The Official Dean Smith Thread

[wittonite]

I think any club bar Albion and Fulham will fancy their chances of top ten, take out the top 6 and with luck and VAR going your way 9 points which is 3 fluky wins puts you several places higher. Newscastle easily the worst team we played last season finished halfway with pure luck just like they had at Spurs last week.

We sure have enough Coaching staff to sort things out now , just hope it's not a case of too many cooks

Agree. Newcastles luck appears to be holding good so far, but it cant last, and the infamous Sheffield United goal apart we didnt get our fair share last season, so time for a change of fortune there.
The signings to be fair are better than I realistically hoped for, even though some on here arent to happy.
For the first time in a long time, on paper we look ok and there are definately a number of teams who you look at and think, yes, fancy our chances there.
I have to be a pessimist though mate because the moment I get enthusiastic about anything it goes tits up.

 

["Merd"]

I'd say we are in Morrisons this season.
Sains next year...

Morrisons is shit mate, like Asda. One thing we can both agree on, we're not shopping at Lidl

 

[ldgavfc]

Morrisons is shit mate, like Asda. One thing we can both agree on, we're not shopping at Lidl

Think our new director of football has been known to put together some pretty tasty dishes from a LIDL shop, be interesting to see how he gets on after a stroll down the Sainsburys aisle!

 

[crimsondonkey]

They've also sacked the lad who, when given a shopping list of ingredients for Souffle, came back from the market with a box of dairy Lee triangles and a packet of monster munch.

Well they certainly scapegoated the lad who they sent to the shops!

Its increasingly clear that Suso was not at all happy with the January business, particularly the decision to bring in Drinkwater and Baston.

Regardless, as has been pointed out, the food budget has been increased significantly so whoever is picking them or signing them off, there's very little excuse if the head chef and his assistants aren't producing the goods from this lot.

The head chef can't point at the ingredients or the grocery boy anymore - its down to him to blend them into something better than he managed last year - which is why I'm delighted Craig Shakespeare is on board.

 

[The Fear]

People keep blaming Suso... so might be worth reminding Smith:

“Whatever was speculated before, I was in full agreement with the players brought in with Suso and I will be with Johan as well,” he says. “I felt for Suso last season because it was such a big turnover and I thought we did a fantastic job doing what we did. You’ll never hear a bad word about Suso from me. I really enjoyed working with him. The club decided to go in a different direction and Johan has come in.

“My role [in recruitment] is pretty much the same. As soon as Johan came into the club we sat down and profiled the positions we needed and then it’s a case of me adding some names I liked in those positions. Then it’s down to the recruitment department, headed by Rob and with Johan’s input, to come up with players that (a) fit the profile, (b) fit the personality profile and (c) are actionable. They come up with a list and I sit down with the coaches and decide the best ones.”

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ing-in-europe-has-to-be-the-aim-jack-grealish

 

[ldgavfc]

People keep blaming Suso... so might be worth reminding Smith:

“Whatever was speculated before, I was in full agreement with the players brought in with Suso and I will be with Johan as well,” he says. “I felt for Suso last season because it was such a big turnover and I thought we did a fantastic job doing what we did. You’ll never hear a bad word about Suso from me. I really enjoyed working with him. The club decided to go in a different direction and Johan has come in.

“My role [in recruitment] is pretty much the same. As soon as Johan came into the club we sat down and profiled the positions we needed and then it’s a case of me adding some names I liked in those positions. Then it’s down to the recruitment department, headed by Rob and with Johan’s input, to come up with players that (a) fit the profile, (b) fit the personality profile and (c) are actionable. They come up with a list and I sit down with the coaches and decide the best ones.”

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ing-in-europe-has-to-be-the-aim-jack-grealish

"PRETTY MUCH" the same. No way did Dean Smith and the coaches decide they wanted Wesley over Watkins last summer, or Trezeguet over Benrahma, or Nakamba over Phillips.

