Dean Smith

[AvfcRigo82]

2 hours ago, Naaaaarch said:

Hypothetical but I can't see many sets of fans wanting a swap for Smith if offered.  

Of the jobs probably coming up soon he should avoid Wednesday and QPR like the plague (unless he gets to build Wednesday next season in L1).

Not sure QPR will get rid of Ainsworth anytime soon. He is a manager who also needs time to build the team and the club his way.

But I agree, Deano needs to consider his next move carefully. I'm not sure Sheff Wed would be the answer though - whether that be in the Championship or League One.

 

Edited September 13, 2023 by AvfcRigo82

[sidcow]

On 12/09/2023 at 11:25, Zatman said:

O' Leary spent about 30 million in 3 seasons while O'Neill had us on more than one occasions among Europe top spenders. Charlatan

Plus had our wage bill in the top 5 in the country ahead of Tottenham, yet had somehow filled the squad with nobody's.  Smith went on that amazing run with someone else's team who were heading for relegation to league 1.

Edited September 13, 2023 by sidcow

[AvfcRigo82]

2 hours ago, sidcow said:

Smith went on that amazing run with someone else's team who were heading for relegation to league 1.

Good job Grealish returned when he did or we might have witnessed that relegation taking place.

[DCJonah]

On 13/09/2023 at 02:16, KentVillan said:

Smith left a legacy at Villa. He got the fans buzzing about the club again and actually liking the players. Many of his key men he brought in - Mings, Martinez, Konsa, Watkins, Cash, Dougie Luiz - are still key players.

Yes he hit a ceiling (although he was much better than Gerrard) and clearly we have a better manager now. But he did a lot for Villa, and it was more than just being a fan.

Sad to see the direction his career has gone in since, but will always be grateful.

Couldn't agree more. 

Turned the whole ship around. The relationship between the club and fans was absolutely toxic and he fixed it within months. 

Giving the armband to Jack and brining in Mings in Janaury were two massive moments for this club. 

He performed a couple of miracles in getting us up and keeping us up. 

He left something to build upon. I can't think of many managers who did the same.

[Dodgyknees]

7 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

Couldn't agree more. 

Turned the whole ship around. The relationship between the club and fans was absolutely toxic and he fixed it within months. 

Giving the armband to Jack and brining in Mings in Janaury were two massive moments for this club. 

He performed a couple of miracles in getting us up and keeping us up. 

He left something to build upon. I can't think of many managers who did the same.

Let’s not forget that some of our most important players now are ones he brought in. Douglas, Ezri, Matty, and of course Ty and Ollie.

[Zatman]

5 minutes ago, Dodgyknees said:

Let’s not forget that some of our most important players now are ones he brought in. Douglas, Ezri, Matty, and of course Ty and Ollie.

*cough* Emi

[DCJonah]

17 minutes ago, Dodgyknees said:

Let’s not forget that some of our most important players now are ones he brought in. Douglas, Ezri, Matty, and of course Ty and Ollie.

Absolutely and add Martinez to that list. Gave JJ his chance as well. 

 

[Indigo]

On 10/09/2023 at 22:47, Zatman said:

He could be a candidate for the Ireland job if he is interested as I expect Kenny to be sacked soon

That's an interesting shout actually, hadn't considered it. Could do a lot worse.

[Rds1983]

2 hours ago, Dodgyknees said:

Let’s not forget that some of our most important players now are ones he brought in. Douglas, Ezri, Matty, and of course Ty and Ollie.

Why does Dean get praise for bringing these players in when Suso/Lange/Purslow get slated as being rubbish at their job's? It was a recruitment team and not Dean on his own who brought these players in. 

Ollie was probably largely him but the rest?

[Zatman]

Just now, Rds1983 said:

Why does Dean get praise for bringing these players in when Suso/Lange/Purslow get slated as being rubbish at their job's? It was a recruitment team and not Dean on his own who brought these players in. 

Ollie was probably largely him but the rest?

Konsa played under him before at Brentford

Even if he didn't sign them he still got them to gel and they are still here. 

[Rds1983]

1 hour ago, Zatman said:

Konsa played under him before at Brentford

Even if he didn't sign them he still got them to gel and they are still here. 

I've gotten so used to Konsa here I forgot we got him from Brentford. 

I'm not arguing against the praise for Dean, just more that the others mentioned get constantly slated when surely they should also get some credit for these players?

Edited September 14, 2023 by Rds1983

[lapal_fan]

I also think that he was very proud to be Manager of Aston Villa, and that pride has rubbed off on some of our players still. (Kw.jpeg)

Dougie in the past would have left I think.  Emi speaks about villa in interviews like we're still a huge deal and I get the impression that kind of talk was instilled by Dean and his team.

