The Official Dean Smith Thread

[Melon Donkey]

I didn't want him, and actually would have got rid of him had we not stayed up on the final day 2 seasons ago.

But I actually think he's done a cracking job and talk of him leaving is just plain daft at the moment.

Depends. If you mean 'at the moment ' as imminently or within say a few weeks then yes it's daft.

Otherwise it's perfectly reasonable to look to the future and discuss, speculate or whatever we call it the future of Smith as our manager.

 

[Wicked Messenger]

I hope we can do it with Smith at the helm, I like everything that’s happening at the moment except the results and the Argie’s holiday ha!ha! Big day tomorrow and no reason why we can’t do Everton to kick start us off on life without S2.

 

[Xchurch Villa]

Please correct me if I'm wrong but I believe it took fergie four years to win his first trophy at Utd. Smith has achieved more in his time at Villa than Ferguson did in a similar time frame and Ferguson (for those days and times) was better resourced than Smith.

 

[DeanoVilla]

Depends. If you mean 'at the moment ' as imminently or within say a few weeks then yes it's daft.

Otherwise it's perfectly reasonable to look to the future and discuss, speculate or whatever we call it the future of Smith as our manager.

Well let's just say I definitely think its too early to be considering this early in the season when we haven't exactly started disastrously.

For me it's all about hitting goals.

Goal 1 - Get us promoted. Tick
Goal 2 - Keep us up. Tick.
Goal 3 - establish us as a mid table team. Tick.

This season is interesting. If Jack had of stayed I'd be saying Goal 4 was qualify for Europe either via league position or winning a cup. However with Jack leaving, personally I'd be saying Goal 4 is now to finish mid table without Jack.

Jack leaving has definitely set us back a year in my eyes. Not Smiths fault so he shouldn't be punished for it.

So I wouldn't even think of replacing him unless mid table was looking unachievable or unlikely. And we're miles away from that.

 

[sirdennis]

Well let's just say I definitely think its too early to be considering this early in the season when we haven't exactly started disastrously.

For me it's all about hitting goals.

Goal 1 - Get us promoted. Tick
Goal 2 - Keep us up. Tick.
Goal 3 - establish us as a mid table team. Tick.

This season is interesting. If Jack had of stayed I'd be saying Goal 4 was qualify for Europe either via league position or winning a cup. However with Jack leaving, personally I'd be saying Goal 4 is now to finish mid table without Jack.

Jack leaving has definitely set us back a year in my eyes. Not Smiths fault so he shouldn't be punished for it.

So I wouldn't even think of replacing him unless mid table was looking unachievable or unlikely. And we're miles away from that.

I agree.

 

[McParlandTheGreat]

Every manager hits a ceiling. I think Smith has hit his. Tactically he can't take us on. In Grealish we had a world class talent to change games. When he didn't play, no plan B.
Although I hold out hope that with further improvement in the playing staff we can at least match West Ham, who with Moyes look a solid team and he isn't any better than Smith.

Nobody knows Smith's ceiling. With Smith the trajectory with the club has always been up, and there's no reason at present to suppose he's hit the buffers. The "he can't take us on" thing was being said by a few a couple of years ago when we achieved promotion. He did take us on.

There was a reason why we slumped when snake didn't play; the overall quality and the balance in the team weren't good enough. This summer has seen major steps at rectifying that. Let's see where it takes us.

 

[BodyButter]

Well let's just say I definitely think its too early to be considering this early in the season when we haven't exactly started disastrously.

For me it's all about hitting goals.

Goal 1 - Get us promoted. Tick
Goal 2 - Keep us up. Tick.
Goal 3 - establish us as a mid table team. Tick.

This season is interesting. If Jack had of stayed I'd be saying Goal 4 was qualify for Europe either via league position or winning a cup. However with Jack leaving, personally I'd be saying Goal 4 is now to finish mid table without Jack.

Jack leaving has definitely set us back a year in my eyes. Not Smiths fault so he shouldn't be punished for it.

So I wouldn't even think of replacing him unless mid table was looking unachievable or unlikely. And we're miles away from that.

 

[Melon Donkey]

Well let's just say I definitely think its too early to be considering this early in the season when we haven't exactly started disastrously.

For me it's all about hitting goals.

Goal 1 - Get us promoted. Tick
Goal 2 - Keep us up. Tick.
Goal 3 - establish us as a mid table team. Tick.

This season is interesting. If Jack had of stayed I'd be saying Goal 4 was qualify for Europe either via league position or winning a cup. However with Jack leaving, personally I'd be saying Goal 4 is now to finish mid table without Jack.

Jack leaving has definitely set us back a year in my eyes. Not Smiths fault so he shouldn't be punished for it.

So I wouldn't even think of replacing him unless mid table was looking unachievable or unlikely. And we're miles away from that.

Yep. Agreed. When there were grand predictions of 5th-8th in the season expectation thread before the season started I did say that due to the upheaval we should be looking at mid table and Deano should he given time.
But that's me and not the board or many fans who might think differently.

 

["Merd"]

Yep. Agreed. When there were grand predictions of 5th-8th in the season expectation thread before the season started I did say that due to the upheaval we should be looking at mid table and Deano should he given time.
But that's me and not the board or many fans who might think differently.

My take was always 8th - still think it's possible, just less probable

 

[Platypus]

Since Deano became Villa manager, only Crewe have risen more places in the top four divisions of English football. Factor in replacing half a squad at £9m/player, COVID outbreak, injuries etc. and that's not a bad record is it? But obviously he needs replacing.

