Next Manager Speculation and wishful thinking thread

[edgysatsuma89]

A lot of posts questioning our ambition. Is not fair to say that them not sacking Dean Smith, and thereby suggesting that 18 defeats in 35 games was acceptable, would be an even more worrying sign with us averaging less than a point per game?

They're not mutually exclusive though. Sacking Dean Smith isn't a lack of ambition but signing Gerrard would be in my opinion.

[pauliewalnuts]

A lot of posts questioning our ambition. Is not fair to say that them not sacking Dean Smith, and thereby suggesting that 18 defeats in 35 games was acceptable, would be an even more worrying sign with us averaging less than a point per game?

Don't think it is that simple.

I understand the logic to sacking Smith - he had to go, in my opinion.

However, that's an opinion formed on an assumption that he'll be replaced with someone better qualified to move us to where we want to get, and i don't see how Gerrard addresses that.

[paul_e]

He wouldn't be my choice, but who knows what the right appointment is. Remember when we all got excited about Ole maybe coming  because there was a film with people saying nice things about him from Norway. If he comes I hope it will be with his full backroom staff, because at least he seems to have a good team around him.

Not all of us did. That was stupid fanboy wank and so is this.

Did you not change your username using Norwegian letters?

No, mate. I was moaning about it being a fanwank appointment with no experience. I could probably have saved a lot of time in the last few days if I'd just copied and pasted those threads and randomly interjected "St Johnstone" every couple of paragraphs.

Personally that was very different, we'd just got rid of a ultra-defensive dull scot and the 2 alternatives that seemed to be doing the rounds were Lambert and Martinez, neither of whom I liked, Lambert felt very much like he was only included because fans had chanted his name a few weeks earlier and Martinez played pretty but ultimately ineffectual football. On top of that I was in the middle of moving to Norway so I'd been spending a lot of time in hotels over there and watching their domestic football, his Molde team were light years ahead of anyone else and created a lot of chances. I just wanted to see a Villa team that cared about scoring goals more than backs-to-the-wall defending.

Now we're replacing a popular manager who had us play some fantastic football at times but just couldn't find any consistency so we should be looking for someone with a reputation of providing consistent  performances with talented players where you need to be 'on your game' almost every week. For me Gerrard doesn't tick the boxes, if he did I wouldn't give a shit about the 'fanboy wank' element of it.

[edgysatsuma89]

A lot of posts questioning our ambition. Is not fair to say that them not sacking Dean Smith, and thereby suggesting that 18 defeats in 35 games was acceptable, would be an even more worrying sign with us averaging less than a point per game?

Don't think it is that simple.

I understand the logic to sacking Smith - he had to go, in my opinion.

However, that's an opinion formed on an assumption that he'll be replaced with someone better qualified to move us to where we want to get, and i don't see how Gerrard addresses that.

I'd be pretty confident if there was a poll saying 'sack Dean Smith but hire Gerrard' I don't think many would see the point. I wanted Smith gone but I wouldn't have bothered.

[Brazilian Villain]

https://twitter.com/TheIbroxChannel/status/1458405868303683590

Doesn't look like a family holiday during the int'l break to me.

[ChicagoLion]

https://twitter.com/TheIbroxChannel/status/1458405868303683590

Doesn't look like a family holiday during the int'l break to me.

im in that London.

[caster troy]

It would be like replacing El Ghazi with Dwight McNeil, it might turn out to be a better option but you do wonder if it is worth it and ultimately it's not what you had in mind with billionaire owners and talk of European football being the ambition.

[Beard82]

It would be like replacing El Ghazi with Dwight McNeil, it might turn out to be a better option but you do wonder if it is worth it and ultimately it's not what you had in mind with billionaire owners and talk of European football being the ambition.

very good comparison

[paul_e]

It would be like replacing El Ghazi with Dwight McNeil, it might turn out to be a better option but you do wonder if it is worth it and ultimately it's not what you had in mind with billionaire owners and talk of European football being the ambition.

very good comparison

Yep, sums it up very well for me with the small addition of leaking to the press that the new winger is going to be a very ambitious signing that will show everyone how serious we are about progressing.

[WarszaVillan]

He wouldn't be my choice, but who knows what the right appointment is. Remember when we all got excited about Ole maybe coming  because there was a film with people saying nice things about him from Norway. If he comes I hope it will be with his full backroom staff, because at least he seems to have a good team around him.

