The Tim Sherwood era has officially begun at Aston Villa.
Following an official unveiling this morning via a press conference, Villa’s new manager declared the possibility of taking charge at the club as a “no-brainer”.
Whatever the personal opinion of fans, Sherwood is the new man in charge, and it is time to get behind him. Doubts are still out there regarding if Sherwood has the ability to save Villa – a short period as manager of Tottenham Hotspur neither validates or refutes such a view – but there will need to be a dramatic change is survival is to occur.
It emerged on Sunday night that Sherwood had ventured into the dressing room at half time to offer a few directions to the team and, to his credit, there did appeared to be a renewed energy in the second half.
Villa find themselves with an arguably tougher task on Saturday as they face Stoke. Honestly, the game against Leicester City was a poor spectacle – a game where two poor teams battled it out to see who was the least poor.
As it stood, Villa were the team who came out on top, but there was no night and day difference between the two sides – it could have been different had Leonardo Ulloa stated alongside Andrej Kramaric.
What the game did illustrate was that there’s virtue in looking a little further forward than the half way line. For months, Villa have been espousing a style of football that has been more about survival than it has been about entertainment. Ask fans whether they have enjoyed much of the football this season, and the answer will be a resounding no – something had to change, and it has.
Whether the change of manager will be enough to transform the club’s fortunes is still in the balance. It could be argued – strongly – that the change could have happened before the January transfer window, but it was not to be.
Sherwood may well give the kick in the backside that this team needs as it languishes on the edge of the relegation zone. Villa aren’t dead and buried, but there is still a challenge ahead for a team who have, for multiple years, spent time at the wrong end of the table.
Villa fans will be looking on with hope that a little more optimism in tactical terms may well provide the catalyst for survival. If it does, Sherwood’s appointment will be lauded as the right choice at the right time.
If it doesn’t, well, let’s not worry about that right now, OK?
The Author
Matt Turvey
Matt is the owner of, and chief writer for, Aston Villa Life. He is also a columnist for the Wolverhampton Express & Star, appearing in the Kick Off pullout on Saturdays and the Final Whistle pullout the Monday after Aston Villa play, as well as every Thursday as a blogger on their website. He has previously been featured as a writer on Football365 and Life's A Pitch, and was a regular pundit for Sports Tonight TV on Sky.Comments 153
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Got to hope he wouldn’t take the job under the same conditions as Lambert
I think when TS alluded to the “no brainer” he was referring to the previous manager.
AVFC ?
The 180 degree turn required by our players to move from ineffective possession to controlled attacking is the biggest challenge. It will take a few games to bed down as confidence is lacking but we’ve the basis of a good team or at least a good spine that can allow the team to change.
The pressure placed on the players now is to perform, prior to Sherwood the pressure was to avoid losing. I don’t need entertaining, I just need results both our own and the teams around us to go our way, Burnley have a tough run of fixtures. Leicester are poor but they came up too soon and are preparing for relegation by sticking with Pearson (commendable in itself).
Sunderland are in free fall in my opinion and West Brom and Palace have done the required and got experienced managers in and will survive. QPR look to be planning for possible relegation given who they have chosen to replace Harry. So watch QPR and Sunderland closely for the next 13 games. Hull have enough to get a few wins/draws to see them through.
I’m very possibly trying to convince myself there are still three worse teams than us and we’ve left flipping coins to the last minute but we’ve got a big chance starting with Stoke to get moving up the table, 5 points from 12th position, loads of teams in the mire, we can do this.
UTV
Mark n JL i agree that it is unlikely Jack will start games at the minute but is likely to come of the bench in most games to build up his confidence and experience
With his talent i believe this proccess should have begun long ago as with robinson and one or two others
Of course i appiciate that the enviroment created by Lambert does not allow for much in the way of youth development as the whole place has been run like a shambles for the last couple of years – but if TS does what i expect it will be a lot more feesable to bring younsters in and out the team without too much fuss
Of course it’s a “no brainer ” ! Only five months managerial experience , no slogging it out proving yourself in the lower leagues – building winning teams and promotion for Tim. Along come AV – a massive club – a multi million pound contract – he must think it’s Christmas and Birthday all rolled into one . And let’s face it , he’s got the security of being able to say “13 games were too few to make a difference – it’s not my fault , if we don’t make it . It’s not a “no brainer ” it’s an honour and a gift and smacks of right place right time
The press statement sounded similar to Lambert’s – the promise of “more attacking football ” bla bla . Heard it all before – as big Ron said “don’t tell me , show me”. I hope it works , new managers will get a honeymoon period – Look at Sunderland – Roy Keane , P de Canio both started well . On this basis , it may be an inspired choice . But after too many false dawns from AV , I won’t be booking my Wembley hotel just yet .
