Trevor Fisher has sent this to think about
The Daily Star today ran a story that McLeish’s job is on the line, and that LErner is thinking of appointing a sporting director, often known as a DIrector of Football. We used to have one – he was called Doug Ellis. Main job is to handle transfers, Commolli at Liverpool just got the bullet apparently because of their poor signings. Dalglish was not responsible, it is rumoured.
This could be good, could be bad. The problem at VIlla is not McLeish but the people who appointed him. Sack McLeish….? WHo would want the job? If it is to be an ex Premiership manager, then Mick McCarthy is in the frame (and local) and Steve Bruce is looking for a job… and Curbishley has been on the market for a long time. Perhaps we could
get Gregory back, he got us to 6th and he fell out with Deadly, so maybe he could return.
Whatever happens, the board room is the main problem and anyone who goes on the web sites across the Atlantic soon realises the Cleveland Browns fans say the same about Lerner as we do. Local Cleveland paper says that LErner was the only NFL owner who did not go to the national owners meeting, sent deputies along.
Whether we get relegated or stay up, whether McLeish goes or stays, whether there is a sporting director or no sporting director, one thing stays constant – Lerner. Unless he sells up, and who buys a club that just lost £120m and has a pay cap in place? So the boardroom has to be the central problem
My solution is to campaign for Non Executive Directors, with a background in football management or football administration. The lack of football knowledge on the board since Steve Stride left is the big problem. While Lerner does not have to listen to NEDS even if they were appointed, he would be daft to ignore them.
NEDS would bring something positive to the table. I am far from convinced a new manager would. My nightmare is someone cheap and low grade, like McNeil, Dr Jo or Graham Turner. Clubs in trouble cut costs
and cut corners. It is vital to get a board that can deliver better decisions.
And for those who campaign for McLeish and Lerner to quit – be careful
what you wish for.
You might just get what you want.
is there much difference between a NED and a Director of Football ? – Lerner already hires advisors. Agree the board is problem – but whichever way you cut it – Having Mcleish run the football side is a problem. Get the manager position right and the other issues tend to go away. Doug was never a great owner – but we did have some success when a decent manager was in place.
A new manager would bring a better style of football, more tactical awareness, less grudges, less blame placed on youngsters, and you know what, he might just be a tad popular, unlike this disgrace that now sits at the helm.
Yeah, the board appointed him, and all of us are pissed about that, but for christ’s sake Trevor, do not try to say that keeping this clown in charge maybe a decent option.
we are on the verge of relegation – how can things get any worse?? the team look down and out whilst those below us won’t give up
it can’t got any worse than this – mcliesh is a disaster and i despise negative football play – no desire to win a game and no desire to score more than one goal – he was the same with blues and he is doing exactly the same with us
i dont believe he has high payout clause at all – i believe he got given a season to achieve 9th – and if he didn’t he would be out – it only thing that explains this awful signing of him. cutting the wage bill isn’t the ONLY thing he had to achieve – its doing that whilst keeping a respectable position!! and being in a relegation fight won’t be acceptable
we weren’t classed as being in trouble at the start of the season – so why should we be now just because of one man
Commolli was just the fall guy. Dalglish was just as responsible if not more so.
True cheque book Kenny is bullet proof at Liverpool.
personally houllier would have been great given another season – his signings were very good and for once he was one of the few managers that identified the need for a goal scorer in Darren bent.
i can see big changes in the summer – my business brain is sensing it – however if lerner keeps it like this with same manager – then definitely its time to worry as lerner clearly doesn’t know what he’s doing. i think he’s a lot smarter than that – why would he be happy with us down the bottom – each place gives you more revenue – its good business to finish high in the table
Just mcleish for me. Mcleish out!!!!
Bring houllier in as DOF I had faith in his signings
Please God No. You surely aren’t serious?
Why not have some fans on the borad it will help bridge the gap with fans i be willing to help
Nice thought, but it could/would never happen.
I gave up reading this after seeing ‘mcleish isn’t the problem’ line. Mcleish is a massive part of the problem, no escaping that!
Under basically the same board, we were relatively successful under MON for 3 seasons. If we got a good manager we could be successful again. Choosing a good manager is not rocket science – they made a mistake, but if they appoint someone good they will be forgiven pretty quickly. It’s all a lot simpler than it is being made to look!!
If Doug Ellis was our ‘Director of Football’ once upon a time, as you so glibly put it, then Lerner is now. He signed Ireland and he calls all the shots now.
Just need rid of Mc Leish. Get the right manager in to sort Villa out… Maybe problems with Villa being treated like a business rather than a football club but thats the way things are in football now.
I love the Villa and just want, wish for Mc Leish to be OUT!! Randy will learn from his mistake (I liked Houiller and think he played a good style of football) hopefully we’ll get someone who’s positive and actually loves Villa.
