Dean Smith

[Demitri_C]

2 hours ago, lexicon said:

Even if it is, the circumstances are not comparable at all.

Bruce had a decent squad in the Championship and couldn't do anything, Smith has one of the worst squads in the Prem and is struggling. 

He helped build this squad i do not accept that excuse

[Laughable Chimp]

7 minutes ago, sne said:

You also have this thread where most people have us finishing around 14th-16th. But a lot of the votes were cast before the transfer window closed.

 

Ignoring the obvious joke votes having us finishing first to fourth, the mean expectation where we would finish according to that poll is actually 13.7th place. Which is pretty much bang on where my early season expectations were too and is relatively safe from relegation. 

Edited June 29, 2020 by Laughable Chimp

[sne]

Just now, Laughable Chimp said:

Ignoring the joke votes having us finishing first to fourth, the mean expectation where we would finish is actually  13.7th place. Which is pretty much bang on where my early season expecations were too. 

I hoped for 15th, expected a relegation battle.

Despite this I also expected us to play as a team and be more cohesive. 

[DCJonah]

6 minutes ago, Laughable Chimp said:

No, not necessarily. I'm just refuting the idea the goal was always only 17th and survival when that was clearly not the expectations of Villa fans at the start of the season. Whether that's a fair expectation or not is another issue entirely.

Fans predictions are not the same as what the club would have been aiming for. I remember groups of fans getting really excited about the young and hungry lambert transfer policy. 

Surivivng was all this season was about. The fact Smith still has a job, shows me that the club see this as well. 

[OxfordVillan]

1 hour ago, hippo said:

My fears are:-

They dread another manager hunt - and don't really have an idea how to land a significant upgrade on Smith.

Smith and Henry were the two names last time.

They might take the easy option and promote Terry.

 

Unlike XIA we know the current owners have money - but are they any good at choosing managers ?

 

 

Anyone advocating John Terry to replace Dean Smith needs to give their head a wobble. Seriously. Firstly, would that be the same John Terry who, surely, would have been working with our defence (and the players in general) in his capacity assistant coach? Do you think John Terry is doing exactly as Dean Smith is instructing him, that he has his hands tied? Secondly, did you see John Terrys reaction to Villa going 1-0 up against his beloved Chelsea? Because that on its own should see him being relieved of his duties at Villa. Contrast Terrys “celebrations” with the likes of the assistants at Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd......almost any other team. Terrys was pretty much a slow hand clap. So way before Dean Smith is relieved of any duties at Villa, John Terry should be. And that’s before we look at the role that Suso has played. 

[Laughable Chimp]

5 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

Fans predictions are not the same as what the club would have been aiming for. I remember groups of fans getting really excited about the young and hungry lambert transfer policy. 

Surivivng was all this season was about. The fact Smith still has a job, shows me that the club see this as well. 

But what evidence do you have to say that survival is all what the club was aiming for? The only piece of evidence I can think of either way is Purslow's comments at the start of the season which was heavily implying we were not about to just be struggling against relegation. Which admittedly is not very definitive but its not like we have any other evidence of the club's views of our goals.

Smith still being at the club is not strong evidence for this. Perhaps the club didn't want to sack our record breaking manager from the previous season so soon. Perhaps they didn't want to look foolish for giving him such an early contract extension. Perhaps they realized the problem too late and are not sure of any better options out there.

Edited June 29, 2020 by Laughable Chimp

[DCJonah]

Just now, Laughable Chimp said:

But what evidence do you have to say that survival is all what the club was aiming for? The only piece of evidence I can think of either way is Purslow's comments at the start of the season which was heavily implying we were not about to just be struggling against relegation. Which admittedly is not very definitive but its not like we have any other evidence of the club's views of our goals.

I just think common sense. We finished 5th in the championship and had to pretty much rebuild the squad and signed only one player with premier league experience. I can't see the club expecting us to be a comfortable mid table team. I think if they did, Smith would have lost his job by now. 

