Dean Smith

[sne]

48 minutes ago, screwdriver said:

The fact Smith didn't use the winter break for a team building week is staggaring.

Especially given the bournemouth match (last one before the break) was such an on the beach performance.

 

I've just watched the interview with Smith after that game. He blamed the ball boys and then said "no slide it is an isolated result and we would come back stronger. the players have got some time off now to rest"

If you switch off you have to switch on again.

A real manager would have tore paint off the walls cancelled everyones leave and hastily organised a trip to stirling lines.

Or some remote highland location where the players would be forced to live off the land.

 

Waking up to the news Poch is on Newcastles radar is the final straw. he should have been hired at half time at vicarage road back at xmas.

Why in the world would Poch have come here  

If the new owners manages to persuade him to sign for Newcastle it will be because they make him the highest paid manager in the world. He is currently earning £8.5m per season for not managing Spurs.

Smith is probably on something like £1,5-2m per season here (no idea tbh) and I doubt Poch would have been willing lower his wages to come work here. Villa are not on his level.

Edit: According to SKY Bin Salman will pay Poch £19m per season to manage Newcastle.

Edited April 29, 2020 by sne

[TRO]

2 hours ago, sne said:

Why in the world would Poch have come here  

If the new owners manages to persuade him to sign for Newcastle it will be because they make him the highest paid manager in the world. He is currently earning £8.5m per season for not managing Spurs.

Smith is probably on something like £1,5-2m per season here (no idea tbh) and I doubt Poch would have been willing lower his wages to come work here. Villa are not on his level.

Edit: According to SKY Bin Salman will pay Poch £19m per season to manage Newcastle.

Just being devils advocate....how much did Brian Little, Graham Taylor or John Gregory get paid?.....How Much is Chris Wilder getting paid?

Will Poch if he gets the nod at Newcastle eclipse, Chris Wilder?

Its all about what you do, not necessarily what you get paid.

[TRO]

3 hours ago, sne said:

Why in the world would Poch have come here  

If the new owners manages to persuade him to sign for Newcastle it will be because they make him the highest paid manager in the world. He is currently earning £8.5m per season for not managing Spurs.

Smith is probably on something like £1,5-2m per season here (no idea tbh) and I doubt Poch would have been willing lower his wages to come work here. Villa are not on his level.

Edit: According to SKY Bin Salman will pay Poch £19m per season to manage Newcastle.

I think with the backing of an Ambitious Board and a handsome salary most Managers will take on Aston Villa.

If Leeds can attract Biesla......I am not sure what the concern is.

If we take a cautious approach signing mediocre players, then yes a legitimate question, who would come to us.

The History and the stadium, not to mention the training ground is all good.......Its just the ambition that questions whether we can get sought after football staff.

It seems in the Academy we are starting to punch our own weight and we seem to be an attractive proposition.....we just need to extend that to the first team.

Edited April 29, 2020 by TRO

[sharkyvilla]

Leeds attracted Bielsa but didn't get promoted whereas Smith got us promoted despite taking over a bit of a trainwreck mid-season.

[TRO]

20 hours ago, sharkyvilla said:

Leeds attracted Bielsa but didn't get promoted whereas Smith got us promoted despite taking over a bit of a trainwreck mid-season.

Yes, that is a fair comment.

But Smith himself, did not describe it as a train wreck,when he took over, he described it much different, unbalanced yes and not really prepared for promotion.....but we had some good players in key positions and some holes to fill too.

But I would think most football people would recognise Biesla as the more sought after manager.

There are many factors in football that can equate to overall success....Hence our promotion.

Edited April 30, 2020 by TRO

[Zatman]

Bielsa is just a name though, he has very little track record of delivering success, football will be fun but not successful. If Leeds were hiring again tomorrow Thierry Henry or Steven Gerrard would be a more sought after name than Smith, Farke or Wilder

[sir_gary_cahill]

1 hour ago, Zatman said:

Bielsa is just a name though, he has very little track record of delivering success, football will be fun but not successful. If Leeds were hiring again tomorrow Thierry Henry or Steven Gerrard would be a more sought after name than Smith, Farke or Wilder

Smith, Farke and Wilder are proven at Championship level though. They want instant success at Leeds United, they are a massive club but not as big as their deluded fans think they are

[DCJonah]

3 hours ago, TRO said:

No, that is a fair comment.

But Smith himself, did not describe it as a train wreck,when he took over, he described it much different, unbalanced yes and not really prepared for promotion.....but we had some good players in key positions and some holes to fill too.

But I would think most football people would recognise Biesla as the more sought after manager.

There are many factors in football that can equate to overall success....Hence our promotion.

by who?

He's at Leeds. A struggling championship team for the last god knows how long.

[VillaChris]

Alright Nuno then.

Next time we need to appoint a manager (providing we're still a premier league club) the critiera needs to be a coach in peak of his career and imo someone who's actually won major trophies and managed in the CL.

Benitez, Leandro Jardim (French league with Monaco) and Marcelino (copa del rey with Valencia) are three obvious candidates for me if in normal times we were looking this summer.

Last time we really did that was O'Neill. Houllier also qualifies but he was about 65 so the managerial equivilant of Ginola, Reina and Pires.

 

[Tomaszk]

We should keep Smith if we go down, replace him if we stay up.

Suso must go regardless, Smith could potentially stay if we like a football team again for the last 8 games.

There's no doubt in my mind if we'd have carried on through we were finishing bottom.

