The Official Dean Smith Thread | Page 320 | Vital Football

The Official Dean Smith Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
The recent period in Villa's history is one of extreme flux so it's hard to point to any individual, especially at manager level, and be sure anything, good or bad.

That said, DS's apparent inability to stop us losing points/games from winning positions this season is surely the blackest mark against him and not easy to forget.
 
As far as i'm concerned Smith scraped through to starting next season don't get me wrong if he was let go tomorrow i would not shed a tear if he starts the season well i like every other villa fan will be happy but this is a results based business if he starts badly he needs replacing.

Ands for people saying look at the player's he had to work with the like's Wesley, Sammata, Nakamba and co for me a manager worth his salt would not of accepted those players to start with.

Lets just hope this Johan Lange can pick a good player because i don't think Smith can.
 
Last edited:
Has DS admitted he was wrong at the start of the season? He started with a policy of 'we'll take the game to them' and failed. Thankfully Covid gave him the chance to think again and we became safety first. Nothing wrong in people admitting mistakes but maybe he has now learned a lesson. Next season, which policy will it be?
 
Has DS admitted he was wrong at the start of the season? He started with a policy of 'we'll take the game to them' and failed. Thankfully Covid gave him the chance to think again and we became safety first. Nothing wrong in people admitting mistakes but maybe he has now learned a lesson. Next season, which policy will it be?
A combination of the two hopefully
 
The players weren’t good enough but certainly not fit enough to play the way Dean tried to set up at the start of the season.

Remember the Spurs game - took it to them went on the offensive, pressed them out of shape. Then after 60 mins they were knackered, Spurs made changes and blew us off the park.

For me that game shattered the players confidence in the approach and we didn’t see that intensity again all season.

It’s hard to imagine that he’d try that again next season, especially with the shorter break. I hope we’ll see something more pragmatic to grind the results out, and a much more solid all round team approach to not conceding goals.
 
Amazing how the introduction of one player changed the game. Erickson‘s influence was massive at Spurs. The combination of our players tiring and his introduction killed us. Hopefully Dean will make sure our players can run the opposition into the ground right from the start of this season. A truly influential player coming on in the latter stages of games turns the tables in your favour.
 
Has DS admitted he was wrong at the start of the season? He started with a policy of 'we'll take the game to them' and failed. Thankfully Covid gave him the chance to think again and we became safety first. Nothing wrong in people admitting mistakes but maybe he has now learned a lesson. Next season, which policy will it be?

Not sure the policy was wrong in itself, more that it was being tried with a newly assembled team. Things went pear-shaped in February by which time it appeared we didn't have a policy.

I'd go with the same approach as at the start of last season but tweaked to improve the defence. We have to score goals.

We also have to improve and maintain fitness levels.
 
Here's a tough one.

I want to keep Deano, I really do despite some high profile errors this season. However, sometimes an opportunity comes along that you just have to grasp. Eddie Howe is now on the rock n roll. Surely a significant upgrade.

I like Eddie Howe and he has done amazing but he'd be no different to Deano. He isnt an elite level manager and therefore its a pointless exchange. I would only consider upgrading to a Poch or someone of that ilk.
 
Yeah, think Howe has done a stunning job, albeit I worry he was, a bit like John Gregory, a one club man.

However, same as CDX, I would only replace Dean with a clear improvement. Someone like Poch would scream ambition and I believe he could build something great here. Maybe Howe could (to be fair to his fans, maybe Dean can) but it isn't a major upgrade?

And obviously, Poch might not be interested, albeit, as I've said before, there are only so many large/potentially large clubs and only so many jobs at any time in football. Sell the vision and see.

But we won't, we'll remain as it used to sicken me hear at Stockport County, probably remain Average Villa.

(They used to read the scores out and call us that, I used to be fuming!)
 
Yeah, think Howe has done a stunning job, albeit I worry he was, a bit like John Gregory, a one club man.

However, same as CDX, I would only replace Dean with a clear improvement. Someone like Poch would scream ambition and I believe he could build something great here. Maybe Howe could (to be fair to his fans, maybe Dean can) but it isn't a major upgrade?

And obviously, Poch might not be interested, albeit, as I've said before, there are only so many large/potentially large clubs and only so many jobs at any time in football. Sell the vision and see.

But we won't, we'll remain as it used to sicken me hear at Stockport County, probably remain Average Villa.

(They used to read the scores out and call us that, I used to be fuming!)

Think you know that I dont want to get rid of Dean but if things dont work out.....

If you were a "top" manager like Poch, you should be gagging to take the reins of a club like Villa. If you follow a top manager into a top job IE Mourinho to United you have little to gain (success expected) and everything to lose (as was proved).

Come to a club like Villa (massive sleeping giant). Extremely wealthy owners. The chance to become a legend.
 
Sack him. I mean shocking, what's he done for us ? Got us promoted and kept us up in our first year back in the prem. Terrible ! WTF
 
Think you know that I dont want to get rid of Dean but if things dont work out.....

If you were a "top" manager like Poch, you should be gagging to take the reins of a club like Villa. If you follow a top manager into a top job IE Mourinho to United you have little to gain (success expected) and everything to lose (as was proved).

Come to a club like Villa (massive sleeping giant). Extremely wealthy owners. The chance to become a legend.
I was trying to think of a top manager that has ever taken a punt on a club that is not currently up there at the top and cant think of any off the top of my head.
 
I was trying to think of a top manager that has ever taken a punt on a club that is not currently up there at the top and cant think of any off the top of my head.

Remember the, "Fake Sheik" sting that the Sun did on Eriksson when he was England Manager? He told them to buy Villa.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.