To their credit, I think the board have probably been very realisitic about this season and the recruitment we have done. 

[Eastie]

Purslow did the media rounds and interviews making quite clear publicly the club did not expect to be in a relegation battle , Videos that are very easily found on YouTube , anyone who suggests the aim Of the owners  was 17th is wrong - i personally thought 14th more likely but clearly purslow seemed to think we had bought very well , maybe he put too much trust in suso and smith. 
 

I can see now why he would stick with smith for these 6 games as it’s highly unlikely anyone would take the job so late on facing the fixtures we do .

smith will hopefully be turfed out in the summer and purslow will need to recruit someone who can not only get tha club up but also stay up , I would not want dean smith anywhere near a premier League  club , we must must learn our lessons and put this season behind us . 
 

[Eastie]

7 minutes ago, Laughable Chimp said:

But what evidence do you have to say that survival is all what the club was aiming for? The only piece of evidence I can think of either way is Purslow's comments at the start of the season which was heavily implying we were not about to just be struggling against relegation. Which admittedly is not very definitive but its not like we have any other evidence of the club's views of our goals.

Smith still being at the club is not strong evidence for this. Perhaps the club didn't want to sack our record breaking manager from the previous season so soon. Perhaps they didn't want to look foolish for giving him such an early contract extension. Perhaps they realized the problem too late and are not sure of any better options out there.

I think you are right , better options will be available in the summer , they’ve left it too late now and it will probably save face too for them to fire smith after relegation than with 6 games to go .

personally I don’t think we will even win another game this season , we are gone .

[DCJonah]

4 minutes ago, Eastie said:

Purslow did the media rounds and interviews making quite clear publicly the club did not expect to be in a relegation battle , Videos that are very easily found on YouTube , anyone who suggests the aim Of the owners  was 17th is wrong - i personally thought 14th more likely but clearly purslow seemed to think we had bought very well , maybe he put too much trust in suso and smith. 
 

I can see now why he would stick with smith for these 6 games as it’s highly unlikely anyone would take the job so late on facing the fixtures we do .

smith will hopefully be turfed out in the summer and purslow will need to recruit someone who can not only get tha club up but also stay up , I would not want dean smith anywhere near a premier League  club , we must must learn our lessons and put this season behind us . 
 

And yet we have been all year and Smith is still in the job. I think that speaks louder than any PR events last summer. 

[TreeVillan]

Anyone thinking were getting promoted back into the Prem without Jack are kidding themselves. 

[Eastie]

4 minutes ago, TreeVillan said:

Anyone thinking were getting promoted back into the Prem without Jack are kidding themselves. 

We’ve seen what happened with smith last season without jack

[AntrimBlack]

3 minutes ago, TreeVillan said:

Anyone thinking were getting promoted back into the Prem without Jack are kidding themselves. 

Not so. No one is irreplaceable. We need several players close to Grealish's level and we will be a much better side, not a one man band.

Ideally keep Grealish if he stays, which is unlikely, with a couple of new guys close to his level, 

[Nabby]

40 minutes ago, Eastie said:

Purslow did the media rounds and interviews making quite clear publicly the club did not expect to be in a relegation battle , Videos that are very easily found on YouTube , anyone who suggests the aim Of the owners  was 17th is wrong - i personally thought 14th more likely but clearly purslow seemed to think we had bought very well , maybe he put too much trust in suso and smith. 
 

I can see now why he would stick with smith for these 6 games as it’s highly unlikely anyone would take the job so late on facing the fixtures we do .

smith will hopefully be turfed out in the summer and purslow will need to recruit someone who can not only get tha club up but also stay up , I would not want dean smith anywhere near a premier League  club , we must must learn our lessons and put this season behind us . 
 

Yes I think Smith stays now as the options are limited especially with the way the games are spaced out now.

