Dean Smith New Interim Manager - Official

[worth_the_wait]

Apologies if it's been said before ... but if we survive his season, I think it will be a greater achievement than the 2015 Great Escape.    We are individually and collectively much worse now, than we were then.  (although we didn't necessarily realise it at the time!)

 

Best of luck to Dean Smith & Co.   He's always sounded a decent bloke, unlike our previously smarmy incumbent.

[Brizzle Fox]

1 minute ago, Claudio Fannieri said:

Highly unlikely Dean Smith would have appeared on any fans list as a potential successor to Rodgers, however seeing a lot of the positive feedback and insight from Villa fans, plus alongside Shakey and JT, I have to say i am quite excited about the remainder of the season. 
 

What has impressed me is Smith and team want to be here and we’re prepared to come in and work under the clubs terms rather than try and hold a gun to the clubs head and force a long term contract on decent money. Smith is clearly backing himself and his team to come

in and make a positive impact and contribution to this season. 
 

He seems like a very similar character to Nigel Pearson and given his reputation as a builder and working on longer term projects, he could be just the person we need to help the rebuild regardless of the division we start the next season in. 
 

Did an excellent job with Villa getting them promoted, keeping them up and getting them to a League Cup Final, struggled in the initial period after they sold Grealish and the new signings bedded in and I think had Villa given him more time for the team to gel he would have continued to be a success, it just felt Villa wanted a more fashionable name and wanted Gerrard, which didn’t really work out.

 

As for Norwich, they were down and buried before he took over, and when he was sacked they were in the play off positions, and since he has left they don’t seem to have kicked on. 
 

I really hope he gets a tune out of the squad and we see an upturn in results and performances that gives everyone associated with our club a much need lift and gives optimism for next season regardless of the division we find ourselves in. 
 

 

I think it will be interesting to see how this goes. Tbh he's got nothing to lose and everything to gain as most of us expect to be relegated at this time.

 

The bolded is a tad misleading as Norwich's points per game under Wagner is significantly higher than Smith's up to his sacking this season in the Champs.

 

Most of the main issues Norwich fans seem to have with Smith is that there seemed to be a distinct lack of tactical direction for the players on the pitch and that he was a lazy ****er who spent more time on the golf course than on the training ground (he'll get both at Seagrave!).

 

These feel like more longer term issues to me, that probably lead me to thinking that longer term he isn't the man, but in the short term won't be so important.

 

Frankly all he needs to do this season is put some fire in the players' bellies and give them their freedom to actually play, rather than the rather inhibited, possession at all costs approach that seemed to be the Rodgers diktat over the last 18 months or so.

[Claudio Fannieri]

8 minutes ago, Rich1874 said:

Villa fan in peace. My old man was born and bred a Fox so always had an interest in you guys. Give Smith a chance. He's not a better than Rodgers of season 1-3, but he is better than Rodgers when he drops off a cliff as he seems to everywhere he goes. Getting Terry is a big bonus, Smith struggled with us after JT left so that's a real positive. I wouldn't be shocked to see our old keeper coach Neil Cutler arrive, and Martinez reckons he's the best keeper coach in the business so might help, although not letting Ward near the goal seems the easiest solution. 

 

Smith will go to Maddison and make him feel a million dollars. No one, even in his current form at Man City, has got anything close to what Smith got from Grealish. He was unplayable almost every game, free to cause havoc from the left. I'd be amazed if Maddison isn't given the same role, same freedom and as he has a better end product, will probably do enough to see you safe. We were 5 points from safety at one point and Smith found 4 wins from nowhere. Have a bit of faith, you have the players on paper to do it. 

Great post, informative and balanced, thanks for the insight 👏🏼

[Guest Mee-9]

1 minute ago, worth_the_wait said:

Apologies if it's been said before ... but if we survive his season, I think it will be a greater achievement than the 2015 Great Escape.    We are individually and collectively much worse now, than we were then.  (although we didn't necessarily realise it at the time!)

 

Best of luck to Dean Smith & Co.   He's always sounded a decent bloke, unlike our previously smarmy incumbent.

I would agree also to some extent. 

 

I think the feeling in the club is completely dour and awful, and it was never this bad during The Great Escape. We were a different club back then. 