Come on Tim – prove me wrong – and take our club back to where it should be !
Darren,
Your view is the one I most like. Yes, there’s much to do to avoid the drop, but it’s all a case of going forth with a +ve perspective, being on the front foot and pray that you not only achieve substantial improvement through application but also get a fair crack of some luck … like Schwarzer’s fumble that gave us a goal on Sunday.
The key is that against another Premier League side (OK, it was Leicester) we did get back into scoring some, and we must continue the theme against Stoke.
TS having had a week to work with the lads, I’m sure we’ll see better stuff this Sat.
He says we need to play with more freedom and get more bodys into the box
you would think Lambert would have realized that wouldn’t you?
So glad he’s gone. He made our players scared of the ball and playing football
” Its all about winning and nothing else”
Refreshing.
other than a forward I’m quite happy with our dealings in Jan, its the 6-7 games we cant get back unfortunately and could most do with.
Jen I remember dicanio coming in at Sunderland winning 2 or 3 games by 3-4 nil then they came to villa park and we stuffed them we were amazed 🙂
Runtingz I’d like to see jack given licence to play but not in our area and certainly not for ten mins in a tight match its unfair on him. get him around their box and give him the ball that should be the aim.
jen I know how your feeling cause I feel the same, another unproven signing with no real plan past survive
frem I’m sure Lambert never told them don’t go in their box, his main problem amongst many IMO was relying on full backs to provide width when those players were not good enough to beat a man let alone cross accurately. i think having to watch out for teams getting in behind the full backs prevents the mids pushing up. it will be interesting to see how he approaches it and if we are good enough to play taht way without getting stuffed
Interesting to see he only has his B license on further examination (He’s reportedly booked on to his A license in September of this year).
Bit alarming that he only has his B license – it has been a mandate that all Premier League managers have a UEFA Pro license to manage since around 2003, so they will have needed special dispensation to employ him without, and a clear view to him getting his Pro license.
Surely the board checked that before, right? Right???
Thy wouldn’t have checked Matt. It’s our board. Lamberk has his full qualifications and he’s crap
Really love what he had to say. He will give young lads a chance next season. This season now is about wining and nothing else. He’s said what we say now might not be his long term style of play
To wrap a good few days off, lest get a. Ice home tie tonight and go to wembley. West Brom, Blackburn or Bradford please. Preston to if they win tonight. Ideally Bradford so we can make up for what happened last time
matt how hard is it to get the licence?
maybe we can organise a day out if we get there frem, packed lunches and everything 🙂
Mark – I actually thought it was too soon in Lambert’s career – this goes off the radar .
It has to be the biggest gamble in our history – given the tv money at stake . Has he ever had a budget to spend ? No .
There must be managers out there who’ve slogged their guts out and Nigel cough is one of them – who must be thinking “how the hell can he walk into a job like villa”.
Yes I was at VP for the 6-0 – but he did keep them up just like Keano did . My pint is it’s a “new manager flash in the pan” reaction
Rumour has it that Sherwood is a good friend of Fox – let’s hope that friendship hasn’t distorted the thinking here .
As fir the badges – is this why he didn’t take the baggies and QPR jobs ?
Matt,
I posted on this issue of his licence in the other thread.
In the article I quoted it says that a manager does not have to have the licence so long as he enrols form the course within 12 weeks (I think it said) from the date of the appointment. We don’t know if he did that at Spurs or whether it got bypassed, but surely he’ll have to do it now?
Excuse typing – cooking a Moroccan lamb tagine – listening to talk sport and typing all at once !
P.S.
I still say that such qualifications are a something of a gloss. And too much formality can actually be a hindrance.
If he is able then let him get on with it and get the licences as he goes.
Where do you live Mark?
We will have to meet up if go to wembley !!!
Or should I say – it fell at 11th hour .
Collymore says he’s negotiated a very good deal for himself – who wouldn’t can’t blame him for that – we are used to paying managers off.
Steamer – it would be great to involve the likes of Tayls and co – so much to offer . If he does. It will be a sign of strength an confidence in himself as it’s the insecure who have to cloathe themselves with mates and allies. A good leader won’t see the threat but welcome the club experience they have .
Jenny,
In my view, the chance of having one of ‘the natives’ on the board are as great as a US president inviting Sitting Bull to sit in Congress. 😉 The attitude of the board in this regard glows out of Krulak’s statements and the Fear has been carefully pressing this issue for a long time, with no sign of acceptance.
