Christian Purslow

[Demitri_C]

I think keep purslow for now. I hear behind the scenes he is doing a hell of a lot to raise the profile of the club.  His first appointment was smith who got us promoted. Ok even if he takes us down we cant say that was a bad appointment as he still saved us as we could be in turmoil had we not got that pl money.  

Suso though i have huge reservations about.  Signing utter shit like nakamba jota wesley. Terirble business and he has to be held accountable 

 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

5 hours ago, lexicon said:

So ridiculously dramatic 

Agreed.

He literally strikes me as the opposite.

To me he seems to prefer to get on with his work behind the scenes, and get his speaking engagements done as efficiently and succinctly as possible.

[villalad21]

7 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

I think keep purslow for now. I hear behind the scenes he is doing a hell of a lot to raise the profile of the club.  His first appointment was smith who got us promoted. Ok even if he takes us down we cant say that was a bad appointment as he still saved us as we could be in turmoil had we not got that pl money.  

Suso though i have huge reservations about.  Signing utter shit like nakamba jota wesley. Terirble business and he has to be held accountable 

 

No. Jack got us promoted 

Edited June 27, 2020 by villalad21

[TRO]

2 hours ago, villalad21 said:

No. Jack got us promoted 

and Tammy.

[ciggiesnbeer]

He isnt  as ruthless and demanding as he should be but I think Purslow has done a pretty good job so far. I am interested to see who he comes up with as our next manager. I hope he goes for the best, with next seasons FFP nonsense in the bin is time to prove the new ownership wants to be a big club. That starts with getting a very expensive manager and then holding him accountable to the highest standards. 

Our expectation should be to have a premier league level team in the Championship next season and walk it. Why not? Our poorer cousins Wolves did.

No more of this plucky little underdog  "building" crap. We are a big club with rich owners. Time to show it.

Edited June 28, 2020 by ciggiesnbeer

[Mjvilla]

7 hours ago, villalad21 said:

No. Jack got us promoted 

 

4 hours ago, TRO said:

and Tammy.

So, why is it that the players got us promoted and are the reason we done well but when we are not doing so well, it's all on Smith. Can't have it both ways. 

@TRO , you usually post far more maturely than to join in like that.

[AvfcRigo82]

7 hours ago, thabucks said:

Don’t see anything in the tunnel thing other than smith talking to his boss .... Sadly 

I think Purslow is a very shrewd operator and good at his job. Definitely not to taken at gospel and fully trusted though as he is very media savvy and will have his own agenda. 

He needs to be ambitious though in his thinking and also decisive and I hope barring a miracle and we stay up the decisions been made to ditch smith. 

 

It does make you wonder though why Smith was having to explain to Purslow about the tactical change which is what I interpreted it being.

[AvfcRigo82]

7 hours ago, villalad21 said:

No. Jack got us promoted 

 

47 minutes ago, Mjvilla said:

So, why is it that the players got us promoted and are the reason we done well but when we are not doing so well, it's all on Smith. Can't have it both ways. 

IIRC, Jack was out injured for quite some time. Around this same time Smith was coming under the same pressure as he is now.

Jack came back and we went on a sensational run of form which propelled us up the league and saved Smith's arse on that occasion.

It's all on Smith because he is the one who is in charge of the players and their performances and the results that come with that. 

With all the talking Smith has done of "his team setup mirror him" and "killing teams off before half time" etc. is all well and good, but this season the only team looking to be killed off by half time has been us. The reflection of that hasn't been pleasant viewing.

 

Edited June 28, 2020 by AvfcRigo82

[Hev]

How can we still be a "big club" when we will be in the Championship though? Famous old club yes but not "big". We have already seen Leicester go past us and now Wolves too. I am so angry that getting our chance towards returning to being a "big club" in the Prem has just been thrown away without even a whimper. For years we were the only Prem club in the area. The biggest club in the Midlands by miles. What next - Albion likely to go up too. Them and Wolves in the Prem and us languishung in the EFL playing Blooz again and now Cov too. So sad that we haven't given it a proper go this season. 

Edited June 28, 2020 by Hev

[Demitri_C]

6 minutes ago, Hev said:

How can we still be a "big club" when we will be in the Championship though? Famous old club yes but not "big". We have already seen Leicester go past us and now Wolves too. I am so angry that getting our chance towards returning to being a "big club" in the Prem has just been thrown away without even a whimper. For years we were the only Prem club in the area. The biggest club in the Midlands by miles. What next - Albion likely to go up too. Them and Wolves in the Prem and us languishung in the EFL playing Blooz again and now Cov too. So sad that we have'nt given it a proper go this season. 