Percy had him down to go if we lost to Chelsea in the original scheduling , that would of given us a 2 week break to bring someone in and then the games spaced out enough for changes to take effect

I don't see him as being fully backed now its just a case of nothing we can do

On Purslow his comments from preseason show a man deluded on the reality of situation or someone who is good at PR BS , neither is great in all honesty. Things behind scenes may be improving ie the youth set up but if I am the owners I am asking him questions about what went wrong and his part in it.

[VillaFaninLondon]

It is important where neutrals think we will finish because we as fans are always going to be more optimistic, especially when a lot of money is spent.

 

Pretty much every prediction I saw before the season started had us safe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hePP5LkATlU (13th)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0K1EYh2EGU (13th)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdwYobIggtI (12th)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIDbUWfkYzM (15th)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQPG98uNfL0 (16th)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8wz4t3oej4 (17th)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YZ_Hb7hzYk (14th)

 

I personally thought we would be around 14th. I was concerned we didn't bring back Tammy, but in the main I was relatively positive because we did our business early and on paper the players we signed seemed to be quite promising even if a fair few of them were unproven. The only ones at the time I wasn't sure about were Jota and Hause (Championship standard), Trezeguet and Targett.

 

Purslow's comments could have been a PR stunt, but ultimately the club's owners are not going to hand Smith a transfer kitty of circa £150mil to be where we are now and playing as we are now. They surely expected better. They may not get rid of Smith now with only 6 games to go, but I'd be shocked if he's not gone at the end of the season.

 

[Nabby]

8 minutes ago, TreeVillan said:

Anyone thinking were getting promoted back into the Prem without Jack are kidding themselves. 

Norwich might have thought the same when they sold Maddison ...

It's a team game Jack on his own is not enough as we are seeing now for me in the summer we should of gone for some kind of star/named player to back Jack up.At least a player who knew the league , we didn't and are now paying the price

We tried to run before we could walk , we brought long term strategy players - young with potential and ignored the short term.That Long term will count for nothing if we go down as 4/5 players inc Jack will be sold or want out and we start the process of rebuilding the squad again.

 

[DCJonah]

27 minutes ago, TreeVillan said:

Anyone thinking were getting promoted back into the Prem without Jack are kidding themselves. 

This squad will have no issues being right up there next year, even without jack. 

[PussEKatt]

1 minute ago, DCJonah said:

This squad will have no issues being right up there next year, even without jack. 

Only if we have a manager that knows how to motovate them and get them going.

[DCJonah]

14 minutes ago, VillaFaninLondon said:

It is important where neutrals think we will finish because we as fans are always going to be more optimistic, especially when a lot of money is spent.

 

Pretty much every prediction I saw before the season started had us safe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hePP5LkATlU (13th)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0K1EYh2EGU (13th)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdwYobIggtI (12th)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIDbUWfkYzM (15th)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQPG98uNfL0 (16th)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8wz4t3oej4 (17th)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YZ_Hb7hzYk (14th)

 

I personally thought we would be around 14th. I was concerned we didn't bring back Tammy, but in the main I was relatively positive because we did our business early and on paper the players we signed seemed to be quite promising even if a fair few of them were unproven. The only ones at the time I wasn't sure about were Jota and Hause (Championship standard), Trezeguet and Targett.

 

Purslow's comments could have been a PR stunt, but ultimately the club's owners are not going to hand Smith a transfer kitty of circa £150mil to be where we are now and playing as we are now. They surely expected better. They may not get rid of Smith now with only 6 games to go, but I'd be shocked if he's not gone at the end of the season.

 

I'm sure the owners thought we could do better. I would imagine their expectations have adjusted after seeing the quality of the recruitment. 

I'd imagine they are not thrilled that we've spent that money and had so many misses and are where we are. 

Guess it depends if they have sympathy with Smith for the state of the squad. I think they must to some extent and its why smith is seeing out the season.

[DCJonah]

Just now, PussEKatt said:

Only if we have a manager that knows how to motovate them and get them going.

I think Smith will be able to do that. Or we better bring in a good one if we are getting rid.