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McLeish to become Villa manager
- Thread starter I am Irrefutable
- Start date
Skashion
Well-Known Member
Just re-reading Gary James' Football With a Smile (his biography on Joe Mercer) and as it happens on on the chapter about his sacking from Villa, and were those Villa fans nasty little fuckers back then as well - throwing apples and orange peel at one of the legends of the game, who'd already won them promotion and a League Cup and got them to the FA Cup semi-final twice. Here's the view of a journalist at the time in 1964:
You could change the names and date reference and republish that tomorrow morning.
The myth is that Aston Villa, forgetting what they once were for that is no longer relevant, are today a major force in the game and that success if theirs by some divine right. Too easily they slip out the references to 'Villa's great traditions' and it is this trite resort to what Villa were in the past that creates the atmosphere that stifles the future. A lot of people have been trying to hoist Mr Mercer on to the tumbrel for some time. Managers are always that vulnerable, but around Aston, Witton, and Erdington there lingers deep resentment that Villa can no longer throw out the bright reflections of more than half a century ago. Joe Mercer looked to the future and was resented because he could not recapture the past.
You could change the names and date reference and republish that tomorrow morning.
Citizen Green
Well-Known Member
- Joined
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- 7,279
I honestly think Martinez would of gone on to Villa and achieved very good things, I rate him quite highly. I'm pretty shocked they couldn't attract him because they are a big club and are quite attractive, or at least you would of thought.
McLeish is a decent manager who will make them hard to beat and probably do well in the cup competitions as a result. Hard to predict what he can achieve with them in the league though, it's vital he gets off to a good start to keep the Villa fans sweet. If he can manage that he can push a top 8 finish with the right signings.
Be interesting to see who they do go after in the market, they've got the goalscorer in Darren Bent and have good solid defenders in Dunne and Collins, I also rate Warnock. Brannen and Albrighton are decent youngsters, Ireland as we know is a good player when he's on it. However, they must keep hold of Downing with Young leaving, and need some fresh faces in midfield and a new goalkeeper, quite the task McLeish has took on and deserves some admiration imo.
McLeish is a decent manager who will make them hard to beat and probably do well in the cup competitions as a result. Hard to predict what he can achieve with them in the league though, it's vital he gets off to a good start to keep the Villa fans sweet. If he can manage that he can push a top 8 finish with the right signings.
Be interesting to see who they do go after in the market, they've got the goalscorer in Darren Bent and have good solid defenders in Dunne and Collins, I also rate Warnock. Brannen and Albrighton are decent youngsters, Ireland as we know is a good player when he's on it. However, they must keep hold of Downing with Young leaving, and need some fresh faces in midfield and a new goalkeeper, quite the task McLeish has took on and deserves some admiration imo.
Freestyler
Well-Known Member
Villa could do better imo.
gerrygowsjockstrap
Well-Known Member
What great rivals. 27.000 at Derby match at St Andrews. Plenty of empty seats. 2nd city my arse. Villa in a relegation battle, we can help them out by giving them Barry.
Gary James
Well-Known Member
Skashion said:Just re-reading Gary James' Football With a Smile (his biography on Joe Mercer) and as it happens on on the chapter about his sacking from Villa....
Thanks for the mention. It was the Villa fans who piled on the pressure, but it was the directors who decided to push out a man who had just had a stroke.
Then of course City fans slow hand clapped and booed Joe's first game in charge at City (a friendly) and the directors who took over the Club who decided to push out a man who had just guided the club to its greatest successes ever.
Football clubs are odd beasts.
FishFoot
Well-Known Member
I never wanted O'Neill out, but he pissed me off. There's this myth that he's the perfect man manager. That's why he treated Luke Young like shit when his brother died, that's why he spunked millions on players then never played them, that's why he had a fight with Reo Coker on the training ground, Reo Coker was one of our hardest working committed players. I was glad to see the back of him.
I think McLeish is a decent appointment as I feel the board have changed their ambitions.
Instead of fighting for the magic of 4th place, I think the board now want to cruise along between 6th - 12th. Kind of how Sunderland, Everton & Fulham do. Whilst signing players then making profits on them to places like Man City, United & Liverpool.
McLeish is a solid bet to do that. He'll make us stronger at the back & the players will have a more committed & professional attitude to what I've seen the past 2 seasons.
I think McLeish is a decent appointment as I feel the board have changed their ambitions.
Instead of fighting for the magic of 4th place, I think the board now want to cruise along between 6th - 12th. Kind of how Sunderland, Everton & Fulham do. Whilst signing players then making profits on them to places like Man City, United & Liverpool.
McLeish is a solid bet to do that. He'll make us stronger at the back & the players will have a more committed & professional attitude to what I've seen the past 2 seasons.
MCFC-alan88
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- 9,618
10.Goater_Legend said:I honestly think Martinez would of gone on to Villa and achieved very good things, I rate him quite highly. I'm pretty shocked they couldn't attract him because they are a big club and are quite attractive, or at least you would of thought.
McLeish is a decent manager who will make them hard to beat and probably do well in the cup competitions as a result. Hard to predict what he can achieve with them in the league though, it's vital he gets off to a good start to keep the Villa fans sweet. If he can manage that he can push a top 8 finish with the right signings.
Be interesting to see who they do go after in the market, they've got the goalscorer in Darren Bent and have good solid defenders in Dunne and Collins, I also rate Warnock. Brannen and Albrighton are decent youngsters, Ireland as we know is a good player when he's on it. However, they must keep hold of Downing with Young leaving, and need some fresh faces in midfield and a new goalkeeper, quite the task McLeish has took on and deserves some admiration imo.
Regarding your second paragraph, I think it needs a little rethink. With Young off to the scum and 'Pool sniffing around Downing in their British revolution. They're going to seriously lack quality supply to Bent, who needs a fair amount of chances to put them away. I think if they lose those two, they are seriously going to struggle. Even with new signings, they'll take a while to settle.
To be honest, with those two (possibly) leaving, I'm not far off of saying that this coming season might be a write-off for them.
Fair enough pal, I really don't think Mcleish has done anything to warrant a chance at a club like Villa and I can't honestly see him lasting beyond a season. Its a mistake imo, and it could be a very costly one. I honestly think Mclaren would have done a better job.