West Brom
Get in
Haven’t had this buzzing feeling inside me about Villa for a good 2 years
WBA twice in a week.
Let’s beat Stoke, Newcastle and WBA twice. Safety and wembley
We can’t lose to WBA twice in 7 days
If we can beat the Tesco bags at home – we have a 33% chance of playing Reading or Bradford in the Semi Final.
The chance of revenge is too much to hope for…
Mark,
Read an article last week bulling Lambert up by saying he took his badges in Jeermany because they were harder, apparently, believe it or not, the Scottish one is harder, Jose took his at Largs, i read an article from someone on the same course he said that they went down the pub every night and this bloke stood in the corner never saying a word, one night he went over and asked him what club he was with, when he replied Barcelona everyone laughed so he took his phone out and showed them Bobby Robsons number and the Ronaldinho’s etc, a lot of folk wish he was still ‘The Silent One.’
As i recall, you get an automatic pass for the UEFA A badge.
to be honest a blue peter badge would fine with me as long as he’s good.
jen already there is more media attention around him than villa have had since mon, Fox will love it.
frem I live in Banbury mate not far from you
Tesco bag time wont be easy but better than a top 6
So it’s Sandwell Town home twice in a week, I work in West Bromwich behind enemy lines, and the Banter has already started, they believe they will beat us 3 times this season, and can’t wait to bring 6000 to VP in the cup.
I want nothing more than to spank these 6 fingered inbreds in both games. I’ve booked the Tuesday off for the league match so will be on the lash from early afternoon 🙂 Pulis has turned them around and they demolished West Ham easily, they will be tough games, but a trip to Wembley could be just the tonic to raise the spirits before ensuring survival, and I’ve never seen Villa at Wembley
It’s sort of a Fifty shades of Claret and Blue with the Villa. More of an emphasis on the shades of blue.
I know, after all the unpleasant and challenging teasing, Villa will manage to make a painful finale after raising hopes from deep despair.
After beating Leicester on the basis of a half decent second 45 mins of football and getting the Albunion in the draw – I’m now imagining the possibility of beating them twice, finishing lower mid table and having a semi final revenge against Bradford.
Not impossible. But vulnerability comes from credible hope.
Let’s see if Villa do damage with the metaphorical riding crop and blindfold.
Mark,
Getting licenses isn’t that hard but it takes time.
For someone to have a Premier Lesgue job, they need dispensation to take it without the Pro license.
Villa must have got dispensation but the fact he only has B is a little strange – many of my friends in the academies around the country have that or better (a B or an A).
It is much cheaper to get those licenses as an ex pro though – it is thousands for a normal person to get their Pro license, but ex professionals get it heavily discounted.
Because they are poor presumably? Or they like to keep it in house?
I am like Frem,.
I am on a great new positive streak, and will not be pulled down by the doom mongers. Being at VP on Sunday, and seeing Tim Sherwood, and then Villa transform in the second half was a tremendous feeling, and like the guy next to me said..(after he had been saying that Bacuna should be substituted, and was about to be…..scoring a great goal) what do I know about football?…and we had not had such a laugh for a long time…when another player did exactly the same and scored…got a feeling it was Weimann..!!
Really looking forward now to a whole host of games, including the cup match against the Tesco Bags..I am sure badges or no badges, that Sherwood will start giving the players, and especially Benteke the confidence needed to win games…..I have lots of qualifications, but the most important are from the University of Life, and man management is a natural skill and not taught. If you lead the team and convince them that the only result is to win, then that is the result you will get….No prizes for being second or taking part….
Paul,
Precisely! What has happened over the last near 4 years has been the most depressing in the club’s 140-year history (apart from relatively *short* periods before), so to have a manager coming in whose philosophy is clearly +ve is really a shot in the arm.
Whilst some want to dwell on how many A-levels he has (sorry, Matt! 🙂 to me it’s a question of he just getting on with the job. We didn’t ask Big Ron or Ron Saunders how well qualified they were – they just did it, and got results.
When the Albion draw came out last night, straight away my thoughts went to the great semi-final Villa played at Molineux in 1957 when Villa were a bit fortunate to draw 2-2, but Villa had Supermac and in those days he was unstoppable, scoring twice. And we had dear old Nigel Sims in goal. What a keeper! He kept ’em out (helped mainly by Jimmy Dugdale) while Supermac scored ’em!
So I’m straight away thinking of what another glorious match this upcoming tie could be. Albion are in good form, and by then we hope that Villa will be too.
