The Tim Sherwood Thread

[Demitri_C]

Clown!

 

TIM Sherwood has written off Swansea City's hopes of getting anything at Aston Villa this weekend, declaring: "We will win."

Villa have chalked up just one Premier League victory all season — at Bournemouth on the opening day — and currently sit second from bottom in the table.

There has been speculation that Sherwood could be sacked if he fails to deliver a second league maximum of the campaign when Swansea visit Villa Park tomorrow.

But the former Spurs boss insists there is no doubt about which way the result will go.

 

"I'm here to do my job. My job doesn't change just because of speculation whether it's my last game or not," Sherwood said.

"I need to win a football match which I'm aware of. I'll be standing there taking full responsibility for the team's performance and we will win tomorrow."

Since Bournemouth, Villa have claimed just one more league point courtesy of a 2-2 home draw with Sunderland.

They have already lost league games to Manchester United, Crystal Palace, Leicester City, West Brom, Liverpool, Stoke and Chelsea, leading to speculation about their manager's future.

Sherwood says he has had no reassurances from the club's owners about his position, but added: "I can't control that.

"It's their decision whether they want to come out and say that.

When you talk the way Sherwood talks you really need to be able to back it up.

Right now he isn't backing it up, far from it and instead he is back tracking on what he has said previously.

It is hardly surprising that as a result people are losing confidence, faith, belief (call it what you will) in his ability. Perhaps he has given that he is laying the foundations of excuses for himself.

I can't imagine anyone thinks he is doing a good job right now, so that just leaves the question of if people think he is capable of more.

I completely take on board the points raised by some about the scale of the task he faced in the summer and I completely agree with many of them, I made similar in the summer.

That said, I think he is under performing. Not purely in terms of results but in terms of performances, decisions, team selections and tactics. 

He has clearly signed some good players this summer, potentially some of them are very good but there are for me increasing questions about his ability to mould them into a good team.

I warmed to him in the summer, largely as he got on with the job as opposed to talking. But he is talking again now and a lot of the time I really don't like what I hear from him. Its all about him and his tactics when we win, even claiming our awful first half on Tuesday was his tactical masterstroke but when we don't its put on the players. Managers simply don't last doing that sort of thing.

Right now, he is under performing with the resources at his disposal and he needs to address that and stop trying to 

Why? I don't see what he has said wrong there??

[Rob182]

I don't really agree with these articles laying some blame with O'Reilly and Almstadt for our current plight. I'm of the opinion that our transfers this summer have been the best thing this year. Yes, the players aren't getting the results for us, but I'm putting 90% of that down to Sherwood and 10% down to individual errors.

O'Reilly and Almstadt have managed to bring in a number of promising players who, when managed correctly, could propel us up the league, in my opinion.

[Villarocker]

He's either very clever and thinks that by telling the press we will win the players will do exactly that or, he's feeling the heat and thinks that by saying that, if we lose, the board will sack him. 

I can't help but feel we'll be seeing him on Goals on Sunday in the next few weeks moaning about everything from how he was promised this and that but it didn't happen and, that he didn't pick the players because they simply weren't good enough etc etc. 

[Jareth]

John Percy is usually authentic so his article looks to be the real deal. With almstadt and tim not speaking it looks like were now just waiting for the grounds to dismiss tim. Surely a loss today will be curtains. Oh please please pleeeease.

[TRO]

Apologies if already posted, from the os 

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~5090373,00.html

 

 

Tim Sherwood faced the media ahead of the clash with Swansea. 

Check his comments below. 

On the No.1 role…

I don't expect Brad to stand there and take punishment from the rest of the boys. He knows he's made a mistake at Chelsea. 

But we're in it together - we win and lose together. 

There are no superstars and no-one will be the villain. 

I am sure he has the confidence to put it right. I have confidence in Brad Guzan. 

We have good goalkeepers. Jed Steer is out on loan and Mark Bunn has done well. 

Goalkeepers can only play in one position. 

When I think it's right to make that change, I will make it. 

On being a fan himself…

I am proud to be Aston Villa manager.

I am a fan of Aston Villa now - I am with the punters out there.

