Grievemeister

How can you judge Weimann on so little pitch time? This is VT, players get judged quite quickly on here. Some players are called elite after a warm up and some players are called crap after 10 minutes of action where they dont receive a pass of the ball saw plenty of him at Watford when he was on loan as my freind plays for watford. he is not a premiership striker Just because he wasn't a hit out on loan means absolutely jack. Ask the Sheff Wed / Watford fans opinion about Gabby, he was woeful during these loan periods. Look at him now!

It summed it up for me when the camera's showed McLeish's face in the 77th minute. it proved her didnt know what to do, then Grant walked over to McLeish telling him to put Weimann on. Which he agreed to wthout a 2nd thought. who is in charge? He really doesnt have a clue.

I respect your opinion but I have to disagree. He had the chance to win the fans over by playing good passing football and showing some ambition going forward. He has the creativity in midfield to do this and a £24 mill player who is a natural goalscorer. He stated before the season that he wants us to go out and play football. Nearly halfway into the season we havent witnessed anything that we are capable of. The only way he can win the fans over os by playing football. Not hoofing the ball in the air to the opposiiton!!!!! I read against Man Utd that we played 60% of our balls in the air? This is the type of football he is adopting. We dont even look capable of playing the ball to feet. I am genuinly worried for us this season. He only has himself to blame and I think underneath it all he knows it! I used to like him, but the more i read, the more i think he is an idiot! But the bloke can't win can he? If he says.... "We're going to go to Bolton rape them" and then we don't he looks like a clearing in the woods. If he says "Its a game we should win" its doing Coyle's teamtalk for him" if we don't win - he looks like a clearing in the woods. If he says "We don't want to lose" - he looks like a negative clearing in the woods. The expectations most of the supporters of this club are totally unrealistic with the financial position we are in. McLeish is in an impossible situation and has a degree of my sympathy.

I wasnt happy with AM being appointed as manager but after a few weeks I could understand it with the amount of disgruntlement coming out of the dressing room. When he held that meeting with our supporters at BMH I thought fair play to him, it was reported on this site that his words were 'we would play attacking football and he had to make do with the what he had at his disposal down the sty. After what i witnessed at QPR I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, we could all see it was a shocking performance and in hindsight we deserved to lose that match. He needs to learn from his mistakes. A few games later I go to the WBA game - for the first time since 1984 I turned to my dad and said I wanted to leave the game early. Ok it wasnt a sending off but what I witnessed with 10 men that day was a lack of football understanding from a manager who is highly regarded amongst his footballing peers. Then there was Spurs last night - he simply hasnt learned from the other games we have played this season. Tactically niave, 6 defenders in the starting line up with 3 out and out strikers, where was the midfield. Lerner who made me happy to be a Villa fan again is stqarting to kill my passion for Villa at the moment. I love my club like I love my ex who i just want to be friends with. Im bored with the Villa, Im bored with our negative manager and i am bored with our style of football. AM needs to be removed with that cretin Faulkner who doesnt know his arse from his elbow. The sooner Lerner realises this the better, otherwise welcome to the relegation battle and very low attendances.

The amount of times I hear this does not make it correct. i agree, the Man City money doesnt stop us playing shit football

Un-f*ckin-believable - some typical comments from Villa fans who are judging a player on his cost and know f all about him as a player. I am glad we are giving the lad the opportunity to develop himself. Some Villa fans really think we have a devine right to go out and buy top superstar quality player because we are Aston Villa. The goalsposts have changed people and therefore we have to rely on other means, our youth and finding bargains. Stop you moaning and back whoever wears the shirt! Fair play to the fans on hear that are backing the lad.

Because one game doesn't make a player? Lichaj marked Bale out the game but then got tore a new one at Man City and got skinned by Jerome Thomas regularly vs WBA also. Albrighton, had we just relied on him then God knows how we'd do, he's been pretty dire for a while now and given the lack of experience in our squad, if we had to rely on Herd/Albrighton etc..for full seasons, we'd be in contention for relegation. Just like last year. Rescued by our senior players at the end of the season which you have failed to accept. Skinned against Thomas??? I dont think so. I was right on the touchline for that game and all you saw / heard was Freidal, Cueller & Collins applauding Lichaj for the way he handled Thomas's runs.

