Dean Smith

[srsmithusa]

So, since we were assured that DS wasn’t in charge of anything except making sure the subs were wearing bibs, he seems to be figuring out some of the other parts of management pretty quickly.  

[Dave-R]

Do you know the one thing I really like is the fact it's great Dean Smith has arrived and is getting plans placed and sorted, changing the way we play and it feels and looks like real football again. 

Just one thing though,  how could the previous owners of our club be so damn blind to all this that it took wes and nas to come in, to find what we need in a coach/manager. We have surely suffered under old regimes who lined there pockets with the sale of our stars, wouldn't bring the rite people in to keep us on top of football. We have a long way to go now before we are back on top of football but I do actually feel it, a movement a different vibe from owners rite down to players, feels like the grey skies are lifting over villa park.

Dean Smith what can you say but I'm glad he is here and all I can say is I wished I hadn't of said I'm willing to support bruce abit more, not from what I've seen and heard from DS and company, it's been ever so different and much better..

Dino football is gone I think, shows how managers who don't, still need to go out and still train players and show them a good solid game plan, instead of throwing there players out and let them Hoofball

[TrentVilla]

20 hours ago, mjmooney said:

Ah, but now we have a DoF, does Smiffy do the choosing of purchases? He's only 'head coach', remember. 

He will have an input certainly. 

So for instance he will say what sort of player and what position he wants and then it will be left with the DoF to identify options, speak to clubs, agents, arrange scouting etc.

Then he will put options to Smith and they’ll reach a decision.

I don’t see it being a more continental set up where Smith has no say on player recruitment.

[TrentVilla]

 

Two wins from 4 games, only one short of the amount of wins Bruce managed in 10 games. 

On top of that so many obvious signs of improvement in our play, approach, set up and coaching. 

So far so good.

[Guest av1]

10 hours ago, srsmithusa said:

So, since we were assured that DS wasn’t in charge of anything except making sure the subs were wearing bibs, he seems to be figuring out some of the other parts of management pretty quickly.  

I found this whole argument against Smith rather amusing. 

So what he had a big team around him, doesn't every manager in the modern game? You look at some benches on match day and there appears to be about 40 people behind the manager. 

At Brentford Smith coached the team, picked the formation and tactics, what else is there to management? Transfers? Well I'd hazard a guess that 90% of modern day clubs have tranfer committees these days. 

I also found it ironic that some of the fans that didn't want Smith on those grounds were excited by the prospect of Henry. 

[Guest av1]

13 minutes ago, TrentVilla said:

He will have an input certainly. 

So for instance he will say what sort of player and what position he wants and then it will be left with the DoF to identify options, speak to clubs, agents, arrange scouting etc.

Then he will put options to Smith and they’ll reach a decision.

I don’t see it being a more continental set up where Smith has no say on player recruitment.

Completely agree, and as i just alluded to in my above post, I'd hazard a guess that that is exactly the same process for 90% of clubs in the top 2 divisions. The days of a manager/coach (call it what you will) having complete autonomy over transfers is long gone. 

[Dave-R]

15 minutes ago, av1 said:

I found this whole argument against Smith rather amusing. 

So what he had a big team around him, doesn't every manager in the modern game? You look at some benches on match day and there appears to be about 40 people behind the manager. 

At Brentford Smith coached the team, picked the formation and tactics, what else is there to management? Transfers? Well I'd hazard a guess that 90% of modern day clubs have tranfer committees these days. 

I also found it ironic that some of the fans that didn't want Smith on those grounds were excited by the prospect of Henry. 

Think the difference between bruce and Smith for a start is Smith isn't stuck in his ways, bruce is. Then there is the fact that Smith will listen to others, that's why he has those around him for technical advice he may be missing. A group of people always talking, listening, giving there opinion and if things go wrong it isn't just one person fault and they can plan ahead together. Bruce was the dog wasn't he, didn't listen didn't do anything with players, take advice on, definitely set in his way and stubborn which led to that crappy outcome of results under his rule this season, he does need to change and DS coming in only proves that.

I never want Henry, I'd of much rather of given Terry the nod on his own if Smith had not of come in to be honest. I think Henry would of been a disaster for us..

[Dave-R]

19 minutes ago, av1 said:

Completely agree, and as i just alluded to in my above post, I'd hazard a guess that that is exactly the same process for 90% of clubs in the top 2 divisions. The days of a manager/coach (call it what you will) having complete autonomy over transfers is long gone. 

I'd say it is better for a club if the man in charge of the team isn't the only one giving the nod on transfers, money won't be wasted and we won't get players who can't fill there roles. I would myself want as many people giving me advice as possible on every matter taking a club forward. The more info the more you can say, rite this player is the one, or no thank you I've heard to much bad vibes from those around me that he isn't going to fit in with us.

 

[villan-scott]

21 hours ago, mjmooney said:

Ah, but now we have a DoF, does Smiffy do the choosing of purchases? He's only 'head coach', remember. 