I want us to win as much as they do. We are on the same side. 

I am with them. I feel for them. I understand their frustrations that we are not higher up in the league. 

But we will be. We will climb and be in the Premier League next season. 

On Villa Park this weekend…

We have to get it bouncing.

It's a massive football match for us.

We are in the Premier League this season because of what the fans did for us last season - they pulled us through. We need their help tomorrow. 

They will want to be entertained too and we have to make sure we do that. 

On inspirations…

We take it from teams like Leicester who were at the bottom of the Premier League for a lot of months last season. 

They put a run together, which we are capable of doing. 

They still carried that into this season.

This group of players will improve in the Premier League next season because they will have a year of experience.

It's been hard at the moment, we can't hide away from it - it's been a tough period.

We will get through it - and we will come through and it will be easier come the end of the season, believe me.

On his own managerial efforts…

I will give everything to the cause. That's what I am doing. 

I can't give any more than I am, being perfectly honest. 

I am working hard with the players. I am trying to get the best out of them, trying to find the best formula. 

It will be successful in the end, given time.

On Swansea…

They are tough. 

They have a good philosophy in terms of how they want to play. They seem to have stuck to that over the years. 

We need to make sure we don't give them time to play. If you do, they will cause you problems. 

It was a tight game last season. They nicked it at the death. But I hope we can improve on last season's performance. 

We have to make them play quickly and not let them compose themselves into a rhythm. 

If we manage that, we will have the ball more often than them and get them running towards their own goal. 

On Garry Monk…

He couldn't do any more last season, could he? He did fantastic. 

He's a good young manager. I know him well. I have a lot of respect for him. 

He will be a good manager for a long period to come. 

He's just hit a sticky spell like all managers do. It's nothing to do with being inexperienced and young, which people always seem to point the finger to. 

He certainly wasn't too young last season, was he! He'd done a great job. 

On Jordan Ayew…

He's a boy who works very, very hard on the training field. 

And when he's asked to play on the pitch, he leaves nothing there. 

Fans really appreciate that.

He will be pushing for a start this weekend.

On belief in himself…

I know what I'm doing is the right thing and it's just a matter of time before the boys click. 

We are quite clearly - and obviously for everyone to see - a team in transition. 

We need to pick up points sooner rather than later so we can climb that league. 

It can turn very quickly. We can string a few results together and get ourselves in the pack. And then we look up rather than down. 

It's about grinding out that result however it comes, taking that confidence from that and then bouncing into the next game. 

We're just looking for that first win. We need to get some points. 

On being clinical…

We have lost a goalscorer in Christian Benteke who was instrumental in everything we did. 

Rudy Gestede has done well and scored a few goals for us. 

We welcome Gabby Agbonlahor back into the squad too this weekend. 

It's up to the boys to stand up and be counted now.

We have to find goals throughout the team. We have to find them from different areas.

On the new boys learning the language…

They are learning all the time.

We have a great player liaison officer [pictured above] who teaches the boys English here as quickly as possible. 

A lot of them are picking it up, some quicker than others. 

But the language is not a problem. I demonstrate on the training pitch what I want. 

It's not just talking to them. It's also demonstrating to them and pulling them into position.

                                       so, where is all the negative comments from the manager, derived from?......can't see any there.....seems pretty plain/clear to me.

[TRO]

Well, we will soon see if another manager can get more out of the players.....I hope someone can for sure.

for some reason, I wouldn't back against him resigning, obviously the payout plays a big part in that, somehow I wouldn't rule it out.

[Villarocker]

TRO, how far away are you from ending your support of Sherwood? It's not a loaded question mate, just wondering how much worse it has to get for the club before you turn against him. 

[rodders0223]

Stats= bollocks

 

 

Will never forget his reaction when Spurs lost to Chelsea.

Absolutely destroyed his players whilst looking like he was going to burst into tears.

That will always be my memory of Tim.

 

 

Is that the BBC interview? Because if it is you're talking rubbish

 

No. I am not.