Not all of us did. That was stupid fanboy wank and so is this.

Did you not change your username using Norwegian letters?

No, mate. I was moaning about it being a fanwank appointment with no experience. I could probably have saved a lot of time in the last few days if I'd just copied and pasted those threads and randomly interjected "St Johnstone" every couple of paragraphs.

Personally that was very different, we'd just got rid of a ultra-defensive dull scot and the 2 alternatives that seemed to be doing the rounds were Lambert and Martinez, neither of whom I liked, Lambert felt very much like he was only included because fans had chanted his name a few weeks earlier and Martinez played pretty but ultimately ineffectual football. On top of that I was in the middle of moving to Norway so I'd been spending a lot of time in hotels over there and watching their domestic football, his Molde team were light years ahead of anyone else and created a lot of chances. I just wanted to see a Villa team that cared about scoring goals more than backs-to-the-wall defending.

Now we're replacing a popular manager who had us play some fantastic football at times but just couldn't find any consistency so we should be looking for someone with a reputation of providing consistent  performances with talented players where you need to be 'on your game' almost every week. For me Gerrard doesn't tick the boxes, if he did I wouldn't give a shit about the 'fanboy wank' element of it.

Wasn't Rodgers in the running as well. I remember many thinking we'd got the better option with Lambert. Just further evidence for me that we haven't really got a clue who would work out. We are not in a position to pick a manager from the top-shelf and won't be till we get up towards the champions league places. Every appointment is therefore a gamble to some extent.

[paul_e]

Wasn't Rodgers in the running as well. I remember many thinking we'd got the better option with Lambert. Just further evidence for me that we haven't really got a clue who would work out. We are not in a position to pick a manager from the top-shelf and won't be till we get up towards the champions league places. Every appointment is therefore a gamble to some extent.

I think fans were talking about it but he was appointed by Liverpool about the same time Lambert joined us so I don't recall him ever being a serious option.

[Villan82]

A lot of posts questioning our ambition. Is not fair to say that them not sacking Dean Smith, and thereby suggesting that 18 defeats in 35 games was acceptable, would be an even more worrying sign with us averaging less than a point per game?

Don't think it is that simple.

I understand the logic to sacking Smith - he had to go, in my opinion.

However, that's an opinion formed on an assumption that he'll be replaced with someone better qualified to move us to where we want to get, and i don't see how Gerrard addresses that.

SG is not my first pick by any stretch. But he comes with a similar background to a Gregory or a Little (three years in a league a level below).

[Beard82]

It would be like replacing El Ghazi with Dwight McNeil, it might turn out to be a better option but you do wonder if it is worth it and ultimately it's not what you had in mind with billionaire owners and talk of European football being the ambition.

very good comparison

Yep, sums it up very well for me with the small addition of leaking to the press that the new winger is going to be a very ambitious signing that will show everyone how serious we are about progressing.

Yes perfect

[Vegas]

A lot of posts questioning our ambition. Is not fair to say that them not sacking Dean Smith, and thereby suggesting that 18 defeats in 35 games was acceptable, would be an even more worrying sign with us averaging less than a point per game?

Don't think it is that simple.

I understand the logic to sacking Smith - he had to go, in my opinion.

However, that's an opinion formed on an assumption that he'll be replaced with someone better qualified to move us to where we want to get, and i don't see how Gerrard addresses that.

This is why I really don’t like the “Smith (or whoever) out” sentiment without a clear understanding of who we can get instead. It’s nonsense to say “Smith out” without knowing that as you could simply be advocating making us worse.

[nigel]

If we didn't find this regime in 2018 we might not have an Aston Villa to support right now, yet alone one back in the  top flight. Some of the comments are ridiculous.

I think I've praised pretty much everything about this ownership, from hiring Dean to letting him go at the right time. I'm mightily underwhelmed by the Gerrard appointment however. He seems to want to play the right football and he has a good coaching staff so I'm not entirely pessimistic; the trouble is, take the same record, style and coaching team and remove the name 'Steven Gerrard' and I don't think we'd be looking at the Rangers manager, and therein lies my problem.

The flip side could be that another manager might not have got them to where they are now and being just a top half team rather than a league winners team
After watching that interview with their coach and knowing McAlister is on the coaching staff, too, seems that Gerrard has a decent team with him.