Incidentally, have you noticed that we have quietly been drawn against steadily better sides in the league! Blackpool, Bournemouth, Leicester and now Albion have all been gradual step-ups in ability. And reaching the QF stage all at home – that must be the first time for many years: an immediate check seems to suggest that it was in 1930 that this last occurred. That time we didn’t win the QF match. 🙁
If TS’s appointment has done one thing, it’s reinvigorated the fans…. whether they’ll come back to Villa Park in droves will remain to be seen… it may be some time before Villa Park is hosting £35k+ fans every home game.
We can’t afford to be negative about this, no matter who was appointed there was going to be a risk attached to it. It’s been a miserable season so far for us, but now there’s a silver lining for me to clutch on to I’m not letting go.
I stand behind this team and manager to dig them selves out of this, and potentially have a visit to Wembley…. Up the Villa…
As for Sherwood’s coaching license… or lack of… It’s neither here nor there for me. The man’s been in football all his adult life. One the pitch he was better than given credit for, he didn’t have the flashy skills or scorching pace, he was an astute player, a leader with a refusal to give in. I got my B license many moons ago working through a local council within a youth development role. It was a doddle for anyone who understood and had played football.
Hardly worth the paper it was written on to be honest…
Glad to hear more positives from GOG and JL….
What do people want today???
We needed a new leader, and it looks like we have got one, who is the right age, young enough to be in touch with players, and old enough to be a father figure, and played recently enough in the modern game, and knows the demands of a top club….
He will have plenty of experience by the end of this season..!!..
Morning lifers
Is TS the man to manage Villa?
Depending what you read and where you read it the answer is unclear, I think he could well be an asset to our club.
Like so many good managers he will need time to settle, my problem is that he only has 13 games. He needs to bring in some serious experience to get him over the finish line this season, then we can see what he’s got.
He’s a Londoner so already our profile has been lifted, but we need to act quickly to optimise that and get a No 2.
With regards to his license it wouldn’t surprise me if Lamberk didn’t even have one for driving!
Like I think Jenny says “we’ve seen it all before”, let’s just hope that he is the right fit for us!
At least I have a little optimism back yay!
I am with John on the license argument I am not sure other than ticking UEFA boxes just how important they are, Lambert may have had them all but it does not mean you are any better qualified to do a job, football is football and can sometimes be over complicated.
Sherwood knows the brief he knows he needs to win games, if he can win them in style that would be a bonus but he knows with just 13 to play results mean everything.
Still will be interested to see who comes in to help him I would have thought he would have sounded people out as soon as he heard from Fox so I expect an appointment sooner rather than later, as Lambert found out you cannot do this job on your own.
I am willing to give Sherwood a chance if he can keep us up then good on him, I am not saying I would go out to dinner with him but if he can make a better job of managing this football club than the other lot over the last four years then he will do for me, we need to get the club on a sound footing and hopefully approach the start of a season without the need to constantly look over our shoulders.
AVFC IN HOPE
I just love Sherwood’s statement on the Villa Official Site:
He said: “I don’t mind playing badly. What I can’t tolerate is a lack of desire and effort because people are coming to watch them play. I demand that. That’s a minimum requirement.
“If they aren’t giving that then they’re not going to play. That’s it. It’s up to me then.
“I’ll take all the pressure. I’ll take all the brunt of it if we don’t get results.
“As long as they give me everything and they’re trying to take on to that pitch what I’m telling them in training.
“You can’t ignore instructions. They’ll be quite simple instructions – so everyone who goes on that pitch will know exactly what I want from them – every single player.
“They’ll all play in their correct positions – nobody playing out of position – and they’ll know their jobs.
“They know what they’re capable of doing otherwise they wouldn’t be at this big club.
“I don’t care if they play badly. I want them to play brilliantly. But if they don’t, it’s fine as long as the desire, effort and commitment is there. Then the quality will shine through.”
Sherwood
Sherwood insists he will harness a real togetherness at Bodymoor Heath.
He says it pains him intensely to lose – and he is confident he will get the same thirst for success from his new players.
He added: “One thing I can guarantee is honesty.
“If they do well they will be told. If they don’t do well they will also be told – and told why.
“But you have to be constructive. You have to talk to them.
“It’s not them and us. We’re all on the same side.
“We are in all it together – it’s about winning football matches. We win together. We lose together.
“I can’t believe anyone hurts more than me when I lose football matches. But I want to see them hurting when they lose and happy when they win.
“There is no better feeling than when the final whistle goes and they have won the game.”