Sooooo, take Crewe's manager?

 

[Melon Donkey]

Since Deano became Villa manager, only Crewe have risen more places in the top four divisions of English football. Factor in replacing half a squad at £9m/player, COVID outbreak, injuries etc. and that's not a bad record is it? But obviously he needs replacing.

Sooooo, take Crewe's manager?

Eh?. Weird post .
Apart from maybe 2 forum members I can think of off the top of my head who is saying replace Deano ?

 

[Platypus]

Eh?. Weird post .
Apart from maybe 2 forum members I can think of off the top of my head who is saying replace Deano ?

A couple openly saying Smith Out, another poster just saying he's "hit his ceiling" and others musing that we'd do better with a bigger name. Think that's more than enough reason to make my point. There's also a shit ton of it going round on Twitter and surely we don't have to pretend we're not aware of how conversations are going elsewhere.

Sorry for being weird.

 

[Cambs Villan]

I don't often post, because I get so angry with some of the kneejerk reactions or those who have an agenda and will carry on until whatever they want is achieved and then say I told you so.
I posted in the predictions that 5th to 8th will be our position and still maintain that will happen.
I just looked at the update of the under 23 game and read the report and ratings of the players and came on here looking for a thread re that and then saw the Deano thread.
I think this is probably the most optimistic that I have been since 2006 when O'Neill was appointed, because the stream of youngsters coming through is the best for a very long time. I think that at least 4 of those players will be regular starters or subs coming on by the end of the season.
We will never be able to sign established stars, that some want, until we are in the Champions League.
The owners are creating a sustainable club based around young talent, although they have bought in Young and Ings who are above the ideal age. However, that makes me believe the plan is to really blood the youngsters this year, as some are really pushing at the door.
We are only 4 games in and the international break disjoints things in more ways than one.
Watkins, Bailey, Buendia have all missed games and are now back, so the team is stronger. So let us get behind this young team and achieve that 5th to 8th place.

 

[CDX_EIRE]

Watkins, Bailey, Buendia have all missed games and are now back, so the team is stronger. So let us get behind this young team and achieve that 5th to 8th place.

I also went with 5th-8th but I don't think that is realistic. I think 8th to 10th would be a great season. Even with Jack gone I think Dean has to finish top half and I also think his target is 10th at a minimum.

 

[Stephen Jay Hawkings]

I also went with 5th-8th but I don't think that is realistic. I think 8th to 10th would be a great season. Even with Jack gone I think Dean has to finish top half and I also think his target is 10th at a minimum.

I went 5th-8th too but I was thinking 7th maximum and I still think that's achievable if we're competing with the likes of West Ham, Everton, Leeds etc.

 

[Cambs Villan]

I also went with 5th-8th but I don't think that is realistic. I think 8th to 10th would be a great season. Even with Jack gone I think Dean has to finish top half and I also think his target is 10th at a minimum.

I know where you are coming from re believing that there will be a dip to 10th and agree that 10th is the minimum.
Obviously, Jack is a massive miss as he is an incredibly talented footballer, but i actually believe that we were too predictable as most things went through him.
With the squad that we have now got, we can be less predictable as there are more creative players through which we can play

 

[Silhillvilla]

The time for excuses from Smudger has run out. Time to start delivering, unfortunately he's up against a top manager tomorrow.

 

[The Fear]

I don't often post, because I get so angry with some of the kneejerk reactions or those who have an agenda and will carry on until whatever they want is achieved and then say I told you so.
I posted in the predictions that 5th to 8th will be our position and still maintain that will happen.
I just looked at the update of the under 23 game and read the report and ratings of the players and came on here looking for a thread re that and then saw the Deano thread.
I think this is probably the most optimistic that I have been since 2006 when O'Neill was appointed, because the stream of youngsters coming through is the best for a very long time. I think that at least 4 of those players will be regular starters or subs coming on by the end of the season.
We will never be able to sign established stars, that some want, until we are in the Champions League.
The owners are creating a sustainable club based around young talent, although they have bought in Young and Ings who are above the ideal age. However, that makes me believe the plan is to really blood the youngsters this year, as some are really pushing at the door.
We are only 4 games in and the international break disjoints things in more ways than one.
Watkins, Bailey, Buendia have all missed games and are now back, so the team is stronger. So let us get behind this young team and achieve that 5th to 8th place.

Funnily enough was just talking to someone on whatsapp saying imagine if we have a freak group of youth coming through, like the 'you'll win nothing with youngsters' set at Man Utd in the early 90's.

Looks like some fabulous prospects, so why not!

 

[Melon Donkey]

A couple openly saying Smith Out, another poster just saying he's "hit his ceiling" and others musing that we'd do better with a bigger name. Think that's more than enough reason to make my point. There's also a shit ton of it going round on Twitter and surely we don't have to pretend we're not aware of how conversations are going elsewhere.

Sorry for being weird.

No need to apologise I was calling the content of the post weird not the poster. You don’t have to justify your reason to make your point . Your opinion , I disagree. And I really don’t know what you are going on about saying you have to pretend about what is said on Twitter? . I have no clue what is or isn’t said on that vile place . I only care, value or respond really to what the fine people of this forum say.

 

[danvilla2]

Funnily enough was just talking to someone on whatsapp saying imagine if we have a freak group of youth coming through, like the 'you'll win nothing with youngsters' set at Man Utd in the early 90's.

Looks like some fabulous prospects, so why not!

You won’t win anything with kids mate…

(Here’s hoping)