[TRO]

I don't really agree with these articles laying some blame with O'Reilly and Almstadt for our current plight. I'm of the opinion that our transfers this summer have been the best thing this year. Yes, the players aren't getting the results for us, but I'm putting 90% of that down to Sherwood and 10% down to individual errors.

O'Reilly and Almstadt have managed to bring in a number of promising players who, when managed correctly, could propel us up the league, in my opinion.

                  There is little evidence to date that our transfers this summer have been successful.....in the fullness of time who knows.

                  As for Reilly & Almstadt, i have seen no criticism of them directly.....I have seen some articles questioning their credentials for buying players and I have seen some comments on the manager being uncomfortable with the arrangement.....most decent managers would/will be uncomfortable with the arrangement. Your percentages are interesting, what are they based on?

                  you use a fair few words like "promising" and "could" which could easily be "disappointing" and "cannot" we will see......I suspect,what you really mean, is that you have as much idea of the outcome with a new manager as those that are defending him do.

                 Having said all that, I do have some empathy with buying what is deemed to be promising young players, as we have well and truly had our fingers burnt with players on meal tickets at the end of their careers.....Problem for us is and Tim Sherwood in particular, we need some here and now players.

                 I honestly believe this will cost him his job......I do see the big picture and the essence of the plan and in time it could prove to be a master stroke....But right now, it will cost him. I believe managers need time and even then, it can be a cop out, because time is an abstract and in isolation of any work, means nothing, I recognise that we as a team having a pressing need to produce results, fast and that time may not be available from the circumstances we are in, rather than the people surrounding him, like the chairman, the fans etc.

                 For all the comments that have been written on here and all the attacks on him for this that and the other.....The results alone will ultimately seal his fate.

                 It is unlikely that it will be a well thought through decision that requires skill and looking at big pictures.....It will be a those are the results, thats what you have spent.....bye.

                 and the cycle goes on....Welcome to our new manager ,Mr Dead Man Walking

[CrackpotForeigner]

Yeah but we want to give the time to someone who seems worthy of it.

[AVTuco]

We need fans to be on his side today, no matter what.

[PieFacE]

Ive decided to not bother going today. Hopefully Tim will be sacked by this evening.

[samjp26]

What annoys me is that he keeps saying he is at the forefront, he is taking the flak, yet in the same interviews he says he is doing everything right. He is taking flak, but he isn't taking responsibility. 

First it was the fault of the players, especially those who he apparently didn't buy. Now it is the fault of the board, who aren't talking to him (which he has now made public knowledge). But where are his faults? He literally believes he has none, hence his repeat comment: "I'm doing everything right." But you're not mate, else we'd not be in this position.

I've been behind Sherwood from day one, I really thought this might work out, but it simply isn't. Players ARE to blame, the staff higher up than Tim ARE to blame, but Tim is just as much to blame as anybody else and it seems as if he doesn't think this is true. 

The constant use of his media buddies to put out negative stories about our new players is absolutely pathetic, he himself has now came out and said we need to buy experience - whenever was that the plan? It was obvious what our plan was from when he arrived: Stay up, then reinvest in the squad from player sales, preferable from abroad and with some potential resale value. If Tim had his way with transfers our team we'd have likely purchased some lower league players and some apparent "proven Premier League experience", likely in the mould of Aaron Lennon and Andros Townsend. 

It seems his state of thinking revolves completely around the present, which I'm quite baffled by if I'm honest because I was always under the impression that he was a person who wanted young players to thrive. I actually think this is still true, however right now he needs a scapegoat to ensure he takes as little blame as possible before being sacked or resigning.

Personally I think we will see him step down, likely followed by some nasty stories about how difficult the club made it for him to do his job and how he wasn't backed in the transfer window to get the players HE wanted. 

Thankfully if this isn't the case, I have full faith in Tom Fox to pull the trigger sooner rather than later, and hopefully we can then go on to employ somebody who can make the most out of the prospective talents we have brought in.

[AVTuco]

What good would it do if he publicly spanked himself?

No, it's better he sticks to his role, and either lives or sinks with it.

[CrackpotForeigner]

Ive decided to not bother going today. Hopefully Tim will be sacked by this evening.