Yep exactly this. But i think if we do go down providing we get a manager that has a clue what he is doing, we come straight back.

Wba have a poor squad yet are top of the league. 100% they will just come back down again. If we were to go down at least no fans at either place makes it less painful to see.

[villalad21]

2 hours ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

 

IIRC, Jack was out injured for quite some time. Around this same time Smith was coming under the same pressure as he is now.

Jack came back and we went on a sensational run of form which propelled us up the league and saved Smith's arse on that occasion.

It's all on Smith because he is the one who is in charge of the players and their performances and the results that come with that. 

With all the talking Smith has done of "his team setup mirror him" and "killing teams off before half time" etc. is all well and good, but this season the only team looking to be killed off by half time has been us. The reflection of that hasn't been pleasant viewing.

 

The team was in dire straits and had nearly given up. 

Jack kept messaging Tammy and said it'll all be fine once he returned. And it sure did.

Nothing tactically changed. It was the same system and formation. We got a world class player and a leader back and he galvanized the whole team.

I can guarantee you there would be no promotion without Jack.

[Nabby]

8 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

The team was in dire straits and had nearly given up. 

Jack kept messaging Tammy and said it'll all be fine once he returned. And it sure did.

Nothing tactically changed. It was the same system and formation. We got a world class player and a leader back and he galvanized the whole team.

I can guarantee you there would be no promotion without Jack.

I don't think its even debatable , as soon as he returned we went on that winning run.

[Eastie]

Very interesting read and shows the disdain for purslow elsewhere - 

 

Tyrrell operated behind the scenes but Purslow craved attention. The players nicknamed him ‘Forrest Gump’ because of his tendency to insert himself at the centre of every situation. The managing director had a more grandiose view when he looked in the mirror: he referred to himself as ‘the Fernando Torres of finance.’ He liked to be around the star players, making a beeline for the striker and Steven Gerrard whenever he entered the dressing room. It became a running joke within the squad.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/aston-villa-vs-liverpool-why-christian-purslow-paul-tyrrell-villains-anfield-a9180396.html

 

Edited June 28, 2020 by Eastie

[Nabby]

9 minutes ago, Eastie said:

Very interesting read and shows the disdain for purslow elsewhere - 

 

Tyrrell operated behind the scenes but Purslow craved attention. The players nicknamed him ‘Forrest Gump’ because of his tendency to insert himself at the centre of every situation. The managing director had a more grandiose view when he looked in the mirror: he referred to himself as ‘the Fernando Torres of finance.’ He liked to be around the star players, making a beeline for the striker and Steven Gerrard whenever he entered the dressing room. It became a running joke within the squad.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/aston-villa-vs-liverpool-why-christian-purslow-paul-tyrrell-villains-anfield-a9180396.html

 

Pretty damming that 

I am starting to think he is certainly part of our issues , certainly talks a good game but results not following.People attack Suso for the transfers but  his remit comes from Purslow.

 

[TRO]

5 hours ago, Mjvilla said:

 

So, why is it that the players got us promoted and are the reason we done well but when we are not doing so well, it's all on Smith. Can't have it both ways. 

@TRO , you usually post far more maturely than to join in like that.

No, you are right, we can't have it both ways....but remember, we are all speculating here, no one really knows what factor is the main problem....but also remember, I have been following Villa for over 60 years, I have seen the ups and downs, just like a few posters on here.....you call on your experience to guide you.....I have seen scenarios like this before....its not new.

I was merely adding a very significant player to the claim, Villalad was making.

sure Dean has to be credited with the promotion, no getting away from that......but the cohesive galvanised effort has dissipated.....I will be amazed if he gets it back.

The team looks like it has lost faith in the leader.....my opinion, only.

there are times when you want to be wrong, this is such a time.

[Nabby]

23 minutes ago, TRO said:

No, you are right, we can't have it both ways....but remember, we are all speculating here, no one really knows what factor is the main problem....but also remember, I have been following Villa for over 60 years, I have seen the ups and downs, just like a few posters on here.....you call on your experience to guide you.....I have seen scenarios like this before....its not new.

I was merely adding a very significant player to the claim, Villalad was making.

sure Dean has to be credited with the promotion, no getting away from that......but the cohesive galvanised effort has dissipated.....I will be amazed if he gets it back.

The team looks like it has lost faith in the leader.....my opinion, only.

there are times when you want to be wrong, this is such a time.

