The Official Dean Smith Thread

[The Fear]

Looking at this, it's obvious who we need to get in!....



He was comedy gold if nothing else.

View attachment 41145

and what did we replace that inexperience with? Even less experience.

This bloooooooooooody club Dumble!

 

[The Fear]

I appreciate the banter don't worry! You have been talking about stats today, particularly win percentage stats, so I rebuke that Dean had around 60% win percentage, a higher win percentage than all or most of the managers in the premier league at the start of 19/20. So where does the fault lie for the reduction of that 60% win percentage to what it is currently? Is it because Dean isnt as good as Poch or is it he had Trezequet, Wesley, Samatta, El Ghazi etc. Etc. At his disposal against 18 or so far superior squads this season?

Yes, I was looking at some of what I thought to be good managers, some of our average managers then a couple we could have gone for but didn't (or could go for now)

I don't see where Dean has a 60% win ratio, I took the stats from his Walsall tenure, his Brentford tenure, and his time at Villa so far.

If it was 60% in the championship getting us up, that's great, but when he was appointed, you'd go on his record, and if you are looking now, you'd do the same surely? So the stats I put up are right for him.

Look forward to the days he is at 60% at Villa, he would then, have done what I want, rammed by doubts right down my throat. Any manager whilst at Villa, I want to be a success. I just don't like our track record with these sorts of managers, as I've said in previous posts.

 

[The Fear]

I appreciate the banter don't worry!

Good, because I don't take myself or any of this 'that' seriously.

Dean Smith strikes me as a winner. I'm convinced he could take us to Europe and another cup final next season with the right players.

Genuine question, at what point would your faith in Dean falter? If we had another season like this season, would you still see it as building? If we were in the lower ends of the PL as we were all this season, after 10 games? Or by Christmas?

Not a loaded question, you are obviously a massive fan (or is that you Dean?! ) so how strong a faith do you have in what you believe he will bring to the Villa?

 

[gmvillan]

I suggest a suit then, or at least to untuck his top from his tracksuit bottoms on match day.

This is Mrs GMVs biggest gripe! She sits there and constantly berates him for his lack of dress sense.... Hard to disagree with her to be fair... Her most recent comment: "If you'd have dressed like that on the sideline when you were coaching I would have pretended I didn't know you!"

 

[crimsondonkey]

Has Dean been slated for keeping us up? I haven't read that on here

Not he hasn't, not even from critics like myself. I've applauded him (AND the team) - for the last 4 games when backs were against the wall.

Its understandable that in the relief of not being relegated that many fans are willing to give him another spin (you know, the ones that don't worship him!).

My problem has always been the 34 games before which got us into the situation where we needed results to go our way on the last game of the season. I've written several long detailed posts on this, setting out very clearly the reasons and logic behind my criticism - so there's something on the table to debate rather than he says/ she says.

Has Dean learned enough from what we can all agree is an ordeal of a season.?Can he apply what he's learned and kick on a bit?

All this talk of 'its all about recruitment' and 'he did as well as can be expected with the squad'. You can argue that some of the players that were getting slated have settled in a bit and contributed post lock down, but the performance in the last 4 games does prove that you can get get a tune out of these players - Dean has proved it himself. My argument all season has been that despite how you rate them then they should be capable of playing more coherently and that's precisely albeit very late in the say, what Dean has demonstrated.

However if we start next season playing the way that we did back at the start of the last one then he'll have learned nothing and I suspect the owners will lose faith. Were those last 4 games a flash in the pan, a fluke, or can Dean do this on a more consistent basis?

If I were the owners, almost regardless of this summer's recruitment I'd be pointing to those last 4 games and saying to Dean 'no excuses now' even with the current players he's got. Yes I expect them to now back him with hopefully more quality and more experience so that its not down to the wire again, but he does need to be held accountable for performances and results.

I'll start the season upbeat, hoping for a solid season, finishing comfortable mid table, with the team playing with the coherence of the last 4 games of the season, and hopefully equipped with a proven goal scorer.

 

[ldgavfc]

Good, because I don't take myself or any of this 'that' seriously.





Genuine question, at what point would your faith in Dean falter? If we had another season like this season, would you still see it as building? If we were in the lower ends of the PL as we were all this season, after 10 games? Or by Christmas?

Not a loaded question, you are obviously a massive fan (or is that you Dean?! ) so how strong a faith do you have in what you believe he will bring to the Villa?

I think my support of him would falter next season if the club provided him with players next season that were identified as premier league quality by us as a fan base and by the football world in general and he struggled to get performances out of them. Or, it would falter if there seemed to be disharmony in the group of players and players didn't seem happy to play for him anymore.

So far though, there's been none of that. He got us promoted with a team that was sat 14th in the championship. He's kept us in the league ahead of two far more premier league experienced and widely respected coaches, and squads. Bournemouth and Watford both had better squads than us last season on paper so finishing above them was an achievement. He also took us to a league cup final ahead of a team that was deservedly sat in 3rd place in the country at the time. So performance wise, he's done a very good job.

Behind the scenes, he seems to get on very well with all the players and I believe he is a major reason why Jack will stay. Would he have stayed if we got promoted with Bruce? Doubtful. He might not have even become the player he is today without Dean Smith.

So as a first team coach right now, I see him as faultless. Of course that could all change next season if his performance changes. But as it stands, saying he's small time or average (not just you) is really unfair.

 

[crimsondonkey]

I don't see where Dean has a 60% win ratio

He doesn't.

