Put yourself in the mind of an Egyptian/American billionaire

[ChicagoLion]

Yes a good post.
Maybe when they review the season they will look at what went wrong and what went right.
Regarding Smith the obvious weakness is in game management and you would expect that this area will be addressed in some way, which does not necessarily mean replacing him.
My guess is he will still be here next season.

[Monty]

Just to say, in every sense, no to Rafa Benitez. I like him, I think he's a fine manager, but if Smith isn't what we need then by Christ Benitez isn't either.

[Baldy]

Great post Mr Ivo Stas.

I mentioned in some other thread that I would not be surprised if our owners are currently making discreet enquiries for a new manager. At the very least to see what alternate options are available before making a final decision. Their hand has been forced by our dismal performance over the last three months.

Rafa Benitez is definitely one worth exploring. Especially, if we could offer him an attractive transfer budget.

Deano is a decent manager but I fear does not have the pulling power or tactical nous to take us to the next level. I would prefer that he left the club at the end of this season 'with his head held high' rather than in 6 months time being harrassed out the door because his limitations wasted our next transfer budget.

[WarszaVillan]

We need a period of stability and continuity. In three seasons the club has gone from bottom half of the championship to a mid-table Premier League team and got to a major final. The next step is probably the hardest as the competition is so hard. Look at Everton for example - streets ahead of us in what they've spent on the squad, an internationally recognised manager, yet only 3 places above us, we've won and drawn against them this season and they've just lost to Sheffield Utd. Or Wolves - would you now get rid of their manager because of how they have performed? I hope the owners have got their heads screwed on and realise that this is a long-term process and we are moving in the right direction, but there will be bumps along the road.

[andyh]

Well, they are prepared to spend big again if this ‘guff’ I’d to be believed.
£260 million pound transfer kitty !!    A quarter of a billion pounds !!

https://tbrfootball.com/aston-villa-reportedly-to-have-260m-transfer-budget-to-spend-on-new-signings/

[Mister E]

Well, they are prepared to spend big again if this ‘guff’ I’d to be believed.
£260 million pound transfer kitty !!    A quarter of a billion pounds !!
https://tbrfootball.com/aston-villa-reportedly-to-have-260m-transfer-budget-to-spend-on-new-signings/

That's big dosh, but I wouldn't be surprised if they spend big.
Whilst other clubs may be on the defensive because of CV-19 this is the time to buy.

[Nelly]

Huge amounts of money if true, but that's what is needed ultimately. As sad as that is.

[Axl Rose]

Well, they are prepared to spend big again if this ‘guff’ I’d to be believed.
£260 million pound transfer kitty !!    A quarter of a billion pounds !!

https://tbrfootball.com/aston-villa-reportedly-to-have-260m-transfer-budget-to-spend-on-new-signings/

I like the sound of that, mate. We definitely need 4 quality players.

Tammy will be first in.

[dave.woodhall]

Every year we should get rid because he's taken us as far as he can, then every year he takes us a bit further.

[Damo70]

1. He got us promoted from a mid table starting position

2. He kept us up in the notoriously tricky first season after promotion

3. He has lead us to a comfortable mid table position this season

Throw in a cup final appearance and I think he has done an excellent job

[Ads]

One of our billionnaires made £3bn in the first half of the year. I know it doesn't directly correlate, but it is quite funny how insanely rich they are.

[ChicagoLion]

A lot will depend on what happens with Jack.
The speculation is going to be constant over the summer.

[algy]

Yep, I think Dean's pretty much hit every target, and we've improved massively season-on-season.  Not going to say that this season hasn't ended disappointingly - it's been massively so - but let's not gloss over how far we've progressed.  We're now a mid table Premier League side, having been a mid-table Championship side 2½ years ago.

Well, they are prepared to spend big again if this ‘guff’ I’d to be believed.
£260 million pound transfer kitty !!    A quarter of a billion pounds !!

https://tbrfootball.com/aston-villa-reportedly-to-have-260m-transfer-budget-to-spend-on-new-signings/

Wow.  If that's true, we'll almost certainly be the biggest spending club in Europe by a *huge* margin.  You're maybe looking at 4 or 5 top end players (given a load of clubs are a bit cash strapped right now), plus enough loose change to pick up a squad player or 2.

[Monty]

His main problem is how ridiculously streaky he is. We're always top or bottom of the form table, which tends to lead to the perception that he's either a genius or a fool. Had he simply done the incremental year-on-year improvement in a normal, 7th-to-13th-in-the-form-table way, we probably wouldn't have these great swoops of public opinion.

I will say for my part that, while you really cannot argue with the record, during our good phase I can't say I was often convinced that it felt sustainable, or built on solid ground. But that might just be my VIAD (Villa Instigated Anxiety Disorder).

[dave.woodhall]

One of our billionnaires made £3bn in the first half of the year. I know it doesn't directly correlate, but it is quite funny how insanely rich they are.

On the one occasion when I met them, I reckon they earned in twenty minutes as much as I will in the rest of my working life.