Fair play to DS for not badmouthing a former colleague who, let's face it, had a pretty horrible job of trying to build an entire premier league standard squad in a single summer for under 200m. But lets not pretend that Suso was sacked for no reason.

 

[Bonker]

"You’ll never hear a bad word about Suso from me.

.......

"The club decided to go in a different direction and Johan has come in."

That right there ...

 

[The Fear]

You are basically calling Dean Smith a stooge in my humble, of course he had a say. As did the CEO. But the low hanging fruit is easier to blame.

They all talked about it being a committee, the three of them were talking excitedly in their whatsapp chat.

"I was in full agreement with the players brought in with Suso and I will be with Johan as well,”

I don't any space for misinterpreting that.

Not saying Suso wasn't part of the problem. But no, for me, I'll take the word of the manager as above thank you very much, as I'd rather not think he's lying or as said, a stooge.

 

[CDX_EIRE]

"PRETTY MUCH" the same. No way did Dean Smith and the coaches decide they wanted Wesley over Watkins last summer, or Trezeguet over Benrahma, or Nakamba over Phillips.

Fair play to DS for not badmouthing a former colleague who, let's face it, had a pretty horrible job of trying to build an entire premier league standard squad in a single summer for under 200m. But lets not pretend that Suso was sacked for no reason.

The truth lives somewhere in the middle, I assume you mean Wesley over that fella at Brighton? I doubt he wanted Watkins last year. The other two I agree, Douglas Luiz I think has Suso written all over him so he at least knocked one out of the park (eventually).

These statements prove nothing, we had an immense turnover in talent and I think it was silly to think 'gelling', 'team building' and 'cohesion' arent real things. Douglas Luiz again the key case in point, how can a lad who can barely speak English expect to be performing at the highest level and just slot into the team. In the lockdown he was able to amend it and now he is excelling.

Anyway going back to my opening statement the truth lies somewhere in the middle, as it always does.

 

[Bonker]

It's a Nixon/Watergate setup chaps - You've gotta keep it out of the Oval Office (Purslow's office) so lower heads are rolled but you can't roll the same head/position twice so it has to be a head from somewhere else next time and there's only one other head left to be rolled ...

The clock starts ticking at Xmas if we're <15th or so IMO but I genuinely don't expect we will be.

 

[ldgavfc]

You are basically calling Dean Smith a stooge in my humble, of course he had a say. As did the CEO. But the low hanging fruit is easier to blame.

They all talked about it being a committee, the three of them were talking excitedly in their whatsapp chat.

"I was in full agreement with the players brought in with Suso and I will be with Johan as well,”

I don't any space for misinterpreting that.

Not saying Suso wasn't part of the problem. But no, for me, I'll take the word of the manager as above thank you very much, as I'd rather not think he's lying or as said, a stooge.

Stooge is a harsh word but yeah that's kind of how I see it. He was always given the title head coach, not manager, he was brought in halfway through a season with the club thinking we would spend another year in the championship. If he wasn't so adored by the fans back in August 2019, I don't think the club would have had any issues sacking him and hiring someone with PL experience or a "big" name. They didn't give him 200m and say here's Suso, he's going to take the fall for you next year if the signings dont work out. We love you.

Low hanging fruit, as you put it, I don't think Dean Smith was a gleaming apple at the top of the tree after last season. At least a third of the fanbase wanted him gone. Suso's job was recruitment, it was his main and pretty much his only job. He failed, he was sacked. I'm sure Dean gave the ok to players like Jota for Gardner etc., but I doubt when asked which wingers he wanted in the premier league he said go for Jota and that Egyptian winger who played for that mid table Turkish side.

Things are very different this summer, obviously. Winger has connections with Terry, striker has connections with Dean, Cash is someone Dean would know well, the signings all sing true to the coaching staff. Last seasons signings did not.

