So what would you do?

[DCJonah]

7 minutes ago, LakotaDakota said:

That would basically be the same list for us if Bruce Went, Totally uninspiring list of people who have failed elsewhere. None of them would do any better than Bruce.

Remember this time last year when 7th placed Birmingham Sacked Rowett, Look how that worked out for them.....

Blues were over performing with a good manager. We are under performing with a poor one. Not really the same

[Johnnyp]

43 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said:

I see a lot of people making the assumption - understandably - that a hypothetical Dean Smith Villa side would play in a similar style to his actual Brentford side. But of course there's no guarantees of that. He might take a look at the personnel available and change his style of play too. 

If we were to go from Bruce to Smith, that would be giving up on the season - if he did try to totally change the style of play, we could expect to plummet down the table in the meantime - so it seems like an option that would be better in April or May if/when it's mathematically impossible for us to be promoted. 

Smith and Brentford are a very good fit. The ethos of the club and not just dean smith is good football. This moneyball system they use along with statistical analysis seems to work for them. Very clever diligent setup there. We aren't going to play this open expansive game if we just get dean smith..lot more to it than that. 

[a m ole]

I’d see where we are after the Bristol game, and again at the international break. I’d earmark Paul Clement (not in employment, actually attainable unlike Bielsa, Hiddink and so on  ) to come in on short notice. If we’re still somewhat comfortably in the play offs, Bruce stays in order to keep the boat un-rocked.

If we get in the play offs, whether we win or lose, then we can seriously look at who could develop a side to produce more sustainable winning football. That list would include Clement but other more ambitious choices and wildcards. If there’s a better option than Bruce available then we take it regardless.

I would write up a managerial blacklist including anyone who hasn’t managed for 10 years, ANY managers in the Pulis-Allardyce-Moyes-Pearson-McClaren managerial merrygoround category and by extension anyone stuck in the early 2000s.

[striker]

1 hour ago, av1 said:

I'm also a fan of Billic. I know it didn't work out at West Ham but its incredibly difficult working for porno dwarf. Its pretty common knowledge that board is in charge of recruitment. 

Collins implied on Football Focus that training under Billic was poor. No thanks.

[JamesBCFC]

I do think Villa need to make a decision of either stick with Bruce to the end of the season/until playoffs or promotion is impossible or to sack him now, and bring in a manager with a plan.

But if the latter you may need to accept writing off this season while letting him have January and the summer to bring in his players and impliment his style.

One thing Johnson talked about a lot from day 1 of joining was needing 3 transfer windows to get in the players to fit his system and to get them all playing it. His 3rd window was the past summers one.

[villianusa]

To answer the OP, I would be talking to Bruce and find out what he is going to do to win on Tuesday.

 

[Vive_La_Villa]

11 minutes ago, JamesBCFC said:

I do think Villa need to make a decision of either stick with Bruce to the end of the season/until playoffs or promotion is impossible or to sack him now, and bring in a manager with a plan.

But if the latter you may need to accept writing off this season while letting him have January and the summer to bring in his players and impliment his style.

One thing Johnson talked about a lot from day 1 of joining was needing 3 transfer windows to get in the players to fit his system and to get them all playing it. His 3rd window was the past summers one.

Exactly this. Some think sacking him will increase our chances of promotion. While there is always a chance of parting with him and still going up the most likely scenario is we get worse before we get better. 

I'm prepared to accept this.  

[Grasshopper]

The reason I‘d take BL with JT assissting is

JT would be the ideal link between manager and players. BL would pick the line up (JT doing that wouldnt be good as he would not be „one of them“ then he‘d go back to being one of them when a new boss comes in)

A mixture of club legend with someone „in touch with the modern game“

Edited December 24, 2017 by Grasshopper

[Vive_La_Villa]

2 minutes ago, Grasshopper said:

The reason I‘d take BL with JT assisting is

JT would be the ideal link between manager and players. BL would pick the line up (JT doing that wouldnt be good as he would not be „one of them“ then he‘d go back to being one of them when a new boss comes in)

A muxture of club legend wirh dome „in touch with the midern game“

What do you honestly think this wil achieve? 

Are you accepting the club will not go up this season so are prepared to see us start the rebuild? 

[VillaChris]

57 minutes ago, LakotaDakota said:

Brian Little? He was f**king useless managing Gainsborough in the Conference North and that was 7+ years ago. He nearly took them down despite assembling probably the most expensive squad in the league. Great he used to play for us & manage us but that was a long time ago.

Yep that was just a sentimental yearning of the past when we had better times. Would be like Sir Graham Taylor coming back for the second time.

[jackbauer24]

I want Bruce gone but, at this stage, I don't really see the point of sacking him as we don't have the squad for automatic promotion (Bruce's fault) and we will only make the playoffs if we're lucky. The squad is unbalanced and we don't have the finances to correct it in January. Even the best manager in the world isn't going to be able to cover up the fact we have a striker with broken ankles, another in oz, another two who have forgotten how to score and finally a kid who puts himself about but has the finishing skills of a blind Heskey. Our midfield is so right sided it's ridiculous and our defence is paper thin.

So as of today, let Bruce tread water, hope we scrape the playoffs and get incredibly lucky in the games but ready ourselves for a busy summer in the hope that Derby don't get promoted either and we can get Rowett in before the summee transfer window opens. He's practically the only desirable name at this level.

[Grasshopper]

BL would (hopefully) ONLY BE IN CHARGE for 2 games or so

[rodders0223]

Stop spunking money on shit, clear the decks, get bold, fresh ideas and young vibrant coaches around the place, along with the implementation of youth academy players and prospects from abroad, and lower down the leagues.

