McLeish sacked

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2012/05/14/aston-villa-alex-mcleish-to-be-sacked-today-97319-30963679/

Can't say I'm surprised, there was really no way he could continue

EDIT: Hes now gone I believe

As A Villa fan I can only say PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let this be true, awful negative manager who has managed to be create a team who not only fail to get results but also manage to be largely unwatchable in the process of doing so.

There will be plenty of humble pies eaten if the rumours are false.

BBC Sport ‏ @BBCSport

BBC Sport's Pat Murphy reports that Alex McLeish has "said his farewells" to Aston Villa's players at the club’s training ground #avfc

The only way he was ever going to succeed was immediate success, after his spell at Birmingham. Finishing 1 place above relegation made the atmosphere poisonous.

I do feel for him somewhat, as hes going to be scapegoated I feel. That club has more problems than just him and are currently in a mission to dump high wages incurred by O'Neill.

If true, then finally some good news at the Villa, after what was a pathetic season.

The guy is a clown.

Lets hope we someone decent in to replace him.

Cant have another pish poor season like that again.

Hes now gone

They wanted Martinez a year ago but he said no. Hard to think he'd be any more interested now after navigating Wigan to a higher finish.

Well he is was always the wrong candidate to follow on from what O'Neil had achieved. Was amazed they never went for Hughes as he would've fitted the club perfectly. It is hard to see out there who would take the job on. They need a 'biggesh' name. I can't off the top of my had think anyone who jumps out.

I would love it if they could take Steve Kean off our hands!

Hughes loves money though. Villa presently don't have much after shelling out big money on wages.

All the rumours are of Lambert, whilst we are not exactly chucking the money around at Villa anymore you would have to think he would have a few more quid to spend with us than he ever will at Norwich.

Graeme Swann's Cat wrote:Hughes loves money though. Villa presently don't have much after shelling out big money on wages.

Not really.

Man City never gave him time.

At Rovers that man produce bargain after bargain. Samba £800,000, Bentley £2.5M, McCarthy £2.5M, Santa Cruz £3.5M, Warnock £1.5M. He had us way over-achieving. He is very shrude in the market and what Villa need is someone that is going to offer crazy sums of money for players. They have a solid enough foundation for him to build on.

For me it is Hughes or Holloway.

He's only really done well for Rangers who always had an unfair referee advantage at the SPL. Not even an achievement.

They should try for Lee Clarke, had an incredible unbeaten run at Huddersfield, and would be cheaper than the big names.

Hmm, he certainly went to QPR because of money though. Not sure he'd leave there either, Fernandes seems willing to invest.

Holloway would be an interesting one, but hes never kept a side in the PL, and I'm inclined to believe hes not really a PL manager, more in the Warnock style of better suited chasing promotion.

Holloway would be a good shout for Villa manager if Blackpool fail to win promotion, however I don't believe the owners would get on with him.

rowley wrote:As A Villa fan I can only say PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let this be true, awful negative manager who has managed to be create a team who not only fail to get results but also manage to be largely unwatchable in the process of doing so.

Didn't he manage to only finish third as Rangers boss?? Hardly a good cred for a manager's CV! Turning up should be all you need to do for second spot in the SPL if you're Celtic/Rangers.

Got to say Top hat his record does not really stand up to much analysis, two relegations at Birmingham and as you have alluded to managing one of the old firm in Scotland it is virtually impossible not to pick up the odd pot, particularly as Rangers over the last few years appear to have been tipping the scales in their own favour ever so slightly. Good riddance to the man for me, very poor manager.

Hopefully now rowley, we get a decent manager, make some decent signings.

Keep Bent, get him back to full fitness.

Have a good 2012/13 season, and put this nightmare behind us.
Certainly worrying times last few weeks in terms of staying up.

Got to agree mate, don't go regular as I am not local and it gets pricey and boxing is always my first love. However went to the Sunderland game and it was grim, the worrying thing was I got the impression from those around us that that game was one of our better performances, if that is indeed the case I pity those who have had to sit through a season of his negative dross. The managers who have come up this season such as Lambert and Rogers have proven you can play decent stuff and survive, either one of those would do for me.

i fear we will be loseing king Paul

ncfc_Tooze wrote:i fear we will be loseing king Paul

I fear/hope you are right mate, have to say Lambert's comments have hardly been definitive in distancing himself from the job from what I have seen, if it makes you feel any better Heskey is out of contract now, am sure we will throw him in to sweeten the deal.

