Richard O'Kelly Departs | Page 5 | Vital Football

Richard O'Kelly Departs

Via Gregg Evans…..The Athletic.

Aston Villa are still planning to recruit a new assistant manager but will not be replacing Richard O'Kelly.

Boss Dean Smith is keen to hire a No 2 to work alongside first-team coach Craig Shakespeare and fill the void left by John Terry who departed last month.

O'Kelly, a long-term tried and trusted ally of Smith, was effectively working as a No 4 before Terry's exit, and had he stayed, he would have remained in the same role this season when a new recruit was hired.

It's understood that while there was no falling-out between him and Villa, the diminished, back-seat role, did play a part in his decision to leave.
Why leave so close to the season?
O'Kelly was considering leaving earlier this summer, but due to his close relationship with Smith, he stuck around to help out during pre-season.

With Terry announcing that he was leaving in order to give Villa the right amount of time to find a replacement, O'Kelly stepped up to get the players ready for the season ahead.

This pre-season was disruptive for so many reasons. Smith was also isolating for a period due to COVID-19 so Shakespeare would have been alone without O'Kelly. It's why he only announced that he was leaving this week as pre-season is now complete and training returns to a more scheduled set-up rather than staggered sessions for players at different periods of fitness.
Was he pushed?
It's understood that O'Kelly could have stayed at Villa had he wanted to, but the thought of not being heavily involved didn't appeal.

With the new arrival of set-piece coach Austin MacPhee, the roles and responsibilities on the training pitch have already started to change. A new assistant is also under consideration, so O'Kelly would have remained the fourth in rank with only minor duties under his responsibility.

Smith and O'Kelly are close friends and have worked together at previous clubs, too. There was no falling out between the two. O'Kelly also left with the blessing of the club's board.

So like the leaving of JT, no conspiracy, no cover up, no early evidence of the club crumbling…..basically no ‘cracks‘ in sight….anywhere! What a relief!
 
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There you go then. Sounds like he was increasingly a non-entity anyway. Let's drop the 'club in meltdown' bullshit now.
 
Langoe66 said:
Via Gregg Evans…..

Aston Villa are still planning to recruit a new assistant manager but will not be replacing Richard O'Kelly.

Boss Dean Smith is keen to hire a No 2 to work alongside first-team coach Craig Shakespeare and fill the void left by John Terry who departed last month.

O'Kelly, a long-term tried and trusted ally of Smith, was effectively working as a No 4 before Terry's exit, and had he stayed, he would have remained in the same role this season when a new recruit was hired.

It's understood that while there was no falling-out between him and Villa, the diminished, back-seat role, did play a part in his decision to leave.
Why leave so close to the season?
O'Kelly was considering leaving earlier this summer, but due to his close relationship with Smith, he stuck around to help out during pre-season.

With Terry announcing that he was leaving in order to give Villa the right amount of time to find a replacement, O'Kelly stepped up to get the players ready for the season ahead.

This pre-season was disruptive for so many reasons. Smith was also isolating for a period due to COVID-19 so Shakespeare would have been alone without O'Kelly. It's why he only announced that he was leaving this week as pre-season is now complete and training returns to a more scheduled set-up rather than staggered sessions for players at different periods of fitness.
Was he pushed?
It's understood that O'Kelly could have stayed at Villa had he wanted to, but the thought of not being heavily involved didn't appeal.

With the new arrival of set-piece coach Austin MacPhee, the roles and responsibilities on the training pitch have already started to change. A new assistant is also under consideration, so O'Kelly would have remained the fourth in rank with only minor duties under his responsibility.

Smith and O'Kelly are close friends and have worked together at previous clubs, too. There was no falling out between the two. O'Kelly also left with the blessing of the club's board.
What next for the coaching team?
Ambitious Villa are hoping to progress further this season and both the board and Smith know that the coaching team must continue to evolve.

In the summer of 2020, Villa recognised that Smith, Terry and O'Kelly needed more Premier League coaching experience on board which is why they hired Shakespeare.

They are searching for a new assistant who will bring fresh ideas and help develop the players into a top-half team.

With MacPhee on board, Villa see no need to replace O'Kelly as there will be enough voices and ideas once Terry's replacement is sourced.