At long last, we are going to play people in their proper positions……and make them accountable…
I’m not too fussed regarding TS pro licence qualifications at this stage, the most important thing is survival, relegation would be a disaster both on and off the pitch for AVFC. We are also one game away from Wembley( all be it a semi), we really need to get behind the gaffer and players for these final important games, we can’t afford not to.
The end of this season could be in total contrast to what’s gone on before, we could end up going on a winning streak( we have to at home) and stay up, and get to Wembley at the expense of the baggies!!!
None of this is going to be easy, and we will need to rely on others failings, but let’s at least all pull in the same direction and give it a real go, then the summer needs to see a real shift in thinking, these past seasons have been far too close for comfort in the relegation stakes, especially this, we simply can’t carry on like this, or we will go down at some point.
PP,
Players playing in their correct positions ? now thats a novelty after Lambert.
I know words are cheap but there’s a determination about TS that i never detected in Lambert, i always thought he was a balloon, full of hot air with nothing to back it up. In the words of S75’s favouritr band, The Monkees, i’m a believer.
If we do half as well as TS speaks we will be ok.
Its refreshing not listening to someone scottish too (sorry scots).
Proof is in the pudding. We have had years of talk but no action.
morning avl crew
just read that lambert offloaded daniel johnson for 50k – what an aboslute muppet lambert is – thank god that nightmare is over but boy has he done some damage
Just thinking about a comment on another blog, Benteke as the target and Gil and Bacuna breaking quickly to support from MF, maybe goals in there certainly good movement, opinions ?
Runtingz,
There’s a good profit for PNE when they sell him, very useful player. Like to see Gardner and Bure integrated into the squad next season.
I think Vlaar will sign a new contract if we stay up, i think he held us together at times on Sunday.
Sorry, Burke, dunno who Bure is.
I like that Steamer. Gill, Delph, Cleverly and Bacuna if played are the players that need to get in the box and support tekkers. Tekkers has been isolated for far too long.
Will be very interesting sat who tim picks and what formation.
I just hope Gabbys days are numbered, would say weimann but i do hold hope for the lad, his movement and work rate areusually always there….is there a player though?
Given
Hutton Vlaar Clarke Cissokho
Sanchez
Delph Cleverly
Gill Tekkers Sinclair
Is the team id like to see. Westwood for Sanchez maybe.
If tim gets cleverly moving forward with drive he could be ok?!
Tim saying some good things and if it’s dedication, hardwork and desire he wants gabby and nzog (where is he) will be gone.
Where is senderous?
Burke is Lambert, Preston have Johnson and Robinson good business by Grayson in my opinion and very bad by us.
Lambert had no trust in our youth and decided to go abroad and buy players who were nowhere near good enough, as I said in a earlier thread Gil was nothing to do with Lambert albeit giving the deal the go ahead, just glad Sherwood will use the younger players but they will have to prove they are up to the job, don”t forget we do not have a Kane or a Bentaleb, well not yet anyway.
AVFC UTV
I feel that like Sherwood, that we should not comment on any of the players yet, until we see their worth, and how they measure up to his challenge. Gabby and many more like Nzogbia, could very well become leading lights again, at the same time, Burke and Grealish may start to become effective. Bodymoor Heath is about to be a different place, with no hiding place for the slackers, and a manager who will be there..!!!
There is now a total clean sheet for everyone, and there are so many on the books at the moment, who may just feel, this is their moment.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-31504347
Oh dear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AVFC
runtingz I stated the other day how many of the next gen team have been sold off, how many will come back to haunt us?
Just spoken to an Olbyon fan, he tells me he hasn’t been this excited since he married his sister.
Andrew,
Before he got his new contract i had high hopes for Weimann, too much to soon possibly, Dominic Hofbauer, the lad who came over from Austria with him always said he was the most dedicated player he’d ever seen. I’d say he should go to a more technique specific league to fulfil his potential. Gabby’s a lost cause in every aspect.
STEAMER 🙂
Hopefully TS will get Zoggy fit, i think he can offer a lot when fit.
cheered up would be good steamer
there goes lamberts mate
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4495003,00.html?
Shows an error now, but I am sure it is the article about Scott Marshall getting on his bike…..
Nice to see Tayls is back with AVTV…..
Time to start preparing for another day at work….
Loving how Sherwood speaks
Says the players will give heart and soul and as long as they give everything he will take the blame for defeats
Finally, and vitality, he says he eill honest unlike our previous liar. If their good, he Will say, but of there not, he will also them
unlike Lambert who would have would tell them they are great when Hull beat us
Mmmm…
I thought TS might keep Marshall & co to keep some continuity til Summer at least. Clearly there’s no empathy between them.