 

[McParlandTheGreat]

Noticeable that Dean doesn't do draws. So if we don't win we're likely to lose.

 

[ironside]

Looking at our squad we have no real big established stars that have come in. Reina could be classed as an exception but he's short term. Jack, McGinn and Mings had already experienced working under Dean. Douglas Luiz knuckled down and Dean got a performance out of him in the period after lockdown.
My question is how would Dean deal with the marquee signings that have been mentioned on this site as laying down a marker on the club's ambition? How would he deal with the ego of a player who considered himself a star?
As suggested, he could wear a suit.

 

[The Fear]

Looking at our squad we have no real big established stars that have come in. Reina could be classed as an exception but he's short term. Jack, McGinn and Mings had already experienced working under Dean. Douglas Luiz knuckled down and Dean got a performance out of him in the period after lockdown.
My question is how would Dean deal with the marquee signings that have been mentioned on this site as laying down a marker on the club's ambition? How would he deal with the ego of a player who considered himself a star?
As suggested, he could wear a suit.

The other part of that is convincing quality players to come IF we allow our current quality to leave. So hopefully that doesn't happen. If it does, fine, time to throw hands up in the air and have a hizzy fit I think!

 

[ironside]

Yes, quality players will want to know we’re really serious about progressing. Keeping our best assets is vital in this.

 

[JW1985]

Looking at our squad we have no real big established stars that have come in. Reina could be classed as an exception but he's short term. Jack, McGinn and Mings had already experienced working under Dean. Douglas Luiz knuckled down and Dean got a performance out of him in the period after lockdown.
My question is how would Dean deal with the marquee signings that have been mentioned on this site as laying down a marker on the club's ambition? How would he deal with the ego of a player who considered himself a star?
As suggested, he could wear a suit.

Pretty sure we already have one player who considers himself a star and he's dealt with him reasonably.

 

["Merd"]

The debate over whether Dean Smith should go or stay is over as (according to the press) he was our man for next season regardless.

We all hope that he learns lessons, gets the quality players we need and takes us forward - because that will mean Villa having some success.

I think we can see that he is capable of learning lessons - we were much more structured and productive post lockdown.

The focus will be on recruitment, whether it knits together and that can only be monitored after we start the new season. This, I believe, will tell us whether Smith can a) pick a player b) attract big name signings and c) put a coherent strategy in place on the field of play.

I like Dean Smith, he is OUR manager but I'm well aware of the disjointed, sub-par performances served up last year. We will only truly know the club's intentions with the investment made this window. We will only truly know if Dean Smith can learn lessons and grow into the role if he is given the opportunity. Is it a risk, yes, but not a bigger risk than bringing in a new management team with different ideas. I think the celebrations showed that the team is together and that's a positive start.

 

[CDX_EIRE]

My question is how would Dean deal with the marquee signings that have been mentioned on this site as laying down a marker on the club's ambition? How would he deal with the ego of a player who considered himself a star?
As suggested, he could wear a suit.

I actually think that is more a character issue of the player rather than the manager.

Dean has said he wants to work with players who want to learn and get better so if you popped in Ronaldo for instance he'd be fine. I think that is why Kodjia didnt fit in because he had a superstar ego. I think Dean could manage Aubamayang because he is a marquee player but also captain material. Could he manage Suarez? No.

Lets be real, Grealish is a star and he carries a bigger burden and ego than a lot of players in the league. Just look at the chap. I dont think this is a question.

Let's ask the real questions. Does he have the tactical nous and edge to continuously improve and adapt at a pace that meets expectations?

 

[McParlandTheGreat]

The debate over whether Dean Smith should go or stay is over as (according to the press) he was our man for next season regardless.

Not quite .... it's only 5 days since we confirmed our PL status. I'd put it as 79% certain he's staying for another season. But there could still be wheels in motion getting in somebody else, which takes a bit of time. If he's still here in a week's time I'd say it's 95% certain he's staying.

 

[Xchurch Villa]

Has Dean been slated for keeping us up? I haven't read that on here anyway. In fact I would say he has had a pretty universal well done from the parishioners of this fair site.

Come on Wurzel, dont re-write history. There was a strong anti Dean narrative on this forum until we survived

 

[Villan57]

Come on Wurzel, dont re-write history. There was a strong anti Dean narrative on this forum until we survived

I think there still is to be honest, they are just lurking in the background waiting for the I told you so moment. Which you can do with pretty much any manager or player as they all go eventually. In one and a half seasons he's got us up, got to a cup final and kept us up, we've had far worse in the last 10 years. It's the biggest job he'll ever have and that goes for any manager that comes here, fail at Villa Park and the route is downwards or out of the game.

 

[crimsondonkey]

they are just lurking in the background waiting for the I told you so

Not me. I want him to succeed but that doesn’t mean I won’t stop calling it as I see it.

I’d genuinely love to see him with a much better squad and playing with much more coherence and tempo, and with the tenacity of the last 4 games if he can’t do that.

But yeah if we are still playing the same cack as most of last season I will be laying on the ‘i fucking told you’ in pretty damn generous helpings

 

[Wurzel]

Come on Wurzel, dont re-write history. There was a strong anti Dean narrative on this forum until we survived

I am not rewritting history. I clearly said "Has Dean been slated for keeping us up?". The important bit being keeping us up, after the event, not before. I was really careful with my language. I made sure I stated after he kept us up, and after he did he has not been slated. Thanks.

 

[Platypus]

so if you popped in Ronaldo for instance he'd be fine.

This sentence made me chuckle. As you were.