Change of subject I no but did anyone watch Chelsea game tonite. How boring where they? 11 men behind the ball at home. Yes it’s barcalona but when mcleish does that against superior opposition we don’t like it. Barcalona just passed but couldnt penetrate into the right areas they were going nowhere fast. 1.1 draw at nou camp chelski to go thru. CL is so boring and overrated it’s untrue sort of glad wevr not in it in a way as would have to suffer early boring knockout phases and league table games against teams that no ones ever heard of yawn.
Yeah but Chelsea were organised well and succeeded in stifling the most attacking team in the world.
If only we had a big ex centre half like that defensive genius that was Di Matteo then we would be fine……oh hang on……
Absolutely agree 100%. Lerner, Faulkner and co are a huge part of the problem.
In the very likely absence of any serious potential new owners out there, resulting in Lerner remaining in control, we have to hope that football savvy individuals are introduced into the role of CEO, and within the boardroom.
At least Krulak appears to have disappeared from the scene, but until more ‘football folk’ are introduced into key positions behind the scenes, we will continue to struggle and decline.
Two cheap-jack ridiculous appointments in Houllier and McLeish show Lerner and his side-kick in their true light. Not up to the task.
Sadly I cant see Lerner going anywhere anytime soon, but Faulkner should be dumped without delay.
boys just get real sack the manager who would come in? nobody wants the villa job look at how many people turned it down before mcleish got it. ok under ellis we had senior players a club that werent in debt a managers begging for the job now after lerners come in we have young kids crap manager and a debt worth 80 mill with no good players other than bent to show for it. Oh an did i mention no money for this new manager to spend bright future my arse we all been thobbed off with badges an scarfs. GET REAL NO ONE WILL TAKE THE VILLA JOB.
Gary Megson might……if we ask him nicely.
lerner invested in the club what more you want? and MON is a good manager he is proving that – if you had to choose MON or mcliesh – i know who id have.
only thing that lerner did wrong is put mcliesh in charge – maybe he did it just for this season to use him maybe? i don’t know – this summer will see if lerner has brains or not – can’t wait for the next few months (as long as we stay up!)
I want an owner/chairman who is football savvy, successful in the sports that he’s involved with, preferably around the club a damn sight more than the yank is, and who can lead a hopefully vibrant and successful AVFC into the immediate future.
Sadly Lerner hardly suggests that he is capable of fitting those requirements.
O’Neill is a good manager. I wont argue with that. I sure wish that he was still here at Brum B6.
alex mcleish is a clown granted but surely the chairman is a bigger clown losing money employing crap managers an oh lets not forget leaving them with all your money to waste on donkeys. lerner is the problem we are a shit club now that never wins an cant even defend a corner jokers they can keep there season tickets people wont go simply because they are shit
Is a NED a celtic fan? I confused
Ned stands for non executive director!!
I’ve always felt that mcleish was a man brought in to do a job, and that job was to cut costs, never manage.
Why ndidnt he sign McClaren, cause of fans, but then sign mcleish? Maybe because he would be hated upon arrival, and would therefore be blamed no matter what happens.
Why is he top 20 paid in Europe, maybe he has no morals, or maybe it’s because no other manager is willing to put their name on the line to save Lerner. Mccleish always looks like he wants us to win, maybe he was never meant to achieve anything, and sacking him was always the plan, offer him a deal he couldn’t turn down, come in, cut our wage bill and make some hefty profit for yourself. Or maybe I’m just looking too deep. Either way I think he will be gone, I’m that confident I’ve put money on it (which I don’t usually do as I’m broke lol)
But the idea of this scares me, I do feel villa is going down a dark and long path of boring football that only amounts to mid table finishes and quarter finals at the most.
But then what more can we expect, to challenge with the likes of city and united, personally football is my passion, I love it, but I love playing it. Watching football has become a boring past time, expected results with the odd hiccup, but no matter what the same people always win, and with these new rules implemented, is it even possible for villa to compete? We can only spend what we make, which is nothing compared to city/united/arsenal/Chelsea/Liverpool and so on, these teams will always be up the top, I can’t see it changing, and it’s not Lerner who is just to blame, look above and higher
He had his chance with MON and he blew it, he wasn’t stern enough and didn’t stick at it, maybe if he was more involved and continued one more season it would be different.
in an ideal world a Wenger or a Houllier would be a Sporting Director once they’d had enough of managing. Their role would be to ensure the off-field sporting interests would be served as well as the commercial. Faulkner, whether you loathe him or just don’t like him very much, has increased turnover to its highest point in our history. That’s no small matter and he has handled our commercial interests very well. The problem we have is that there is no one with a football background to ensure they get the on-field matters right.
For me, an ageing ex-manager, with a lot of good contacts in the game and experience of contract negotiations, running a scouting network and general day to day running of a football club would be invaluable to Lerner as an executive director on the board. If one was in place prior to the search for our next manager then all the better as Lerner and Faulkner have shown they are not really up to the job.
Anyway, I can but dream!