Dean Smith - reflection & appreciation

[Mister E]

Easy to guess who bumped this thread up the list.
Smith did us proud; he's gone. Move on.

[Toronto Villa]

Both things can be true. This thread is about appreciating what he did for us. And he did lots of wonderful things. But sustaining consistency at a high level as manager in the PL is a bridge too far for Dean. There is no way he’s going to have whatever Steven Gerrard has today as a known entity in the world game unless he does what Ferguson, Mourinho, Wenger did over many, many years. Gerrard will ultimately be judged as a manager, but right now he’s pulling strings that Dean just doesn’t have access to.

[john e]

I wonder what he would do differently if he could go back

obviously certain players like Drinkwater wouldn’t be signed with hindsight
But I was more meaning tactics and lineups And attitudes towards games
Maybe he would field stronger sides in the FA Cup, My personal bugbear with any of our past managers

I still wonder if John Gregory wished he could go back to the FA Cup final and this time really give it a go
MON Moscow
Lambert Bradford

Or maybe Smith doesn’t have any regrets And it is what it is

[Toronto Villa]

John Gregory, I’m sure I read or heard considers his approach to that FA cup as one his biggest regrets.

And MON is someone who will never admit fault, but if he did it’s probably not holding on to a 2-0 lead vs Stoke. Because has we done so the whole Moscow thing, which is way overblown anyway would never have become what it did.

[paul_e]

Both things can be true. This thread is about appreciating what he did for us. And he did lots of wonderful things. But sustaining consistency at a high level as manager in the PL is a bridge too far for Dean. There is no way he’s going to have whatever Steven Gerrard has today as a known entity in the world game unless he does what Ferguson, Mourinho, Wenger did over many, many years. Gerrard will ultimately be judged as a manager, but right now he’s pulling strings that Dean just doesn’t have access to.

Not having access is one thing but I think for a lot of managers it's also a case of not trying for players that might be considered slightly out of reach. Whether Smith could sign Countinho comes second behind the fact that I can't imagine he even would have asked the question.  A lot of fans think in the same way so on the transfr thread loads of players get dismissed as being 'above' us. It's not a criticism, there are plenty of managers who've been like it and still done well, I just think he just liked the idea of players generally seeing the move as a step up and was scared of harming that and Barkley probably made him even more cautious. I guess Bailey is the exception but he feels like more of a Lange signing and always did.

[LeeB]

The right thing was done for Aston Villa. I'll put all my money on nobody else besides me on here decorating a mug in homage to Smith, but even I recognise clubs move on quicker than in years past, and while his race might not have been run, it wasn't far off.

However, he has left a legacy possibly unmatched in even our history, that 20,000 people can't get a ticket to watch us. He was, and remains, a god, and I will forever be thankful for the chest-bursting pride he reawakened in me of being a supporter of Aston Villa.

Amen brother!

[Sexual Ealing]

The right thing was done for Aston Villa. I'll put all my money on nobody else besides me on here decorating a mug in homage to Smith, but even I recognise clubs move on quicker than in years past, and while his race might not have been run, it wasn't far off.

However, he has left a legacy possibly unmatched in even our history, that 20,000 people can't get a ticket to watch us. He was, and remains, a god, and I will forever be thankful for the chest-bursting pride he reawakened in me of being a supporter of Aston Villa.

Amen brother!

That is all quite beautiful.

[West Derby Villan]

The right thing was done for Aston Villa. I'll put all my money on nobody else besides me on here decorating a mug in homage to Smith, but even I recognise clubs move on quicker than in years past, and while his race might not have been run, it wasn't far off.

However, he has left a legacy possibly unmatched in even our history, that 20,000 people can't get a ticket to watch us. He was, and remains, a god, and I will forever be thankful for the chest-bursting pride he reawakened in me of being a supporter of Aston Villa.

Amen brother!

That is all quite beautiful.

Agree 100% on all counts

[Legion]

Well said.

[Ian.]

Lovely words and very well said Lastfootstamper,

[RamboandBruno]

The right thing was done for Aston Villa. I'll put all my money on nobody else besides me on here decorating a mug in homage to Smith, but even I recognise clubs move on quicker than in years past, and while his race might not have been run, it wasn't far off.

However, he has left a legacy possibly unmatched in even our history, that 20,000 people can't get a ticket to watch us. He was, and remains, a god, and I will forever be thankful for the chest-bursting pride he reawakened in me of being a supporter of Aston Villa.

Amen brother!

That is all quite beautiful.

Agree 100% on all counts

Yes, perfect

[Fred Crump]

Brought a lump to my throat LFS. Exactly how I feel but much more eloquently expressed than I could ever manage.

[Lsvilla]

I wish I was clever and smart enough to write that. Spot on. He was perfect for us at the time and it should always be the case that he will be remembered as such.

[LeeB]

We need to see the mug though.

[Rory]

No need for this (apart from Footy's contribution). He took us from lower mid-table in the Championship to mid-table in the PL in one season. Give the man the respect he deserves.

Absolutely.