Well done TS – Marshall shown the door – he is part of the lambert method (which is how he set up the team 1st half ) it was like lambert never left
he has no place in villa’s future but is part of a very dark past — laters marshall and anyone else who was part of lamberts distruction of the institution that is aston villa
John
I believe it was essential that he left,guilty by association and all that.I grasp your point,but the last thing we need is any continuity or link with the last 2 and a half years of misery.
Lerner and Fox,are still there,that is all the continuity we need ….ha,ha.
I see our U21s got smashed last night.Grealish and CNZ both played I believe.
I can’t see the link you put up Mark.
FIrst of all, I am not a “doomer” Paul , far from it. I judge from the facts before me and what I see and if that is that someone isn’t doing their job well (ie Lambert) or that I think a decision is risky then I will say it – it doesn’t make me negative. Our criticisms of Lambert turned out to be justified and thank goodness the board finally saw sense.
TIm SHerwood now has an opportunity to put the reservations about his appointment to bed . He is our new manager and I will support him and hope that he is the gem that we have been searching for . Yes , he does communicate better Lambert and he is starting fresh his enthusiasm is there for all to see – maybe we wouldn’t have seen that with an older more experienced manager. He doesn’t have the experience in relegation battles that some of the others have and it is for him to convince our players that he can lead them out of this mess. So much better than the battle weary and defeated former manager. And yes, Fox will be enjoying alll the press attention which is good for the club. It is good to see a positive vibe and just shows what a change in manager can do for the immediate feel good factor. I like the fact that he recognises we do have good players and that he really believes he can get the best out of them. He is confident and it will be his way or the highway I suspect. Let’s hope that he does listen to advice and doesn’t fall into the same trap as Lambert did and sweep out too many of the good AV staff and traditions.
Baggies will be immense – and we can have something to look forward to again !!!
Marshall being shown the door is no loss – I can’t wait to see who Tim brings in now.
Jenny: I can’t see the link you put up Mark.
I’ve just written direct to Mark pointing out there’s a problem with direct OS links.
When pasted as Mark did it means that you have to copy and paste the entire link into your browser – the direct link function doesn’t work.
Or you can use this: OS link
I’ve explained to Mark what he needs to do in future.
Frem – that is good to hear that we won’t get the “we were excellent” though there will be less material for the comedians now and I will miss the “Benteke was world class – he got into the box – admittedly to tie his shoe laces but it was world class never the less” It is interesting that he is saying that he will take the rap if the players do well and we lose – one of the criticisms of the spurs fans of him was that he publicly blamed his players (I do remember that – and I thought he was treading on dangerous ground) I suppose he would say that they weren’t trying which is why he had to out them. It is a tricky one as the manager doesn’t want to publicly slate players, preferring to do it in the dresssing room. I reckon Lambert protected his players – and annoyingly – ultimately they let him down. BUt the honesty will be welcomed by all and I think that Tim Sherwood can capitolise on his post match conferences. I heard the other day that one of his post match conferences was the best the journalist had ever heard (not the one where he put the players under the bus though) as he actually put detail into where they had gone wrong. This is all the fans want to hear – a realistic appraisal – and an intelligent analysis of where it went wrong, why it went wrong and most importantly – what we are going to work on. It is so easy and yet so few managers do this.
Thank you John – being taught ICT from the boss !
JL
Continuity is fine when things are going ok or well, we are in the bottom 3 for a reason and I can’t see the point in hanging on to coaching staff who clearly aren’t up to standard, or who Sherwood doesn’t trust, as long as he has his own staff coming I’m sure it’s no great loss.
Steamer
The baggies fans are really looking forward to these games as they see a real opportunity to rub some salt into our wounds. Sandwell is the epicentre of dole culture , and these fucktards will be cashing in their cheques and coming to B6 dressed in carrier bags and eating bags of broken biscuits, whilst I don’t hate them like they hate us, I like to wind them right up at work, telling them it’s not a real Derby we hate blues, that I look at their club in the same light as the Saddlers( hence we used the Hawthorns whilst VP was being done up for pre season/cup games), and generally laugh at their love of sleeping with close blood relations and the family pet. There come backs are usually borrowed from noses, they even started calling us the Historians FC same as the vermin tried.
Make no mistake though, we will do well to beat them twice in a week, Pulis has got them firing in all departments.
