Becauae of the insults and digs and people taking my posts out of context and not reading them I'll say this last bit and then no more on this matter. I didn't want Smith, wasn't convinced with him in the chumpionship when we had him, fair play to him for the fantastic run and the promotion but the truth is if the people that run football weren't such money grubbing parasites we would still be in the championship as we finished 5th best in the league, as for players we have seen that the current lot are capable as we have almost got some good results from the big teams but VAR has screwed us over, the problem is Smith seems he can not motivate them, his team selection and tactics are awful, the subs 99% of the time are wrong and he just doesn't learn from the mistakes. Unless he drastically turns it around then he will not be here for long. Since he hasn't been sacked already I will not say anymore and will quietly back him. I really am praying he turns things around.
Didn't think he was up to the job and said it fairly publicly (SSN!) ... thought the job was too big for a man who had managed just Walsall and Brentford
Once appointed, same as most here I think, I hoped, was slightly enticed that he is Villa and remembered I never wanted John Gregory way back when.
Also, can't argue with those who rightly point out, he got us up. No one expected that before the 10 match unbeaten, I was already writing articles in my head about our new direction, players leaving, having to be in the Championship a long time, etc!
But football is about results, it is a brutal game and he looks to be shattered and out of his depth. I, like a few others, have questioned how buys these players, does Smith get any say? Purslow isn't in front of the cameras with the manager right now, he was before, (which I found odd, silly and 'off') and the DoF has obviously had a big say.
But I also don't see any decent basics, any good coaching, any shape, and if not for Jack, I think (just my opinion, not got stats to back this up) we'd be buried at the bottom of the table already.
I don't think we are any more unlucky than any other team (apart from the blessed at the top) and I don't think what some said would happen this season, after I was talking about 'it ain't right' (!) has happened. ie the team, manager, coaches will learn on the job and improve.
I think we've got worse.
That's my two pennies worth.
And I don't have the answer as to who in. In fact, now we are mid way through Jan, I'd not be getting rid of a manager anyway, unless we really do start to lose game after game (in a row).
And my feelings on the size of this club and the sort of manager pedigree we should be going for are pretty clear. We could have gone for Rodgers, we went for a manager at Brentford (who seem to be better without him, which worries me)
It is upsetting all this, because he is a Villa fan, a Villa man, and I'm sure it kills him and his friends and family.
But unless we go on a run, or see some improvement, I can only look at what I've seen so far and the whole lot look to have done a Fulham, made a pigs ear of it, and even if we stay up (unless we shoot up the league in some glorious style like when JG first came here) I would be changing direction in the summer, unless the owners aren't as ambitious as we all hope and think they are.