I would also stop all this bollocks talk about promotion and come to terms that we are going to be down here for a few years...and start budgeting accordingly.

 

No doubt we will go out and spunk a load of money in January though on the gamble of promotion and FFP fines.

[DaveAV1]

For me the problem is a cultural one, which The Doc has to take a serious look at. He inherited a mess, the biggest problem being that there were no football men above the first team manager. So with his limited football knowledge he installed an experienced CEO in Wyness. To be fair a fairly understandable and possibly necessary decision. The problem is that he is past his sell by date and has consequently and also understandably appointed a manager who it appears is also past his sell by date. 

Football both in and off the pitch has and is changing at an amazing rate. The huge amounts of money are one thing, but also behind the scenes clubs are finding ways to try to make up the difference between the super rich and the rest. We haven’t embraced this change and we really must and quickly!

Over to you Doc!

[OutByEaster?]

2 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

For me the problem is a cultural one, which The Doc has to take a serious look at. He inherited a mess, the biggest problem being that there were no football men above the first team manager. So with his limited football knowledge he installed an experienced CEO in Wyness.

Steve Round is a football man installed by Dr Xia above the first team manager and he also brought in Brian Little to the board. 

[Stevo985]

4 hours ago, Grasshopper said:

My thoughts are clear

Bruce out

But what happens then?

So here‘s what I‘d do.

I‘d ask BL IT to take temporary charge with JT as assistant

I‘d go through the coaches and check who does what and how good (or bad) they do it.

I‘d then clear out one by one.

I‘d get on to Round to draw up lists of who is available (managers coaches)

Then I‘d re-employ Steve Hollis to gather info of how to go forward

I‘d keep Wyness and Round for now to  do admin and work load - no decisions from them and see how the temporary team goes.

Any backchat or shit from anyone and they are out the door.

I honestly think that when Hollis came in, he simply got people in who were good, were honest and had integrity. Wyness & Bruce appear to be „Jobs for the boys - in it for the money - f*** the results“ I‘d seriously consider re-hiring Bernstein, King, Hollis and Steve stride.

I think the Dr has to go at this 2 fold.

1 - Our season is not lost. We have the players to get in the playoffs. we need a manager to keep us in there with a style of football that at least gives us a fighting chance in the playoffs against 2 teams who are good enough to finish 3rd-6th. Even 2nd may not be „gone“ with a new boss. 2nd->8th is gone with Bruce.

2 - work on a blue print for long term success NO more quick fixes.

I would also be a bit dastardly. F**** it we have nothing to lose. Let it publicly „slip out“ that we have a short list of Warnock, Rowett, Lee Johnstone, ShefU (name please?) Dean Smith. Lets rock the boat a bit, stir some shit, de-rail our rivals. Once we‘ve sacked Bruce we‘ll be Media public enemy nr 1 anyway, so F**** ‚em. Give em sommat to write about.

This is a great chance for someone with a concept, philosophy and Balls.

We are Villa

I cannot emphasise enough how glad I am you're not in charge.

So much of the above is based on wild hunches. It would be a catastrophe.

[gilbertoAVFC]

100% Bruce should go. There is no long term plan. He is quick fix and not a very good one at that. There has never been any question about this in my eyes.

A more pressing issue, for me, is the fans. Some of the abuse some people dish out to the players is absolutely ridiculous. Bordering on insane. Are these people that insecure? It ruins the already quiet atmosphere and turns people on one another. This sort of behaviour is unacceptable and people who say "I hope you break your leg you ginger word removed" to Whelan should just be banned.

The club is just toxic and I have half a mind to just pack in going. Home matches have not been fun since O'Neill and it's getting worse. Get a life!

[Kuwabatake Sanjuro]

28 minutes ago, rodders0223 said:

Stop spunking money on shit, clear the decks, get bold, fresh ideas and young vibrant coaches around the place, along with the implementation of youth academy players and prospects from abroad, and lower down the leagues.

I would also stop all this bollocks talk about promotion and come to terms that we are going to be down here for a few years...and start budgeting accordingly.

 

No doubt we will go out and spunk a load of money in January though on the gamble of promotion and FFP fines.

The money squandered on the likes of McCormack and Hogan coupled with the obscene wages squandered on average slow 30 somethings have been the undoing of any promotion hopes. For a supposedly intelligent man Xia has been almost Lerner like in his stupidity.

That being said If he is going to gamble a few more million it should be on convincing Bielsa on a project of reconstructing a fallen giant and giving him full creative control within a budget.

[Eastie]

44 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Steve Round is a football man installed by Dr Xia above the first team manager and he also brought in Brian Little to the board. 

Wyness has left Everton several years before xia brought him back into the game - round was interviewed for the assistant job to garde only a couple of years ago but they decided not to pursue it so quite why they think he’s the man to wield such influence now seems puzzling.

yes he is qualified but he’s doing the job at villa for the first time in his career having previously been a number 2 as a coach .

so in wyness we appointed a man who had been out of the game a few years and in round we appointed a man in a job he’s never had the responsibility for before - hardly great decisions from xia 

[Eastie]

37 minutes ago, Kuwabatake Sanjuro said:

The money squandered on the likes of McCormack and Hogan coupled with the obscene wages squandered on average slow 30 somethings have been the undoing of any promotion hopes. For a supposedly intelligent man Xia has been almost Lerner like in his stupidity.

That being said If he is going to gamble a few more million it should be on convincing Bielsa on a project of reconstructing a fallen giant and giving him full creative control within a budget.

Doubt he’s even heard of beilsa.