Glad Marshall has gone. Dint need a man who needs to ask Lambert for advice
Jenny- I can guarantee the Villa fans we will finish in the bottom 5 ( or was it bottom3)
Can’t believe I’m negative now either Jen, especially as I was being called a happy clapper before 🙂 makes a change I suppose. TS has got steamer clapping and that’s good enough for me.
One thing that seems suspect to me is how our style changed as Lamberts AMs changed, methinks he lent a little to heavily on others. After reading marshals pre match I’m suprised lambert didn’t top himself.
My take on TS is he is here more by luck than judgement, he’s been chosen because Tom knows him and not to suit a criteria in line with the clubs ethos but We don’t have one, if TS is capable of bringing that about fare play to him I hope he does. So far I like what he’s said he seems sane
I suppose I should say something like you’ll all regret the day he came or TS out or I would of got away with it if it wasn’t for those pesky kids, can’t be arsed.
Sorry about the link it’s usually ones linked to the official site that don’t work sometimes as this one didn’t.
As soon as marshal bigged up lambert I knew he was gone as much as he got us defending ok it’s time for someone else
Jen,
I would not class you as doom monger,as you always balance what you say with a clear explanation of how you see the facts, which may err on the cautious, and that is good.
Pleased to see that you are appreciating that he is being much more honest and direct, and agree that it would be pointless to retain Marshall, who was too closely allied to Lambert.
I am sure that he will be good for us, if he only sweeps away all the negativity that Lambert brought upon himself and the club.
Still in an amazed state that all we wished for, has now started to come true, it is almost like the fall of the Berlin Wall and watching Villa fans pulling it down brick by brick…..
Lambert apparently failed to turn up for a Board meeting on Thursday, and that is why Fox had to sack him over the phone….and tell the cheque is in the post…LOL>..!!!
What ever i think of ts it’s bloody nice not having Lambo at the helm. Makes me cringe thinking about the stuff he used to say. Positivity could soon be shot down with a defeat to stoke!
Sherwood is certainly decisive, we’ve dawdled along for too long now. TS has obviously got a coach(es) lined up, no doubt their a lot better than the last lot, when you consider we had IC,GK and SM its a wonder we.re not in Lge 1 by now.
Jen,
Watching the game on Sunday and one of the lads showed S75 that Paul Reid ( Lambert ) clip on his phone, he curled up, thought he was having a thrombo.
Andrew,
A veil of gloom departs, no doubt he’ll get other jobs in football but folk have seen him operate now so they won’t be top level and i doubt if he’ll last long in the ones that he does get. He’ll probably go back to Scotland someday to manage Celtic or more likely the national team, i hope he fails in every job he gets.
not so sure about the got them lined up bit steamer he was after this chap.
“He was linked with Swindon number two Luke Williams but has ruled out a move.”
Sherwood told the Birmingham Mail: “He’s at Swindon and is in a five-year contract. You’ll never get him out. It’s a non-starter.”
Looking good on the BCFC front, anyone want to buy a car park in Small Heath ?
More cockeerrrnnneees as coaches please Tim,we all know how much Steamer would lave that san,just lave it,would leave a warm glow in his strawberry tart.
How about Danny Dyer as our Press Officer?
Steamer
It will become a sewage works I believe.they are half way there already when you consider the amount of sheisse that enters that place every couple of weeks
So second guess a team for Stoke? I’m gonna go for…….
GK Given
LB Cissoko
CB Clark
CB Vlaar
RB Hutton
CM Sanchez
CM Delph
LM Sinclair
RM Bacuna
No.10 Gil
ST Benteke
I’m just looking at our squad and can’t figure out why we’re in this mess…
Can TS get a game out of Zoggy like he did Adebayor? Will Clark’s passion get him in ahead of Okore’s brutishness? Can TS find the Delph who used to score screamers for fun at Leeds? Most importantly can he find a way to bring back the BEAST?
I read on Twitter that Sherwood has asked Sherringham to be his No.2… but haven’t seen anything else… Anybody heard anything of who TS wants to bring in?
Teddy is the forward`s coach at WH,I think he would jump ship because Sam could be gone in the summer,and Teddy would lose his job.
Graham
I like that team,but I have a hunch he will start Cleverly.
Thats a nice team, wouldn’t complain with that line up.
Our leader flew in from the colonies this morning, flying out again this avvo, nice of him to take in a game, suspect he thinks he’s a security risk.
Tim Sherwood and Teddy Sheringham! 🙂
TS squared?
B6B,
They who mock shall burn in hell.
Hope he can tell the difference between Ted and Tony Cascarino.
Lamberk has been invited to dortmund
Zorc was captain when they won the EC.
i like that John… lol….