Cant blame McLeish for everything that went on the board wouldnt back O'Neill then brought in Houiller and gave him cash to spend only to sell players on McLeish who he couldnt replace.

He said himself they needed experience as they had too many youngsters

I am not surprised by the news. Have generally likes Aston Villa but I was surprised that they appointed McLeish. Not only because he had managed thier rivals but also becuase he had not enjoyed success with them. I cannot think of too many occasions when a manager that has been relegated with a club secures a job in a higher league? I think the irregularities at Rangers Football Club also cas a shadow over any acheivements there as I have heard the irregularities could date back as far as the 1990s. The fans never took to McLeish I think it is fair to say.

The board did back O'Neill, is one of the popular misconceptions about why he left that they refused to support him, they simply said he needed to trim the wage bill as he had a number of players on huge money who he never ever played such as Reo Coker, Davies, Sidwell, Beye etc. They discussed this and everyone understood this was needed, he did nothing about it then when we sold Milner he asked how much money he could have and was told as he had not upheld his part of the bargain and got rid of some of the fringe players he was getting nowt, so he quit in a fit of temper.

Chris Hughton has been cagey regarding his future at Birmingham. I suspect it depends whether or not they get promoted to the Premiership (he did it with Newcastle).

Jobs to be filled in the Premiership:
Aston Villa
WBA
Chelsea
Liverpool ?

Available Managers:
... those already with jobs plus
Steve Bruce
Alan Curbishly
Mick McCarthy
Roy Keane
Pep Guardiola

You've persuaded me Nore, we'll make do with Guardiola

Villa backed McNeil but he had to deliver CL football to justify the wage bill.

*O'Neill

What about Brendan Rogers, Paul Lambert or Mick McCarthy (Wolves should not have sacked him)?

Rogers won't take the Villa job.

Josiah Maiestas wrote:He's only really done well for Rangers who always had an unfair referee advantage at the SPL. Not even an achievement.

They should try for Lee Clarke, had an incredible unbeaten run at Huddersfield, and would be cheaper than the big names.

Not true. Also had successful spells at Hibs and Motherwell where he brought through a string of talented youngsters. Also did a good job with Scotland masterminding two wins over the might of France. Sure there was double relegation at Birmingham but isn't that a small price to pay for giving them their first trophy for decades? After he left them where he found them but instead with a trophy. The sack for McLeish was inevitable as the fans were on his case from day one for his Birmingham connection (oh what a mature stance to take) and how much money was McLeish given to spend compared to O'Neill? Like comparing chalk and cheese. McLeish will flourish elsewhere where he isn't fighting an uphill battle from day one and gets time and money to build a team.

I think even if Di Matteo wins the champions league, they will go for a manager that will attract big names to the club and can rebuild the team with younger players, but will obviously need more time than AVB did.

That's why I think Di Matteo would be a good appointment for both parties. Young up and coming manager who's had premier league experience, plays decent football and will attract better players at Villa than McLeish did. It was never a good appointment, fans never gave him a chance and his negative team selection and tactics were always going to be a disaster, some of the football has been dire from a team boasting Agbonlahor, Ireland, Albrighton, Bannan and Nzogbia, not to mention decent defenders in Hutton, Collins, Dunne and Warnock (On occasions) with a quality goalkeeper. Bent was a big miss but you can't rely on one player.

Martinez is the early favorite

Its tough job managing Villa with tight purse being left with those players and selling 2 of their wingers. Still McLeish was given chance by fans and his team only played negative, unattacking football. McLeish needs to change his tactics if he's ever to manage a decent sized club again..

How he got the job in the first place is beyond me. He did a decent job with Scotland and Birmingham but his teams are horrible to watch. If his team had stayed up and played a bit of football he would have won the Villa fans over.

I don't include Rangers as a club he did a good job at because although it was nothing to do with him they are cheats and there history over the last 13 years is tainted.

Sven and Fabio are both seeking employment!

They would require a very large salary and transfer kitty which it doesn't seem Lerner is willing to part with.

SugarRayRussell (PBK) wrote:How he got the job in the first place is beyond me. He did a decent job with Scotland and Birmingham but his teams are horrible to watch. If his team had stayed up and played a bit of football he would have won the Villa fans over.

I don't include Rangers as a club he did a good job at because although it was nothing to do with him they are cheats and there history over the last 13 years is tainted.

You are correct not to include Rangers. Reports seem to indicate that the extent of their financial irregularies stretched back to when McLeish was there and beyond. As such I do not believe it is correct for Rangers to retain any silverware won during this period and that goes for the manager by extension.