He set us off on this upwards trajectory and I thank him for it.

Sell out crowds, Europe, a team full of internationals with prestigious names, young upcoming talent in the academy and a genuinely world class coach.

All, if not most of that can be attributed to Dean Smith

Edited September 14, 2023 by lapal_fan

[KentVillan]

2 hours ago, Rds1983 said:

Why does Dean get praise for bringing these players in when Suso/Lange/Purslow get slated as being rubbish at their job's? It was a recruitment team and not Dean on his own who brought these players in. 

Ollie was probably largely him but the rest?

Ollie and Ezri def both his signings. Whether or not he spotted Mings, he is the one who turned Mings’s career around and made him so loyal to the club. Arguably similar story with Emi M. They’ve both talked so much about the dressing room culture and the feeling around the club … we didn’t have any of that before Smith came.

Just feel like most of these players would have left if Smith hadn’t made them all feel part of something. Whatever you think of his tactics, there’s no doubt he was good for the culture of the club, instilling a long term, team oriented mindset, and rewarding players who bought into that. Gerrard did his best to dismantle that, but Unai has brought it back - with better coaching and tactics.

[Rds1983]

29 minutes ago, KentVillan said:

Ollie and Ezri def both his signings. Whether or not he spotted Mings, he is the one who turned Mings’s career around and made him so loyal to the club. Arguably similar story with Emi M. They’ve both talked so much about the dressing room culture and the feeling around the club … we didn’t have any of that before Smith came.

Just feel like most of these players would have left if Smith hadn’t made them all feel part of something. Whatever you think of his tactics, there’s no doubt he was good for the culture of the club, instilling a long term, team oriented mindset, and rewarding players who bought into that. Gerrard did his best to dismantle that, but Unai has brought it back - with better coaching and tactics.

As I said above, I'm not challenging Smith as I loved him as Villa manager (I do think he took us as far as he could and it was probably time to part ways but that's another debate).

I'm just challenging as to why he gets plaudits for these players when others who helped identify and bring them in seem to just get abuse. 

Doesn't seem right.

[KentVillan]

1 hour ago, Rds1983 said:

As I said above, I'm not challenging Smith as I loved him as Villa manager (I do think he took us as far as he could and it was probably time to part ways but that's another debate).

I'm just challenging as to why he gets plaudits for these players when others who helped identify and bring them in seem to just get abuse. 

Doesn't seem right.

Because we’re talking about what was achieved with those players after they joined, which didn’t have much to do with Suso and co

[Keyblade]

17 hours ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

Good job Grealish returned when he did or we might have witnessed that relegation taking place.

We were nowhere near relegation while he was injured, and only lost twice. Besides, Tuanzebe was the bigger miss, as weird as that is to say in 2023.

[Rds1983]

1 hour ago, KentVillan said:

Because we’re talking about what was achieved with those players after they joined, which didn’t have much to do with Suso and co

By that logic, any player we signed who turned out to be rubbish and didnt achieve anything was all on Smith, then as it wouldn't have had much to do with Suso and co. 

[KentVillan]

30 minutes ago, Rds1983 said:

By that logic, any player we signed who turned out to be rubbish and didnt achieve anything was all on Smith, then as it wouldn't have had much to do with Suso and co. 

Yes but the point is many of the players we signed under Smith continue to be key players two managers later, which reflects well on the work he did and the dressing room culture he built. Is it such a strange point?

And as mentioned, several of those were clearly “his” signings or he was very involved in bringing them in.

Edited September 14, 2023 by KentVillan

[Rds1983]

17 minutes ago, KentVillan said:

Yes but the point is many of the players we signed under Smith continue to be key players two managers later, which reflects well on the work he did and the dressing room culture he built. Is it such a strange point?

And as mentioned, several of those were clearly “his” signings or he was very involved in bringing them in.

Nowhere have I said he didn't do good work. I've queried why he gets praised but other's get vilified. Nobody has provided any explanation on this point and we're going around in circles so I'm done replying. 

Have a nice evening. 

[AvfcRigo82]

2 hours ago, Keyblade said:

We were nowhere near relegation while he was injured, and only lost twice. Besides, Tuanzebe was the bigger miss, as weird as that is to say in 2023.

We were heading that way.

Our form in his absense was grim reading with not many wins in that time either.

But it's in the past now and the important thing was that we recovered and we've not looked back since.

 

Edited September 14, 2023 by AvfcRigo82