I completely agree and I don't like the idea of someone throwing billions of money at a football club and buying their success like "you-know-who" but it isn't that black and white for me I'm afraid. I was fully behind Randy and the board but a lot has gone on this past year. I feel a little lied to and let down. I'm not saying I want them out, Randy has done a lot for our club, but too many recent decisions have left me baffled. I'm just not as certain anymore, we'll see how the season progresses. I fully agree with the aboce comments. I think the board need to sit down and start singing from the same hymn sheet cause there are too many mixed messages. General Krulak says one thing, AM says another.

Absolutely spot on! Some Villa fans are too quick to write off players after a few appearances. Give them a full season and then give a verdict. I'm not sure what some Villa fans expect and it makes me laugh when I read 'a player is not good enough (Etherington)' realistically with the big guns buying the top talent what do we expect.

You got to give it to the board. They got their no 1 target. Pity it didnt feature in anyone elses top 10

I don't approve of the deal purely because of his poor negative football, he has relegated a team twice, and their was many other candidates being the better option, and by some margin. However I am Villa through & through, its not his fault the board have no ambition, so I wish him luck in his new position. I really do hope he proves me and everyone else wrong. As for the board, you have shown your true colours! I was a very satified fan until this last week. You have shown that the fans don't matter and I certainly won't be listening to your PR spin again. I understand picking a manager is difficult and you will never get 100% of fans on board. However the majority had spoken and you chose to ignore! Good luck in trying to win us over again. Good luck McLeish!

Four people like that!!!! Its picking up now, 6 people

Hi General, Firstly I would like to say last week I wrote on this thread and said I would support whoever you brought in to manage Villa. However I was unaware that AM was actually on the list!!!! I have been an avid fan since 1984 and consider myself as someone who loves the club more than my fiance (this has caused a few arguments in the past) and therefore like many other fans on this board I would like some answers as to why the board really think AM is fit to manage a massive club like Villa going forward. Is this seriously the best we can do after 2 weeks of searching? At this moment in time I feel very let down by the spin the board have given us Villa fans over the past few months; Faulkner - 'We are focused right now on trying to secure the best candidate who will complement the clubs commitment to being true to our heritage, competitiveness and passionate fan base. Does he know what he's talking about? When have Villa ever played football where we camp in our own half the whole game? How does AM represent this comment with his negative tactics? Look at AM's stats within the Prem? What is Mr Faulkners job role exactly? General Krulak - Time and time again you have said how important us fans are. When I have read these comments in past threads it feels genuine and it makes me proud to be part of the Villa family. However I now feel that our comments, emotions, feelings towards this situation are being completely ignored. In actual fact it is obvious that thousands of your stakeholders who have an emotional connection with the club are making there feelings know. Are we really important? do we really have a voice? judging by the statement released tonight I felt there was an air of arrogance and that you was making a stance against those who do love the club. From our reaction the guy shouldnt even be interviewed. I am hoping for the sake of 'our bright future' that the club reconsiders. I understand that finding the right candidate is now easy and you are going to get some fans that will oppose certain managers. However this this to me is as straight as it gets. Please don't be surprised if you see the attendances drop. I really hope this is a smokescreen and I really hope that if you do appoint AM that he proves me wrong. I will add that due to his negative tactics and the liklehood of Villa fighting relegation next season that you offer him a one-year contract. Also, another thing, Randy spent £24 million on Darren Bent. What was the point when he'll never see the ball. I am here to be proved wrong! Grievemeister

The fans are trying to avoid the incorrect appointment altogether before its too late. I understand Lerner isn't stupid, however not coming out and saying anything after the uproar it has caused is not being clever. Time and time again we are told this club is the fans, yet if feels we are being ignored on this particular occasion. I understand the new appointment will not satisfy all fans but this talk of AM being appointed as manager has created unwanted attention beyond belief. What we are experiencing is a Dougesque way of handling things. I hope to god that the board unveil a decent manager that a majority would back. But at the moment they are not handling this silence very well, in fact they have created a rod for their own backs. I really appreciate what our board has done so far but i am baffled as to what they are playing at.