 

[CDX_EIRE]

"I was in full agreement with the players brought in with Suso and I will be with Johan as well,”

I don't any space for misinterpreting that.

Fear as a statement I don't think there is any disagreement but there is a huge history behind it.

We have to dive a little deeper than face value IMO but that is where we get into 'ifs, ands, and buts'. I feel like we missed out on our top 3 targets because Marv, Trez and Wesley don't fit what I perceive to be what Dean wanted or how he played at Brentford previously. I am layering in my own feelings. I think that prick at Brighton, Philips and Benramha were the 3 main targets. Wesley, Trez and Marv/Luiz seem to be the backup plans.

Wesley is nothing like any of the strikers he had at Brentford and doesnt play like Watkins whom Dean said would eventually become a No. 9. Philips is much more quarter back style defensive midfield like Luiz is and far more of an enforcing figure. Marv can barely pass the ball. Luiz IMO has Suso transfer written all over it and he did turn out to be fantastic. Trez at least fits into the high energy bracket but severly lacks quality, I can see why Dean agreed with his signing. He has a lot of heart and passion and I think thats a good quality to have.

So I agree I think he did agree with a lot of the transfers because he didnt get his first choice and god knows what was the next step down in quality.

 

[CDX_EIRE]

The clock starts ticking at Xmas if we're <15th or so IMO but I genuinely don't expect we will be.

Nah man he'll get to the end of season and we'll have a replacement lined up unless something drastic has gone wrong. After last season our owners have shown they are pragmatists.

 

[Bonker]

The truth lives somewhere in the middle, I assume you mean Wesley over that fella at Brighton? I doubt he wanted Watkins last year. The other two I agree, Douglas Luiz I think has Suso written all over him so he at least knocked one out of the park (eventually).

These statements prove nothing, we had an immense turnover in talent and I think it was silly to think 'gelling', 'team building' and 'cohesion' arent real things. Douglas Luiz again the key case in point, how can a lad who can barely speak English expect to be performing at the highest level and just slot into the team. In the lockdown he was able to amend it and now he is excelling.

Anyway going back to my opening statement the truth lies somewhere in the middle, as it always does.

It does indeed :)

I have great sympathy for all those working to achieve something at VP whilst we're still churning away at the squad - in some ways this is the same as the post-MON churn but it's a churn-up, not a churn-down :)

Nevertheless, while I complain about the lack of cohesion on display regardless of which players we put onto the pitch I have to concede that we're still a year ahead of "schedule" here and it's still showing as demonstrated in most of our games so far.

The harsh reality, however, is that there will most definitely IMO only be one more phone call from on-high to Purslow's desk before DS takes the fall. Regardless of the relative merit of anything he's achieved while at the club because if it isn't him then it has to be Purslow and it's not likely to be Purslow unless the owners perspective is that he's overseen the biggest drain-pissing exercise, since the Faulkner/MON debacle, of £250m of their money over the last two years.

 

[Bonker]

Nah man he'll get to the end of season and we'll have a replacement lined up unless something drastic has gone wrong. After last season our owners have shown they are pragmatists.

I'm pretty sure Shakespeare is here for a reason mate - just in case they employed the wrong Villa fan the first time around.

I think they're hedging their bets, just like DS was with that Suso statement above.

 

[david-avfc]

People keep blaming Suso... so might be worth reminding Smith:

“Whatever was speculated before, I was in full agreement with the players brought in with Suso and I will be with Johan as well,” he says. “I felt for Suso last season because it was such a big turnover and I thought we did a fantastic job doing what we did. You’ll never hear a bad word about Suso from me. I really enjoyed working with him. The club decided to go in a different direction and Johan has come in.

“My role [in recruitment] is pretty much the same. As soon as Johan came into the club we sat down and profiled the positions we needed and then it’s a case of me adding some names I liked in those positions. Then it’s down to the recruitment department, headed by Rob and with Johan’s input, to come up with players that (a) fit the profile, (b) fit the personality profile and (c) are actionable. They come up with a list and I sit down with the coaches and decide the best ones.”

