Aston Villa demise

[johntheclaret]

Villa have always reminded me as a bigger, more supported version of the old VFL Fitzroy. Until the 1940s, Fitzroy were the most successful VFL club up to that stage, who by the 1960s couldn't win a game, up until the 1950s Villa were the most successful English Football team, who by 1970 had plummeted to the third division.
Does anyone else remember the old corny, schoolboy joke of the late 1960s when Tommy Docherty managed them. The joke went "What do you get when you cross Tommy Docherty with an ice cream". Answer "Aston Vanilla - everyone licks them!". I did say it was corny.
They then had a resurgence but generally have only flirted with success in the decades since.
Given their huge supporter base they should be doing better, but I guess that goes for many of the clubs based around Birmingham

That flirting with success did bring them a European Title when it actually mattered. Them days you had to win the league to qualify for the European Cup, not finish in the top 4. I think they did a bit more than flirt with success. I think they took it out and plowed it

[Jim05]

Just been brought by a Chinese consortium, should have plenty of funds available to get them straight back in the top flight

[johntheclaret]

Just been brought by a Chinese consortium, should have plenty of funds available to get them straight back in the top flight

Money doesn't always buy you success, particularly from the Championship. Ask Q.P.R.
It will help but only if it is spent wisely on quality championship players. These are the types who know how to tough it out, not your PRIMA Donna types who will only be there for an easy ride and big bucks.
And they need someone like Dyche or Warnock who knows how to get out of the championship. (Keep you effing hands off Dyche ).
Maybe Martinez. He did a good job at Wigan.
If they go out and get a big name foreign manager who goes on to spend £150m on players, then it will be a disaster and will take them 3 or 4 years to get up.

[westozfalcon]

Just been brought by a Chinese consortium, should have plenty of funds available to get them straight back in the top flight

Money doesn't always buy you success, particularly from the Championship. Ask Q.P.R.
It will help but only if it is spent wisely on quality championship players. These are the types who know how to tough it out, not your PRIMA Donna types who will only be there for an easy ride and big bucks.
And they need someone like Dyche or Warnock who knows how to get out of the championship. (Keep you effing hands off Dyche ).
Maybe Martinez. He did a good job at Wigan.
If they go out and get a big name foreign manager who goes on to spend £150m on players, then it will be a disaster and will take them 3 or 4 years to get up.

I don't subscribe to the theory that we need a manager with Championship experience.

To manage at that level you don't have to be street fighter. Whether the manager is from Accrington or Azerbaijan, if he's clever, acquires skillful and committed players and employs smart tactics, the team will win games of football. There's nothing mysterious about football at Championship level.

[johntheclaret]

Ok then

[westozfalcon]

Roberto Di Matteo has been appointed Aston Villa manager on a two-year contract.

I'm thrilled with the club's decision on this and am hopeful of being able, in the not too distant future, to start a thread entitled 'Aston Villa resurgence'

[johntheclaret]

Roberto Di Matteo has been appointed Aston Villa manager on a two-year contract.

I'm thrilled with the club's decision on this and am hopeful of being able, in the not too distant future, to start a thread entitled 'Aston Villa resurgence'

Yep good choice. Always thought of him as a good man manager, and just the kind of bloke the club needs.
They must have read my previous post LOL

[Jase]

Heading over to the UK over the Christmas holidays and will he getting along to at least 1 Villa game, as we'll be based in Tamworth just outside of Birmingham... was hoping that Bradford was going to go up to the Championship but wasnt to be..

Di Matteo is a great manager...

[Spargo]

Di Matteo sacked.
This makes it 5 managers in 12 months, ironically they've had more managers than wins in that time.

[Jim05]

Fat Sam come on down

[whufc]

Villa is one of the stranger demises not like they went bankrupt or got demerited points or anything

[westozfalcon]

It was very short-sighted and stupid to sack Roberto Di Matteo. He looked to me like a good long-term appointment and someone who knows what it takes to be a winner.

This campaign we've conceded equalizers within the last 4 minutes of a game on about 3 occasions due to stupid defensive mistakes. You can't blame the manager for that. If we'd held on to win those games we'd be in the top six and RDM would be hailed as an inspiration. It's a very fine line.

Our new owner, billionaire Chinese businessman Dr Tony Xia, is impatient and also presumptuous in thinking we should be challenging for immediate promotion back to the Premier League. He should have held his nerve and stuck with RDM for a steady rebuild. Instead it looks like he'll be turning to 'Championship promotion specialist' Steve Bruce. Even if Bruce does pull a rabbit out of the hat and get us back up what then? His record in Premier League is pretty poor so we'd probably end up sacking him and making another new start.