[WhatAboutTheFinish]

11 hours ago, sir_gary_cahill said:

Smith, Farke and Wilder are proven at Championship level though. They want instant success at Leeds United, they are a massive club but not as big as their deluded fans think they are

[sir_gary_cahill]

2 minutes ago, WhatAboutTheFinish said:

I think it can be said about a lot of clubs including ours

[TRO]

15 hours ago, Tomaszk said:

We should keep Smith if we go down, replace him if we stay up.

Suso must go regardless, Smith could potentially stay if we like a football team again for the last 8 games.

There's no doubt in my mind if we'd have carried on through we were finishing bottom.

so if he fails, keep him......if he is successful in keeping us up, replace him......so his possible learning curve will never come to fruition....not to mention success deserves reward.

Thats a paradox for you.

Both Taylor and Saunders among our most successful managers took over in the lower division.....they was not put off, they had a vision, and incidently that was more balanced than what we have now, so far.

I very much have a mixed view on Dean and it depends on the model we are pursuing to know the next move.....His next 3 signings will tell me a lot.

I can't see sought after players, feeling like they will learn much from Dean, but thats just my opinion.....and just one aspect of his tenure.

Edited April 30, 2020 by TRO

[VillaChris]

Actually Dean and SGT are on similar trajectory, both took over in second division and got the team up at first time of asking and both struggled to adapt to top level at first time of asking.

In 88-89 we finished 17th winning just 9 games all season (we went down with 8 wins in 86-87). What was the mood around then TRO? Obviously different era with managers getting plenty of seasons to do jobs unlike now but just interested whether everyone was confident Sir Graham would be a success as a top flight manager which he spectacularly proved the following season when we finished 2nd then got the England job.

[TRO]

23 hours ago, VillaChris said:

Actually Dean and SGT are on similar trajectory, both took over in second division and got the team up at first time of asking and both struggled to adapt to top level at first time of asking.

In 88-89 we finished 17th winning just 9 games all season (we went down with 8 wins in 86-87). What was the mood around then TRO? Obviously different era with managers getting plenty of seasons to do jobs unlike now but just interested whether everyone was confident Sir Graham would be a success as a top flight manager which he spectacularly proved the following season when we finished 2nd then got the England job.

Yeah....I think the majority of fans could see what he was doing, just as they could that with Sir Ron.

You can make comparisons with the times, sure.....but HDE was very thrifty in those days and both Ron and Graham had to find gems to compete with the big boys....much in the same way as Sheff Utd, Burnley and in Leicesters early days under Pearson. I think Dean has been fortunate to have accomodating owners.

I do accept that the time to get things done has been a diminishing commodity.....and that is a challenge for any modern day manager.

Its an interesting point you make yes 17th in 88-89 after promotion and then next season 2nd to Liverpool 89-90......not expecting that ,mind you.

• We lost McInally that summer too, which was a blow, but the real difference was Kent Nielsen and Paul McGrath coming in for a mere sum of 1 million for both, how times have changed.
• Its was also interesting that we only scored 12 goals more in the season 89-90 than the previous season finishing 17th 45 v 57....but the real difference was conceding 38 v 56......we really tightened up.
• That 89-90 was when David Platt won PFA Player of the Year too.
• Its also interesting the goals against in 88-89 after 38 games is what we are sitting on now after 28 games played.....56.....so we are much worse than that and the criticisms, bonafide.

I know, everyone and his grand mother knows where our problems lie, in defending.....but we really have to do something about it, and not pay lip service to the problem.

I still have a nagging issue with folk saying its not Deans Game.....I don't give a flying wotsit what his game is.....defending is a crucial part of this game we adore and all the good teams do it well.

I don't want half a manager, I want one that is in sync with the WHOLE game.

 

Edited May 1, 2020 by TRO

[foreveryoung]

Dean's never been ready for what the Premier League requires. Yes you can blame the players and other staff,  but one thing you need playing in the this league is discipline, something I think someone of Dean's stature and experience is finding it hard to install.  Not to mention your Sheffield man again, but he seems like a manager not to be messed with, an to be fair they don't really have many superstars, just grafters who wanna play football.

Always thought it was a huge step for Smith, just too soon. I will stick to what I said at Christmas, that we wouldn't be in this position if we had a more experienced manager.

[Eastie]

On 29/04/2020 at 17:29, sharkyvilla said:

Leeds attracted Bielsa but didn't get promoted whereas Smith got us promoted despite taking over a bit of a trainwreck mid-season.

Train wreck ? Grealish, mcginn, Tammy ,  tuanxebe were among the best in the league - smith inherited a very good championship team .

[foreveryoung]

12 minutes ago, Eastie said:

Train wreck ? Grealish, mcginn, Tammy ,  tuanxebe were among the best in the league - smith inherited a very good championship team .

Leed's probably would have been promoted too remember if they didn't give us that goal back. I think that wrecked there players heads.

[useless]

Sheffield United and Norwich were already promoted when we played Leeds, if it was still possible for them to finish in the top two then I doubt that they would have allowed us to score. Editor's note: It was still mathematically possible for Leeds to finish in the top two, but not realistic as they had a worse goal than Sheffield United by fourteen  goals, with only two games left to play, so to all intents and purposes top two had already gone for them.

Edited May 1, 2020 by useless

[TRO]

35 minutes ago, Eastie said:

Train wreck ? Grealish, mcginn, Tammy ,  tuanxebe were among the best in the league - smith inherited a very good championship team .

Spot on