Hell, I don't expect the club will be pleased about it, but...

[samjp26]

What good would it do if he publicly spanked himself?

No, it's better he sticks to his role, and either lives or sinks with it.

He doesn't need to publicly spank his self, he needs to take some responsibility for what is going on. What good does it do hanging our players out to dry in the media?

[MONCABA]

I think today will be (pardon the pun) Sherwoods Swansong.

[Villarocker]

Given his ego he might just be one to resign and then say the job was impossible with what was going on behind the scenes. He might see that as a way to save some face and remain an attractive proposition for future Premier League chairmen to employ. 

Edited October 24, 2015 by villarocker

[TRO]

TRO, how far away are you from ending your support of Sherwood? It's not a loaded question mate, just wondering how much worse it has to get for the club before you turn against him. 

                   VR  Let me explain my position.

                   I can usually, get a fair idea of a savvy manager by what he say's and his forthright delivery or otherwise like i experienced with Lambert....However, Ron Saunders and Alex Ferguson was not great Orators, I guess Glen Hoddle, knows the game inside out and never pulled up any trees as a manger,Bobby Robson was one who videoed the game in his interviews and was good.....so theres a mixed bag.

                   Tim Showed great character as a Captain of Blackburn and I assumed he would be looking for that trait in his players.He did well with the Youth at Spurs in his development work, but as the saying goes, you only know someone properly, if  you live or work with them.

•                     If I was looking purely at results, The Southampton Game, Wembley, Leicester, Burnley at home.....He would be gone.
•                     If I believed he hasn't got a clue.....He would be gone.
•                     I believe he has a team, that has promise and at this moment in time not much else.
•                     I believe the team is lightweight mentally and ultimately physically and is short on characters to pull others through.
•                     I believe he has been less than pleased with the TYPE of signings in the light of losing influential players, but being a professional has to get on with it.
•                     I believe he is popular amongst his peers which usually tells you a lot, your peers know when you are a fraud.
•                     I believe he is open and honest to a point that he  wears his heart on his sleeve as opposed to the view in some quarters of laying the blame
•                     I believe most importantly that he is giving sound advice, he does know the problems and the players are simply not delivering the what he is telling them.
•                     I believe that particularly with team development circumstances 9 games is a ridiculously short period of time for any manager to get development work in to any kind of shape.

 

                   There is nothing anywhere to suggest that a good tutor can guarantee a good student....These players have flaws in their game.

                   I have watched games where the individual errors have cost us......How on earth can you blame ANY manager for that, its simply ridiculous.

                   Right now, you take a player out because you want a different tactic and you gain what you are looking for from the new player, but equally lose another attribute that the player being taken off has.

                    I would guess if you did a straw pole every fan would have a different team.....I wouldn't have a clue, simply because for me, its 6 of one and half a dozen of the other.

                   He will go shortly, of that I am sure.....and quite frankly, I am tired of trying to put what I think is a balanced view.....don't misconstrue, what I am saying, I don't think he is beyond criticism and I don't think he is fully developed either....some of the stuff written about on here has validity, some is just conjecture and personal to satisfy the lust for being right about his work.

                   I hope he goes soon for the following reasons:

•            To Unite the fanbase
•            To eliminate the reasons for losing and deflect negativity
•            For his own sanity and well being
•            manager bounce that could spark a revival

 

I have and never will defend our results, they are appalling and I have said before, that the home record, needs  a dedicated and separate Club Enquiry its that poor.

Having said all of that I have the greatest respect for those fans/posters that want him gone to improve results can see their sentiment perfectly, I have little time for character assassination in order to drive home an opinion of his work.

For the ultimate business of uniting the fanbase and subsequently the club, it might be best if he went soon

 

Ps bear in mind, I don't dislike the guy, because i have never met him and don't know him personally.

PPS I won't end my support for him in the circumstances he works.....but for the club, it might be best he went now.

Edited October 24, 2015 by TRO

[Kingman]

Some fruity responses because he's hopeful of a Win. 

Good job he didn't predict a draw or loss god forbid, Uncle Limpid would be on the look for a new server!