The Official Dean Smith Thread | Page 412 | Vital Football

The Official Dean Smith Thread

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Villan57 said:
I think we all know he's not getting the sack anytime soon, too much of an upheaval, Dean fits in with Purslows and the owner's plans.
He's a Villa man he gets it, the first manager since JG that gets it.
Many think that doesn't matter but it does. He's not using Villa as a stepping stone he's here for the long haul, like it or not He ain't going nowhere!

The owners and Purslow are running the club their way, Moneyball, young and hungry, buy em cheap developed them sell them and round we go again, we are currently in the development stage, next will be selling players like Konsa and Watkins for 60m each paying 15m for replacements who come in and off we go again
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I see your point and it works if the owners just want to hover around mid table with the occasional flirt with the top spots and the inevitable scrapes against relegation but.....if they want success beyond that then it will never come by being a 'supply' team for the big boys. The question is, if they wanted to make up the numbers then why Villa and not Toon or Burnley or Watford or Norwich? Moneyball would work there for sure. However, if you look at the modus operandi of Edens in the NBA he is not in the game of mediocrity and wants to succeed.
It remains to be seen if any of of better players move on or if we keep them and add further quality around them - this summer will probably give us the answer to that conundrum.
 
Fulford said:
Reading this, it sounds like 12th is this seasons target.

https://www.skysports.com/football/...ion-for-aston-villa-has-europe-on-the-horizon
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Think it certainly was at the start of the season, or rather in the top 12, which is slightly different and what DS said. People have said as much; Jack said a couple of months ago that at the start of the season they didn't expect to be where they now were.

But reading the DS interview what he also said was that they are now looking to finish top 10. So that's the current aim.
 
McParlandTheGreat said:
Think it certainly was at the start of the season, or rather in the top 12, which is slightly different and what DS said. People have said as much; Jack said a couple of months ago that at the start of the season they didn't expect to be where they now were.

But reading the DS interview what he also said was that they are now looking to finish top 10. So that's the current aim.
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It looks obvious that next seasons target will be that we have to qualify for Europe.
 
If we ever needed a publication to lift our spirits after a dismal result, the Football Insider is guaranteed to provide it. Nuno to Villa to replace Dean Smith and to quote "Dean Smith’s long-term position at Villa Park is not believed to be secure"
Brilliant, just brilliant. And the BBC have the stupidity to put this in their gossip column :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Source : https://www.footballinsider247.com/...-to-transfer-wolves-boss-nuno-to-aston-villa/
 
Fulford said:
I still say Smith is on thin ice atm.

A bad start to next season will end his reign.
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He needs to get 2 top wingers and 2 central midfielders who will hit the ground running next season. You might want to add a striker as well if you don't rate Wasteley. If he does, I am certain we will qualify for Europe or else...
 
Fulford said:
It looks obvious that next seasons target will be that we have to qualify for Europe.
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Fulford said:
I still say Smith is on thin ice atm.

A bad start to next season will end his reign.
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I just don't see it Fulford and its not me being a fan boy, I genuinely think these lads have a longer term vision for the club. I think you're right the target will be qualify for Europe but I'd caveat it with that's the squads target. I feel challenging for Europe is actually what's realistic.

I also personally believe they're looking at the crop of younger players coming through as when they expect the club to be really shining. I am not sure all our future plans include Grealish being around. I am certain these lads have a contingency in place and full well expect him to be gone well before the club really flourishes.

At the same time I think we're in the middle of a huge opportunity to have a meteoric rise. Between Everton, Spurs and Arsenal floundering we do have a really strong opportunity to leap frog teams. Palace, Wolves and Burnley etc. are either aging, stale or in unsustainable territory. A lot of clubs are very very short term, and very short term mindset. Its season to season for half the clubs in the league. IMO that's the difference between us and a lot of others in the league.
 
CDX_EIRE said:
I just don't see it Fulford and its not me being a fan boy, I genuinely think these lads have a longer term vision for the club. I think you're right the target will be qualify for Europe but I'd caveat it with that's the squads target. I feel challenging for Europe is actually what's realistic.

I also personally believe they're looking at the crop of younger players coming through as when they expect the club to be really shining. I am not sure all our future plans include Grealish being around. I am certain these lads have a contingency in place and full well expect him to be gone well before the club really flourishes.

At the same time I think we're in the middle of a huge opportunity to have a meteoric rise. Between Everton, Spurs and Arsenal floundering we do have a really strong opportunity to leap frog teams. Palace, Wolves and Burnley etc. are either aging, stale or in unsustainable territory. A lot of clubs are very very short term, and very short term mindset. Its season to season for half the clubs in the league. IMO that's the difference between us and a lot of others in the league.
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Smith has already said being in Europe is our owners target. Being there or there about won't be good enough for them.
 
When? That would be my question @Fulford. Are we assuming next season or is it actually the one after next.

I am speculating, maybe I can't divorce my own assumptions from reality. Its not a reason to sack Smith but I just wonder who could actually come into the club. We see someone like Ancelotti struggling with a vastly better squad than ours. Bielsa is doing pretty well but at the same time they look more Jackal and Hyde than we do.

As I've said unless we're aiming for a Poch or Tuchel I'd be fearful of change. Potter for instance could be unbelievable but he could also take Brightons lack of a winning mentality right into the club.

Dean has shown consistent improvement for me and admittedly consistent stagnation/stubbornness in other ways. I can't really sit here and say he has all the tools to succeed at his job when Wesley, Davis, Bert, AEG and Trez get hammered consistently across multiple threads. Even our consistent backline has one player that gets fairly consistently criticized. Plus we're missing our biggest asset and any club is going to miss a lad like Grealish.
 
I'm thinking that Dean was brought in at the right time for the right reasons:

1) He's a Villa fan and has installed some pride back into the team
2) He had Championship experience (with some success)
3) He's going to work with buy young, low wages, improve players

The question, that Fulford rightly put's forward, is when do "we" move on - which is inevitable in football. Is Dean the right man when we start to buy bigger names and maybe sign two players a season? And when will we be doing that. I'd suggest he has next season to either win a cup or qualify for Europe and for that to happen, recruitment has to be spot on with 3 or 4 regular starters to improve the team.
 
Personally I think Dean smith has done a fantastic job. When you look at where we were when he took over to where we are now it's amazing. I know there have been a few few rocky moments but there would be with any manager. He's made some great signings and he's a Villa fan. Must give him another season to see how we get on.
 
We've progressed every season. Promotion. Survival. Mid table, which would be Europe without a certain injury but never mind. The next steps the hardest but you can't bin off someone who has finished higher than the previous season 3 years running. There will come a moment where he's taken us as far as he can but with good recruitment I don't think we'll see that end point next season.
 
My brain keeps on ticking on and off that it's even a question.
- Takes over at 14th in the Chumps
- Promoted at season end incl. 10-game winning streak
- Keeps us up after having to replace half the squad
- Finishes mid-table and when the team's fit playing amazing football

Get Europe/don't get Europe; as long as we keep improving, and knowing improving at that same rate is pretty unrealistic, I'm with Deano.
 
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