Smith has already said he has had meeting with Suso and Purslow regarding January recruitment, so I’m 100% certain he is having an input and will most likely have the final say. 

[KHV]

On 03/11/2018 at 10:04, Dr_Pangloss said:

I like what I see and we're no where near in a position to do what Smith wants right now, positive signs.

I think we are going to struggle massively picking up points away from Villa park at present. Probably where we will fall short this season. We are wide open and all over the shop without the ball. There is a real unbalanced look in the middle of the park when we are not in possession as it's clear Hourihane McGinn and Grealish are not brilliant defensively , we are weak in the fullback areas and don't even get me started on the keeper. If Chester and/or Tuanzebe get injured we are ****.  Looks like a mid table team at the moment. I will be interested to see if RDL and Elphick come back in Jan. Hopefully we won't be to far adrift by then? We have a tough set of fixtures coming up.

[El Zen]

What will happen is probably the same as what happens at most professional clubs in the world. The coaching staff will identify the needs, the sporting director and scouting team will find several options and make their recommendations, the coaching staff will identify who they want, and the sporting director will handle negotiations and formalities. 

We wouldn’t buy a player Dean Smith didn’t want.

[Demitri_C]

I liked the way he said we didn't play well as week before and highlighted the flaws in the game but still gave praise. 

It's not all the same crap like we go again. He is young modern and I like the way he is conducting himself.

[mjmooney]

Quote

In 1876 George Ramsay described Villa's approach to the game as 'a dash at the man and a big kick at the ball' . He took charge of training which saw dramatic improvement that showed in the results, introducing what was known as the "passing game".

Wikipedia

Villa went on to dominate football in the Victorian era. 

Dean Smith = the new George Ramsay. 

[Dr_Pangloss]

50 minutes ago, KHV said:

I think we are going to struggle massively picking up points away from Villa park at present. Probably where we will fall short this season. We are wide open and all over the shop without the ball. There is a real unbalanced look in the middle of the park when we are not in possession as it's clear Hourihane McGinn and Grealish are not brilliant defensively , we are weak in the fullback areas and don't even get me started on the keeper. If Chester and/or Tuanzebe get injured we are ****.  Looks like a mid table team at the moment. I will be interested to see if RDL and Elphick come back in Jan. Hopefully we won't be to far adrift by then? We have a tough set of fixtures coming up.

Probably but that is completely down to the mess that Bruce has left us in. As I've said before, it's silly to expect promotion this season, we just need to be in a position to be playing the right football and have a genuine platform to build from. I like what I'm seeing so far, it's not perfect, but that's due to the relative lack of time Smith has had with them, the sort of fitness levels required to play his style will take months to be built up.

[Johnnyp]

2 minutes ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

Probably but that is completely down to the mess that Bruce has left us in. As I've said before, it's silly to expect promotion this season, we just need to be in a position to be playing the right football and have a genuine platform to build from. I like what I'm seeing so far, it's not perfect, but that's due to the relative lack of time Smith has had with them, the sort of fitness levels required to play his style will take months to be built up.

And personell. He will make these players better, to a point. Some ultimately won't be part of our long term plans though and that includes a few of Friday night's starters.

[Dr_Pangloss]

Just now, Johnnyp said:

And personell. He will make these players better, to a point. Some ultimately won't be part of our long term plans though and that includes a few of Friday night's starters.

Definitely, I can imagine he'd want to sign players all over the pitch, central midfield, defence and even out wide. I really wouldn't be surprised if we got into the playoffs and that we really hit form in the second half of the season, but I don't expect it to happen. There's an enormous job to be done here.

[hippo]

He has done well enough so far winning both home games - he has a massive handicap with the GK situation - i think when he gets a decent keeper between the sticks we might/should be able to pick up some points on the road.

I am not expecting much more than mid table this season TBH

[Johnnyp]

10 minutes ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

Definitely, I can imagine he'd want to sign players all over the pitch, central midfield, defence and even out wide. I really wouldn't be surprised if we got into the playoffs and that we really hit form in the second half of the season, but I don't expect it to happen. There's an enormous job to be done here.

Huge. For instance i don't think Smith will waiver too much from his 4-2-3-1. Going forward, hourihane simply is not good enough to be a deep lying playmaker. Too fidgety and nervous when he receives the ball. Doesnt get his head up and ultimately grealish gets frustrated and comes back into his own half to get the ball, where he can't hurt teams. "Doesnt give it away" is one line that gets me wound up about hourihane.  Taylor can't beat a man going forward. Love if we had a talent like Jamal Lewis. Fair play to Norwich in the last year. Keen eye for good talent.

[Jareth]

This thread is so boring without the Bruce In Out ping pong. Smith OUT.

[DCJonah]

Norwich fill me with hope. They had a plan, hired a good coach and have stuck to it in order to build something. We smashed them at home last season, but its clear their desire to build something has led to consistency as opposed to bruce ball, which could pull out a result like that day but was never going to lead to consistent long term results.