steell

General, I just want to outline the crux of the issue. If Alex McLeish was manager of West Ham or Blackpool and his legacy was two relegations in three seasons, the fans wouldn't want him managing our team. It is as simple as that. The truly baffling thing is that you are interviewing a manager from our fiercest rivals, looking at paying out a huge compensation claim as well as making us look foolish to the whole world of football. It's a simple equation, is the potential outcome (league success, that Mr McLeish has shown no sign of achieving by the way) verses alienating a huge part of the fan base AND creating an almost impossible situation for Alex to manage in, worth it? It feels to us fans that the board are entrenched in the belief that this is about Birmingham City, it is not. You must understand that the issue is compounded because there are so many excellent managers out there at the moment, it genuinely feels like you're now trying to prove a point and in trying to win this battle, you are going to lose the war.

Is this too much?: Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone, Silence the pianos and with muffled drum Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come. It was my North, my South, my East and West, My working week and my Saturday best, My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song; I thought love for Randy would last for ever: I was wrong. The stars are not wanted now, loan out every one. Pack up the Holte and where the boys run; Pour away the pitch and sweep up where we stood. For nothing now can ever come to any good.

He'll get my full support - but that's not the point, I've supported Villa for 35 years and always will BUT I just don't understand it! If AM was a good manager who was being courted by say, Spurs as possible replacement for Harry then I could get the risk of taking on our fiercest rivals manager but without any spin I don't think McLeish would be considered for ANY of the teams in the top 15 clubs if they were looking for a manager. SO, taking on a boss who has been poor AND was at SHA is madness. Stating the obvious I know but just wanted to get it off my chest.

Has it been posted that Bevan from the LMA has come out and given the reasons why McLeish left? It was because it had become 'untenable'.

Can I be first on 600 please.

Wish Houllier would have a change of heart. Literally.

Dear General, I realise that running a football club cannot be a democracy and also that you and the board have been patronised by many of the fans - I don't doubt your intentions for our great club. However, AVFC is not a business it is a sports club who are effectively only in existence to provide entertainment and a structure that allows the fans to support the team that they chose to follow. So, it's not the job of the fans to appoint the manager, agreed, but to imply that Mr Lerner can choose this appointment without regard to the wishes of the fans is to show a complete misunderstanding of the whole history and purpose of our club, and any club. If the board had pushed through McClaren, I think you would have found a minor annoyance with the fans but a willingness to have given him support until such a time as results started to slide. IF you press on with appointing McLeish you'll find that you have made a serious error of judgement which will have irreversible consequences, and the potential legacy of Mr Lerner will be in tatters. This is redeemable General, please see sense and recommend that, on this occasion, the fans instincts are completely valid and should not be ignored. I don't care that he managed BCFC, I really don't, but I do not think he's good enough to take the kind of risk that you're planning on taking.

AAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Sorry to disappoint you mate but those comments are almost certainly from the general. They got reposted on Facebook AFTER they appeared on another forum where the general posts, and that source has been verified. I'm absolutely certain that is the general and that is what the club think. I'm as positive as anyone on here and I'll still be going to VP whoever they appoint but I've never been so disappointed in the club. My only hope is that it was just one of the interviews and not an appointment.

Of course it's the General, I don't doubt that for one second. It's not on Facebook, it was on another forum and reposted on FB. There's also no way it's ambiguous, that's as clear a sign that AM is our next manager.

Of course it's the General, I don't doubt that for one second. It's not on Facebook, it was on another forum and reposted on FB. There's also no way it's ambiguous, that's as clear a sign that AM is our next manager.

HAs anyone asked the question that IF an email was seen by a journalist then WHO passed it on. Director to director apparently and can anyone see Randy doing that?? So Moxley et al either need to acknowledge that there was no email or that is SHA that lacks integrity.

This just doesn't make any sense!! AM resigns, for whatever reason, and we then contact SHA to ask if we can speak to him?? If he resigns then surely anyone can speak to him? My guess if there is an email knocking about it reads like this: SHA to AVFC - "Our manager has resigned and if you want to speak to him we're going to make you pay us £5m" AVFC to SHA - "Thanks for the contact. We'll speak to any manager we want to, now jog on"

How can the new kit take priority over the manager of the football club? Getting a new manager is first and foremost the single most important item on any agenda within avfc. I'm hearing that the kit is being delayed at the new managers request. I mean have you seen a ginger wearing claret - don't even go there!

Can someone tell me why there has been so little speculation on Owen Coyle? This is a genuine question, I'm wondering if there's been some reason stated why he's not the man for us. I've been looking at the top 10 names with bookies and he seems gettable, well respected and completely fits the bill that the board seem to be working to. So why is there so little talk about him.

Here's where I think we're at: The new manager will probably be Hughes, there's a possibility that it could be Moyes or Coyle. The only other option would be a promising young manager appointment like Poyet or Lambert. And to be as positive as I can be, there are 5 men who I personally would be happy to see at Villa and all sensible appointments with logical reasoning behind why we'd go for them. My trust is wearing thin but I just don't believe that McLeish was ever a possibility.

I don't think there's a chance it'll be Moyes or McLeish. For the first time I'm beginning to be disappointed with the board. There has never been a better time to find a very good manager but we seem to be making a right hash of this.

This isn't going to go down well but........I think he's a good manager who would do well at Villa. Sorry. Happy for it to be him. But doubt it will be.

There's a village somewhere missing its idiot.

I honestly think it could be McLeish. Haven't read the last 20 or so pages but has this possibility been considered?

McCleish!!

Just taking the General to Libya. Goodbye Gaddafi.

Haven't you seen Lord of the Rings?

"I`m not surprised that he`s a wanted man, quite simply the best young manager around, he doesn`t just concentrate on first team affairs, in fact some accuse him of neglecting that altogether, but obviously that`s not true, he is involved in every aspect of the club, he is a follower of Johan Cruyff and he uses what Cruyff achieved at Barcelona as his model, we saw the benefits of allowing that model to run its term two weeks ago at Wembley. I`m not saying he`ll turn the Latics into the next Barcelona, but he is shaping the club in the right way, giving a firm foundation for sustainability long into the future and a means to bring players through from schools, youth and reserve team football all the way to the first team, all our sides now play the same style at all times so that the players are accustomed to the 'Latics way`. We are now playing superb football and have the lowest wage bill we have had since being in the Premier League, good football at a low cost with a very bright future, no wonder he is a wanted man" There you go, from an actual adult Wigan fan. Didn't take me long to find it, happy to get you some others if you like.

So you couldn't find a positive quote eh?