Steven Gerrard - yes or no

[gpbarr]

Genuinely believe this could be one of the shortest villa managers tenures ever. Like it or not, there is clearly a huge divide in opinion - the poll on this site in itself shows the level of apathy for this appointment - which means if it doesn't go well fast, the fans will turn fast.

I wont support the appointment - thats my right and its because I've heard some rather unsavory things about the man - but I will always support the Villa and in that regard, I hope we turn it around into a respectable mid-table finish this year. I really do hope I am wrong, but I fear the very worst. 

[andyh]

A rookie manager from a tin pot, 2 team league.

If our leadership believes this is the very best we can do then they must be fucking mad and Purslow is being a narrow minded, narrow visioned ******.

A golden opportunity to make a statement appointment and the best we can do is to say ‘we are small time’.

[Demitri_C]

I said this to Woodhall just now, but I fear Gerrard represents a massive hole in the ground and Purslow is about to walk into it.

They've sacked Smith saying the progress had not continued as they hoped - the clear intimation here being that Smith was not the man to take us to the next level. If they now appoint someone in his place with even less experience as a manager, let alone evidence of being able to take teams forward, the entire line of reasoning looks extremely questionable.

Furthermore, with Gerrard, they will be replacing a life long Villa fan with someone with is one of the most identifiable 'club men' for another club in the world. It will look like "they're replacing a Villa legend with a Liverpool one" which isn't a good look. I don't really give too much of a shit that Smith is one of us and Gerrard is not, but that is the way it is going to get spun.

On top of that, it will be Purslow making the decision, and he is a former Liverpool CEO. Again, it starts to look like a Liverpool love-in.

To top it all off, there seems very little appetite for Gerrard from the fanbase, meaning he'd be starting on the wrong foot.

I just hope they're not stupid enough to do this, they'd be digging their own graves in terms of credibility.

Absolutely spot on. If Gerrard didn't get off to a good start it wouldn't take long for the 'Deano' chants to start up.

Why would people chant for deano back?? If he is managing another club it would make us look abit silly.

Give him a heroes welcome when he returns most definitely.  If gerrard fails then yes he will get heat and rightly so. But chanting for deano? No thanks

Its the past now time to move on from the smith era

I agree. T wheider problem is though that this is the first time I can remember when a manager has been sacked when there has been no real dissent from the fans (Little maybe was similar?). Considering he is seen as one of us, then if the owners don't get this appointment right they'll lose a lot of support amongst fans. It's all about results of course, but the pressure will be on the new manager to turn things round quickly.

We have to be very careful here.  The owners have been fantastic for us and saved this club. The last thing we need is to turn on them - even if this appointment goes wrong it happens.

Look at utd how many collosal fuck ups they have had since fergie.

Chelsea have some stinkers like lampard

Spurs another one

Arsenal...

They wont get every managerial appointment right but we should under no circumstances turn on sawiris or edens if this doesnt work out. Obviously if we go down the lerner way down the end then thats different although i highly doubt that will happen as these guys seem to know what they are doing unlike lerner. I dont think we will feel "romantically nourished"

[Le Lapin]

No from me. They should have left Deano where he was if this the best they can come up with. Replacing a reasonably experienced manager with one that has only managed in the Fisher Price league doesn't seem right. Stevie G has his eyes on the Liverpool job, we are just a stepping stone until Klopp Jack's it in. I don't get why our club is happy to stay as training ground for managers.  Get someone in that has experience.

[ChicagoLion]

A lot  / most of support based on media polls will be thinking great, we have got a top name manager and this puts Villa on the map.
H&V does not represent the majority view.
I hate the idea but I am just going to have to get used to iit.
looking forward to going to the Brighton game whatever.

[bilsim]

Everything about this stinks. I'm clinging to a hope that we are feeding the media a line so that we can organise something else, something better, behind the scenes.

In what way is Steven Gerrard an upgrade on Dean Smith? What happens if there isn't an immediate upswing in results and performances as we go into the Christmas period?

I genuinely don't understand.

As others have said, this reeks of desperation to have "a name" in the dugout and if it were another club, I'd be putting them on my "teams I hope get relegated" list for the sheer audacity of thinking that this is a good move.

[Demitri_C]

A lot  / most of support based on media polls will be thinking great, we have got a top name manager and this puts Villa on the map.
H&V does not represent the majority view.
I hate the idea but I am just going to have to get used to iit.
looking forward to going to the Brighton game whatever.

Thats where im at CL.

[regular_john]

It's a no from me.

I don't think a big Premier League club should be used as a training tool for such an inexperienced manager. He's done well at Rangers but still has nothing like the experience required to manage a big side in the EPL. If he wants to learn his trade, he should be doing so with a League 1/Championship side.

Also, there'll be no continuity with him. If we're going to push on, we need a manager to stick around for the long term, not just piss off to Liverpool as soon as the job opens up.

This is the exact reason Smith was perfect for the club - he would have been here for the long haul.

If we're going to poach a manager from another club, I'd rather it be Graham Potter (also a Villa fan as far as I know)

[Big Ming]

A least he should know how to organise a decent midfield where pretty much all of our problems having been stemming from.

[RamboandBruno]

A lot  / most of support based on media polls will be thinking great, we have got a top name manager and this puts Villa on the map.
H&V does not represent the majority view.
I hate the idea but I am just going to have to get used to iit.
looking forward to going to the Brighton game whatever.

Thats where im at CL.

I dont want Gerrard. Not because i dislike the man, i dont know him. But because as others have said, despite the noise on here, which i was part of, we have sacked a still highly regarded gaffer in Dean Smith, with one that is a bigger name, but has far less experience but is Purslows mate, its a totally vanity project and makes us look small fry as well as being a huge risk.
However, it looks to be almost 100% nailed on that he will be our next manager. I will be at the Brighton game, i will have the same nervous excitement i always do on match days, especially the Saturdays at 3pm, I hope we win and i hope Gerrard is successful as it means Villa are.

[Dave P]

A least he should know how to organise a decent midfield where pretty much all of our problems having been stemming from.

O'Leary and McLeish couldn't organise a defence. Lambert and Sherwood couldn't organise a midfield. This is no guarantee.

[LeeB]

A lot  / most of support based on media polls will be thinking great, we have got a top name manager and this puts Villa on the map.
H&V does not represent the majority view.
I hate the idea but I am just going to have to get used to iit.
looking forward to going to the Brighton game whatever.

Thats where im at CL.

I'd argue that the squawking bellends that shout on Twitter and Facebook don't necessarily constitute  the Villa supporting public at large.

I'll support him, he may turn out to be good, but it doesn't stop me being distinctly unimpressed with the choice on many levels.

[Jon Crofts]

If it is to be him then it has to include Gary Macallister, then I'd be a little happier.

If it's not him then I'd be even happier.

[ozzjim]

Of the 5-6 non villa fan forum fans I speak to regularly to, the majority think it's a decent move. Most people only post on sites or Twitter to complain and moan, the ones that don't care or are happy with it are not motivated to do so.

[ROBBO]

Can I vote no again?