So like the leaving of JT, no conspiracy, no cover up, no early evidence of the club crumbling…..basically no ‘cracks‘ in sight….anywhere! What a relief!
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Seems like it was all above board and what most rational people believed anyway.

Maybe being harsh but looking at O’Kelly’s prior experience he’s mainly been a lower league coach, it’s probable that he wasn’t really at the right level for where the club wants to be. Seems like the departure is amicable and best for both parties.
 
Langoe66 said:
Via Gregg Evans…..

Aston Villa are still planning to recruit a new assistant manager but will not be replacing Richard O'Kelly.

Boss Dean Smith is keen to hire a No 2 to work alongside first-team coach Craig Shakespeare and fill the void left by John Terry who departed last month.
Click to expand...


you have to put a link to where you take articles from BUT ALSO you can't quote the whole thing mate, (and everyone) that is a copyright breach

see: https://forums.vitalfootball.co.uk/...ing-social-media-gifs-quoting-articles.84212/

Can you edit it down dude!?
 
david-avfc said:
Seems like it was all above board and what most rational people believed anyway.

Maybe being harsh but looking at O’Kelly’s prior experience he’s mainly been a lower league coach, it’s probable that he wasn’t really at the right level for where the club wants to be. Seems like the departure is amicable and best for both parties.
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Agreed. Coaches like players must reach a point where they are not at the required level needed.
 
We also need to remember that the likes of ROK, Terry and Deano in fact are well over the average Premier league manager tenure. So it's hardly a surprise that coaches within the set up are moving on.
 
Not so much a demotion, but the fact that with increasing numbers of assistant coaches ROK's fairly broad remit would inevitably be reduced. If he doesn't feel like retiring and he's not inspired by the reduced role then moving on seems the right thing to do. Villa today is a different setup to when he joined.
 
McParlandTheGreat said:
Not so much a demotion, but the fact that with increasing numbers of assistant coaches ROK's fairly broad remit would inevitably be reduced. If he doesn't feel like retiring and he's not inspired by the reduced role then moving on seems the right thing to do. Villa today is a different setup to when he joined.
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And stayed through DS isolation, then end of pre-season to give us time on our new search - nothing to see there in terms of a fall out or push for me.
 
sirdennis said:
Sir Alex used to change his coaches regularly as he said it not only challenged the players with new ideas , but also himself.

Can't see it as a bad thing really.
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Agreed. Something I have long argued about in the 'what if' sort of way, for MON back in the day.

{Name dropping mode on}

Spoke to Brian Little about this once


lol

Said Dougs big mistake was constantly changing managers, he half agreed but also did say, after a certain amount of time, you have done all the routines, said all the motivational things, the players have seen it, heard it and it is time to freshen things up.
 
The Fear said:
Agreed. Something I have long argued about in the 'what if' sort of way, for MON back in the day.

{Name dropping mode on}

Spoke to Brian Little about this once


lol

Said Dougs big mistake was constantly changing managers, he half agreed but also did say, after a certain amount of time, you have done all the routines, said all the motivational things, the players have seen it, heard it and it is time to freshen things up.
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I had mentioned about Fergie changing assistants regularly in a post earlier, before @sirdennis stole my copyright :grinning::wagging:. Kidd, Quieroz, Phelan, while Wenger stuck with Pat Rice the whole time, until he eventually brought in Steve Bould after about 20 years.
I also once read a book by American basketball coach (and former great player) Larry Bird who said that three years was his limit with any one team, as the players start to tune you out and your impact is lessened.
Having said that, the game is always developing (while never really "changing") and the coaches who can continue to educate themselves with new methods, training styles etc are the ones who stay the course....
 
gmvillan said:
I had mentioned about Fergie changing assistants regularly in a post earlier, before @sirdennis stole my copyright :grinning::wagging:. Kidd, Quieroz, Phelan, while Wenger stuck with Pat Rice the whole time, until he eventually brought in Steve Bould after about 20 years.
I also once read a book by American basketball coach (and former great player) Larry Bird who said that three years was his limit with any one team, as the players start to tune you out and your impact is lessened.
Having said that, the game is always developing (while never really "changing") and the coaches who can continue to educate themselves with new methods, training styles etc are the ones who stay the course....
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Lol. It was my way of agreeing with you.
 
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