I would agree that to me the players look like they have lost faith  ,despite some of the PR spin

It's why I would make a change as the player's need to direction from a new voice even if its just a short term solution.I also go alone with the point that when has manager has lose the group its very hard to get it back.Look at Posh at Spurs , he may go on and do well eslewhere ( many clubs would take him  ) but Spurs had to make the change as he had lost the players.Mourinho is an interesting case as he has had great success but seems to lose players after 2 seasons and leaves the role .Chelsea he went back once there was a new bunch of players there was successful again but again lost the players and left.

Point of I have made on the Smith thread is once the losing momentum is there its hard to turn it around and this idea we will drop down and he will wave a magic wand and 1) Get players used to losing back on board 2 ) Suppliment them with new players and results will pick up is fanciable.

Purslow appointed him and Suso - so if the players brought are not good enough and the performance on the pitch inst good enough then he also has to be held to account 

Villa just seem unable to appoint the right people in the right roles to run a club even when we have billionaires running owning us 

[villalad21]

Maybe Purslow is too proud to sack him because that would be him admitting he got his first appointment wrong.

And i know what you will say. He didn't get his first appointment wrong because we got promoted. But if you get relegated straight away you are back where you were and lost your best players. Players who are crucial in our mission establishing ourselves as a top half premier league team.

No guarantees we will be able to replace what we will lose in the Championship.

Edited June 28, 2020 by villalad21

[TRO]

I think the club has struggled since Steve Stride left.....He was the conduit between chairman and Manager.

Steve had claret & blue blood and was the steadying influence between chairman and manager, he had the chairmans ear and knew the sheer fabric of the club like the back of his hand.....he could be the filter for potentially poor decisions.

I feel a disconnect now between manager and hierarchy.....while i feel Dean is being backed on one hand , they don't really trust him on the other.....they just see him as a safe pair of hands who don't rock the boat and consequently, the wind doesn't blow on them....not really a driving ambitious manager.

personally,  I see Edens -  Purslow - Smith......and they all think they know best.

If Steve was around, he would have protected the Manager, from the bullshit and "boys with toys" syndrome.....and chairman who don't know who to get close to, owner or manager.

I would suspect Villa is a very difficult place to manage.....I have serious reservations about Dean, but I equally have suspicions that the bloke is managing in a really difficult atmosphere.

Steve in his hey day , would have negated much of this nonsense for Dean, but today, such a valuable boardroom ally is not there.

This is not me trying to defend Dean, just something, I feel needs to be said/raised.

 

Edited June 28, 2020 by TRO

[villalad21]

5 minutes ago, TRO said:

I would suspect Villa is a very difficult place to manage

It is. Always will be.

It isn't the same as managing Norwich and Brighton.

Dean will be under severe pressure next season. This isn't Brentford. Finishing 8th or 9th ain't acceptable the slightest. Even finishing below top 2 will be seen of many as failure.

Edited June 28, 2020 by villalad21

[DaveAV1]

18 minutes ago, TRO said:

I think the club has struggled since Steve Stride left.....He was the conduit between chairman and Manager.

Steve had claret & blue blood and was the steadying influence between chairman and manager, he had the chairmans ear and knew the sheer fabric of the club like the back of his hand.....he could be the filter for potentially poor decisions.

I feel a disconnect now between manager and hierarchy.....while i feel Dean is being backed, they don't really trust him.....they just see him as a safe pair of hands who don't rock the boat and consequently, the wind doesn't blow on them.

personally,  I see Edens -  Purslow - Smith......and they all know best.

If Steve was around, he would have protected the Manager, from the bullshit and "boys with toys" syndrome.....and chairman who don't know who to get close to, owner or manager.

I would suspect Villa is a very difficult place to manage.....I have serious reservations about Dean, but I equally have suspicions that the bloke is managing in a really difficult atmosphere.

Steve in his hey day , would have negated much of this nonsense for Dean, but today, such a valuable boardroom ally is not there.

This is not me trying to defend Dean, just something, I feel needs to be said/raised.

 

This is exactly right. Lerner getting rid of Steve Stride was his first big mistake. Apparently Graham Taylor offered Lerner his services. They had a meeting booked, but Lerner sent someone else and GT with his wealth of football knowledge and experience was lost. His second massive mistake. He pumped money in but didn’t manage the club properly. 

The new owners have been a vast improvement but we need a big hitter at manager and a CEO who knows how to get him the tools he needs to do his job, or they’ll just be digging a big hole and throwing money into it until they get bored. The club needs running properly which takes money and nous. They’ve got the former, we’ll know soon enough if they’ve got the latter.