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ing-in-europe-has-to-be-the-aim-jack-grealish

Not sure what he can really say in public. If he comes out and says he never wanted any of them then he’ll lose the confidence of those players and also put him on a war path against the board which will only ever result in one outcome. That said in the modern game I don’t have a problem with someone else dealing with transfers. Let the coaches focus on coaching, tactics and preparation for the matches as that is a full time job, probably more of a 24/7 job even, and let the scouting and transfer specialists deal with the transfers which again is a full time job. Of course there needs to be some coordination between the two, Smith must have some input but must also be aware that it’s not his money to spend and there is more to Aston Villa than just the current manager and that other individuals may have better knowledge of the transfer market - that’s the job of all these football director job titles

 

[The Fear]

Not sure what he can really say in public.

The truth, or nothing.

Of a few things I might think or say about him as a manager, I certainly wouldn't say he is someone who doesn't tell the truth.

I think he is being painted as a stooge, if people really think he has no say at all in the players he is manager/coach of. If he didn't have a say, I am sure he would say so, so as not to be tarnished with the same brush.

Or put another way, Suso must be an almighty and powerful figure, I imagine he was on more money than the manager and CEO, if he wielded such power as to be able to force players on both of them?

I said at the time, the solution was easy, we sacked the low hanging fruit.

But just to re-iterate, unless I'm given cause to not do this, I will take our manager, our fellow supporter, and a seemingly very nice man's word on the things he says.

 

[The Fear]

Stooge is a harsh word but yeah that's kind of how I see it. He was always given the title head coach, not manager, he was brought in halfway through a season with the club thinking we would spend another year in the championship. If he wasn't so adored by the fans back in August 2019, I don't think the club would have had any issues sacking him and hiring someone with PL experience or a "big" name. They didn't give him 200m and say here's Suso, he's going to take the fall for you next year if the signings dont work out. We love you.

Low hanging fruit, as you put it, I don't think Dean Smith was a gleaming apple at the top of the tree after last season. At least a third of the fanbase wanted him gone. Suso's job was recruitment, it was his main and pretty much his only job. He failed, he was sacked. I'm sure Dean gave the ok to players like Jota for Gardner etc., but I doubt when asked which wingers he wanted in the premier league he said go for Jota and that Egyptian winger who played for that mid table Turkish side.

Things are very different this summer, obviously. Winger has connections with Terry, striker has connections with Dean, Cash is someone Dean would know well, the signings all sing true to the coaching staff. Last seasons signings did not.

I get what you are saying, I understand your argument, but I must say, I don't think Dean Smith is that lowly a manager/coach, that much of a stooge, I really don't.

All down to our own opinions and CDX says as above, perceptions I guess. I think he is a stronger character than some of you are suggesting.

Interesting one. Hoping and praying (well, hoping!) he has a tip top tastic season. My worries remain, my line in the sand remains! LOL

 

[Pangloss]

He's doing a good job overall but he will prove to be a limiting factor down the stretch. I'm happy with him for the here and now.

 

[Thomas Holte]

I don't see Dean Smith, as a stooge and I would imagine he had a big say over incoming players.

Personally, I've always doubted his managerial qualities at the top level and he made mistakes and continued to make the same mistakes during last season which confirmed that to me.

However, I could see he eventually started to improve things helped by the long Covid-19 break where he had time to analyse himself and methods.

It was clear the senior management was going to stick with him so I gave him and will continue to give him my 100% support as I would do any Villa manager but particularly as he is a self-confessed Villa fan as well.

However, Villa fan or not, I still hold some serious reservations over Deans' managerial qualities, and as Fear said, I also remain with my line in the sand although, to be honest, it's more in hope than genuine expectations.

Let's continue to give him a chance and see how the season pans out - I wish him well as a successful Villa manager means we are doing well and that's all we want.