the benefit of his wealth of knowledge and experience.

He certainly wanted people to think of him in that way and I'm sure he has tried it over the years and it would be a foolish manager to ignore him if your job is on the line. And we've had a few of those.

[dave.woodhall]

Gregory - Yes, a real managerial genius, that one. How's he doing at Plymouth?

Ansell - Wasn't he the Antichrist a couple of years ago? What changed?

Langham - Nobody know why he left.

Players - another semi-myth. How many of our players from the post-Little era left for better or more ambitious clubs, and how many were pushed out/not wanted by the manager/thought they were better than they were? I'd say Yorke, Bosnich and possibly Southgate, although the latter fell out with Gregory as well. It's not the long list many would have you believe.

[dave.woodhall]

Dave that's your opinion.

It isn't just my opinion. It's backed up by facts.

[Laughing Gravity]

You're saying its a fact that Doug never interferred in team selection and tactics?

Never?

Where do I find that fact?

[Mazrim]

I would give JG more credit than he seems to get.

He didnt play the sexiest of football but he did get us into Europe against the odds and we were top of the league for over three months before getting an FA Cup final spot.

I liked JG.

[Red Robbo]

VFC are stuck in a timewarp

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I liked JG.

The most friendly ex Villa man I've ever met.

[Laughing Gravity]

VFC are stuck in a timewarp

And that's what this discussion is all about.

Two sides, one who rightly dispise Ellis and the other who a few years ago in an ego battle with "Ellis Out" "VFC" or its supporters suggested that Ellis is not all that bad, now feel oblidged to defend that position even if they feel not entirely comfortable doing it.

Ellis is an interferer, regardless of interviews with some ex-managers who may may not have wanted to paint themselves in the best light, he can't help himself. End of story.

[Laughing Gravity]

I liked JG.

The man who said Ellis interferred.

But there we go.

[Chico Hamilton III]

. End of story.

surely not? it's only 20 pages long at the moment

and it's only taken me half a morning to read through.