[RowlattsFox]

I appreciate the info from Villa fans and gives a little bit of confidence but I cant help but feel disappointed that we have Aston Villa fans saying that a manager they've sacked and progressed from will be a good choice for us  

 

 

[Guest Mee-9]

I would love to see what the feeling is today at training.

 

I'd imagine a few players will be buzzing to see good old two balls on the training pitch. 

[BenTheFox]

One thing I can say about him is that he did win a number of big games whilst at Villa. He beat Birmingham City away in a hostile environment which saw his captain get punched, he beat West Brom in the play-off semi-final and Derby in the final. The following season they beat us in the league cup semi-final and picked up the points at the end of the season when it really mattered. 

 

I personally think we're gone, but this is a great opportunity for him. Even if we end up going down but show real signs of improvement he has a chance of getting the job with us on a full time basis. Good luck to him. Dean Smith's Blue and White Army. 

[Claudio Fannieri]

8 minutes ago, Brizzle Fox said:

I think it will be interesting to see how this goes. Tbh he's got nothing to lose and everything to gain as most of us expect to be relegated at this time.

 

The bolded is a tad misleading as Norwich's points per game under Wagner is significantly higher than Smith's up to his sacking this season in the Champs.

 

Most of the main issues Norwich fans seem to have with Smith is that there seemed to be a distinct lack of tactical direction for the players on the pitch and that he was a lazy ****er who spent more time on the golf course than on the training ground (he'll get both at Seagrave!).

 

These feel like more longer term issues to me, that probably lead me to thinking that longer term he isn't the man, but in the short term won't be so important.

 

Frankly all he needs to do this season is put some fire in the players' bellies and give them their freedom to actually play, rather than the rather inhibited, possession at all costs approach that seemed to be the Rodgers diktat over the last 18 months or so.

In relation to his time at Norwich, I see Smith very much in the role of Manager, with the  day to day coaching being delivered by Shakey, JT and Sadler (who I believe the club hold in high regard as a coach), therefore very much like Pearson, O’Neill etc Smith will not be involved in delivering many of the sessions but will be setting the structure of the sessions to be

Implemented and delivered by a group of trusted and high quality coaches which we know have. 

[WoodyFox]

 

 

Naturally John Terry gives Sam Bailey a follow right after us 

[Clever Fox]

23 minutes ago, BlueFox789 said:

Dont know about 'Clever' fox..

Have you ever done the job.

Doing the same simply isn't going to work.

[foxinsocks]

16 minutes ago, Mee-9 said:

I would agree also to some extent. 

 

I think the feeling in the club is completely dour and awful, and it was never this bad during The Great Escape. We were a different club back then. 

Yes... the great escape year was a year of losing by the odd goal every week... "fine margins".  This season has been just awful

[RoboFox]

Bit miffed about Marsch not getting it TBH.

 

The meme potential was endless.

 

Never mind.

 

SAS V2 + FKW > SAS V1

 

Edited 11 April 2023 by RoboFox

[Guest Mee-9]

11 minutes ago, WoodyFox said:

 

 

Naturally John Terry gives Sam Bailey a follow right after us 

That's his type isn't it? 

 

Anyone else think she looks like Mrs Vardy? 

[BenTheFox]

30 minutes ago, Rich1874 said:

Villa fan in peace. My old man was born and bred a Fox so always had an interest in you guys. Give Smith a chance. He's not a better than Rodgers of season 1-3, but he is better than Rodgers when he drops off a cliff as he seems to everywhere he goes. Getting Terry is a big bonus, Smith struggled with us after JT left so that's a real positive. I wouldn't be shocked to see our old keeper coach Neil Cutler arrive, and Martinez reckons he's the best keeper coach in the business so might help, although not letting Ward near the goal seems the easiest solution. 

 

Smith will go to Maddison and make him feel a million dollars. No one, even in his current form at Man City, has got anything close to what Smith got from Grealish. He was unplayable almost every game, free to cause havoc from the left. I'd be amazed if Maddison isn't given the same role, same freedom and as he has a better end product, will probably do enough to see you safe. We were 5 points from safety at one point and Smith found 4 wins from nowhere. Have a bit of faith, you have the players on paper to do it. 

