Claret & Blue Blood
Vital 1st Team Regular
He might not yet be 'world class' but he is better at arithmetic than the so called 'best manager in the world'.First post on here, although I’ve been reading for years.
When Dean Smith first joined I was pleased by his appointment for the level we were at, always loved the fact he was a fan and had a decent record in management. To be honest though, I thought he probably had a level, and couldn’t imagine him ever being world class. Obviously, he isn’t that (world class) yet, but his passion for the club, open approach, intelligent speech, and seeming ability to learn / continually improve are signs that that maybe, just maybe, he could be. Aston Villa’s Alex Ferguson? A long way to go, who knows what will happen, but there is cause for optimism as far as I am concerned.
Beyond this, having watched that interview, and in particular the bit where he talked about the fans (his hair standing on the back of his neck etc.) I genuinely got the feeling “here is a guy who is Villa through and through.” A genuine fan that I believe, will stick with us for better or for worse, as long as we will have him.
In my opinion, a teams manager and the management team around him are more important than its captain or any player.
Add to that he was successful at Walsall and Brentford on shoestring budgets rather than having a massive chequebook in his arse pocket at Barca, Bayern and Abu Dhabi, then he for me is the real deal.