No it isn't. Managers have philosophies, how many managers in the game do you see change their way they manage clubs regularly depending on their club? Martinez doesn't get Wigan playing like Barca but he certainly gives a passing game a go because that's his style. McLeish is a very negative manager and it wouldn't change here. Maybe not to the extent, just like when O'Neill was at Leicester, we'd just see a slightly better game, mainly because we have better playes. We wouldn't see a change of style though from what McLeish usually manages. David Moyes uses negative tactics, so does Rafa Benitez - but i see loads of people wanting them here?? Whats the difference? Oh thats right...he managed blues. No. Rafa Benitez has won major cups and David Moyes has consistently finished in the top 7/8 ......while McLeish has got his side relegated twice. :? Neither play as negative as McLeish either. Yeah BUT Moyes manages Everton, Rafa managed Liverpool - 2 MAJOR differences, and differences which cant be overlooked And AM has spent over 30 mill in 15 months with 4 very good loan signings and still got relegated. Compare that to Moyes record whoc took over an Everton side who were just about avoiding relegation.

Apparently the guys who have organised the Facebook protest have written a letter and handed this to Villa PR & Media who have promised to respond. Father Abraham has also asked for a copy for the E & S.

I really hope your right!!! You would have thought with the board being businessmen they would have had a contingency plan in place. But to take between 2-4 weeks and appoint a manager of McCleish's calibre is taking the piss. We've heard spouted that things take time, well look at Fulham, prime example. The board are not handling this well, unless, no one is generally interested in the position.

Reading between the lines from the statement; Positive: He does state that he is not confirming a rumour Negative: It appears he has done his homework on AM and this confirms to me their is some truth to these rumours. Also I have noticed that Kendrick, F Abraham & MM have not commented on any websites since this has all kicked off. My opinion is I think RL & co have done us proud over the past number of years, but this to me will cause a massive rift between the board and the fans. If this is true i have a message to GK: Please do not come on the Villa boards and state how important the fans are and that the fans are the club. Because this will fall on deaf ears and anything you do write will not be believed again. I really hope that we are wrong!!!!

And what would have happened if Villa went about it the wrong way, and RM rejected us???? Judging by the way RM and Whelen talk they are friends as well as colleagues. It would have got out and we would have been made out to be a bunch of Rafa's. And we all know how we felt about him after the way he handled the GB situation. If Whelen never come out no one would have known about this situation at all. Hence the reason we had to release a statement. If people stop and read the official statement I don't see whats embarrassing about this at all.

RM drifting in the markets, is above evs with most bookies. Hughes being backed in......

General, As you are fully aware from experience you will go moaned at left right and centre whoever you decide to bring in. I have faith and whoever you bring in will be based on discussions between the board and the candidates. All you guys can do is listen to what the potential managers have to say and go by what their ambitions are. Whoever you bring in I will fully support. I look forward to hearing the next announcement. Paul

You mean he'll win us the Championship? Well its a trophy isnt it:-)

I'm not sure what he has done to warrant that type of abuse. How is PF ruining AVFC? Do you really think he will bring our club that was one of the founders of the league down on its knees? Get a grip!

McClaren has drifted completely. Rafa installed as new favourite. Interesting

That's spot on. The Bent deal, which was only a few months ago, showed that the board are prepared to show huge ambition. Not only that but they're good at keeping it under wraps. I think I remember Bent's name being mentioned on here as the possible "marquee signing" but that's all. Personally I think we're in for a pleasant surprise with regards to the manager. Here's hoping for Carlo. When did MM make this post and where?