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but didn't Villa finish 9th in the 20/21 season? If I remember correctly, didn't your form dip quite drastically with Grealish out for three months(?)? I reckon you would have been up with us challenging for top four had Grealish not been injured. 

[LinekersLugs]

Whispers Maddison got a big thumbs up from Grealish on Dean smith ; and Gealish said JT had to be hired with Smith 

 

Maddison then spoke to Rudkin and the rest is history 

 

Got this from the dad of one of the u23 players 

 

it’s not impossible to believe either 

 

Deano Deano Deano will ring around Leicester … 

 

we are staying up 

[Fox92]

40 minutes ago, Foxdiamond said:

If Dean and Co keep us up that will be a wonderful achievement bearing in mind we have Man C first up. He will deserve to be offered the job for longer

Saturday is against one of the best teams in the World, we just need to avoid getting battered. A draw would be great.

 

But I have it in me that Smith will beat Wolves (he will love that first game at home as a Villa fan) and do Leeds as well. He strikes me as having that attitude and character that Pearson had.

 

I think he will keep us up. I keep posting it because I believe it.

[dmayne7]

Like others, I've warmed to this a bit more. Said the right things in his interview and having Shakey back and JT in (ignoring the person he is) can only be a good thing. If we had 2/3 more games I'd feel very confident we'd survive but with so few games and Man City straight away, it's still very much backs to the wall.

[Happy Fox]

He will take us back to basics which is important, hopefully he can keep us up and then we appoint someone of a higher caliber in the summer.

 

He’s a better interim manager than Lampard.

[Beachyboy]

1 hour ago, elvisfmcfly said:

Never hire the caretaker. 

12 month contract if he does well, otherwise somebody else comes in with 2 months less knowledge about the squad than he has, with an urgent rebuild needed.

[David Hankey]

3 hours ago, Unabomber said:

Who did you want realistically? 

Well not this tribe. I bet Smith is in dream land when you consider what he's been used to with the stadium and our training complex.

 

My preference was and still is for Rafa.

[BillyFOX12]

59 minutes ago, Rich1874 said:

although not letting Ward near the goal seems the easiest solution. 

I just hope that Smith knows this.

[Chelmofox]

3 minutes ago, David Hankey said:

Well not this tribe. I bet Smith is in dream land when you consider what he's been used to with the stadium and our training complex.

 

My preference was and still is for Rafa.

3 year deal on big salary was dangerous. I wanted Rafa too but can understand why the club wanted interim. 

[Foxxed]

1 hour ago, Rich1874 said:

Villa fan in peace. My old man was born and bred a Fox so always had an interest in you guys. Give Smith a chance. He's not a better than Rodgers of season 1-3, but he is better than Rodgers when he drops off a cliff as he seems to everywhere he goes. Getting Terry is a big bonus, Smith struggled with us after JT left so that's a real positive. I wouldn't be shocked to see our old keeper coach Neil Cutler arrive, and Martinez reckons he's the best keeper coach in the business so might help, although not letting Ward near the goal seems the easiest solution. 

 

Smith will go to Maddison and make him feel a million dollars. No one, even in his current form at Man City, has got anything close to what Smith got from Grealish. He was unplayable almost every game, free to cause havoc from the left. I'd be amazed if Maddison isn't given the same role, same freedom and as he has a better end product, will probably do enough to see you safe. We were 5 points from safety at one point and Smith found 4 wins from nowhere. Have a bit of faith, you have the players on paper to do it. 

Well you've given me hope.

 

I honestly dislike Terry but in our circumstances I think he may get something out of the players that Smith and Shakespeare alone wouldn't get.

[BillyFOX12]

16 minutes ago, Happy Fox said:

He will take us back to basics which is important, hopefully he can keep us up and then we appoint someone of a higher caliber in the summer.

 

He’s a better interim manager than Lampard.

I’d rather keep Brendan than have Lampard take over, same as I’d rather have my nan in goal than Danny Ward.

[BlueFox789]

39 minutes ago, Clever Fox said:

Have you ever done the job.

Doing the same simply isn't going to work.

'Ndidi as a roaming centre back' already sounds like a headline after one of his masterclass performances...