Id love teddy involved, instant respect from players.
Steamer haha i reckon Lambert will follow the likes of peter reid and manage in thailand or summin.
Gog that’s the team I picked last week and I’ve got a patent pending on it 😉
wonder what jellied eel pie will be like when it takes over from the balti and a nice pint of Laanndaaan Pride, served by a pearly queen wiv a brummy accent strooof
interesting read
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/tim-sherwood-aston-villas-new-5179130?
might have to drop sanchez Graham
Carlos Sanchez
During Les Ferdinand’s time as a coach at Tottenham, he said: “I don’t like holding midfield players… the worst thing that happened in this league was Claude Makelele… what we’ve done is produce a crop of players who don’t want to go over the halfway line, who don’t want to pass over the halfway line and are happy to just sit in front of the back four,” stating that his manager Sherwood agreed.
Mark,
In all fairness I’ve seen Sanchez go forward quite a bit, and send in one or two of the best shots on goal I’ve seen this season … so I don’t know whether he should fit the description given.
Mark,
Is their such a thing as :a nice pint of London Pride ?
Les Ferdinand makes me laugh, total nobody, i remember him playing for Southam vs Halesowen in the FA Trophy Final, terrible, just another overrated Cockenee. Perfect example of how crepe English footy is, when they opened the football museum in Preston they had a statue made, Charlton, Moore, Law, Best ? no, Les ‘Mr.Mediocre’ Ferdinand, now that is ‘unbelievable Jeff’.
JL,
I would say Sanchez is the best option by far for holding mf ( sorry Les ), apart from the Arsenal game i think he’s contributed more than TC or AW.
Mark – Correct. Unusually for The Daily Mirror, that is an interesting article.
It tells the whole story of why Lerner was so enamoured with Lambert in one sentence:
“apparently reducing the wage bill from about 80 per cent of turnover to 50-60 per cent.”
He picked up a team that narrowly avoided relegation whilst achieving the above and continuing to avoid relegation.
Lambert had some money to spend this season, albeit modest. Enough for us to be improving on last seasons 15th for sure.
With that looking unlikely and with some good upcoming fixtures, the timing of his departure was bang on.
Sherwood is exactly the right character to take over. Is he good enough as a manager long term? Who cares as long as we stay up. Staying up is everything this season.
Ian
get over to England quickly !!! JD,s on his way over to Canada . the poor fucks wont know whats hit em!!!
as l said in the pub sunday , lm not going overboard with the appointment , lm just going to wait and see whether he keeps us up and what happens next season , thankfully the nasty fuck Dewar agrees with me , and thankfully because of brain injury suffered lm at a loss at who this lamberk bloke was , l got this gut feeling l didnt like him ,
Steamer we got 1 ticket left for Chris’s fight saturday . 99 gone . also next fight is at the NIA in april , if any of you Brum are lads/lasses are interested ,
also steamer join Facebook there’s some great gags about the tesco bags going around , and you will have 2 friends , me and JD,
and dont fucking call me a doomer
hiya Jenny xxx gift wrapped the axe for you xxx
Steamer – “Is their such a thing as :a nice pint of London Pride”
No. It’s typically southern piss. Nowhere beats The Black Country for beer. Bathams is the one and my local in the Jewellery Quarter serves it.
I pay £2.80 for it in The Black Country at lunchtime and £4.10 for it in Brum. I don’t care. I’d rather pay £5 for a good pint than £2 for a pint of piss.
Steamer – on Sanchez…
I wasn’t really saying he’s not a good “holding midfielder” … I was responding to the suggestion that such a player doesn’t go over the halfway line. Sanchez does.
When anyone else logs in, does it just go onto a blank screen ?
Anyway, I like the fact Sherwood agrees with limited Defensive mids. I don think Sanchez will last long a) because of the pace of the system we will play and b) I don’t think he could be a box to box centre mid
Delph suits it down to the ground. Even Clev might Improve. Westwood to. I think any of those 3 could play in a 442 and interchange in between who breaks forward
Droid
I liked to throw a few Bathams down when I pop down to Stourbridge , The Lord Clifden in the JQ does some nice ales, and there’s a few decent boozers in town, the OCs, Brew Dog, Purity bar etc that do some nice Ales and some nice bespoke lagers.
ST75 no bargain deaders though!!!
When Chris,s fight at the NIA??
I like Sanchez folks its Les that doesn’t! I only posted it as Claude Makelele is Sanchez’s favourite player. I know who is a box to box CM Gary gardener.
TS love in
http://www.astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=7518236
the forgotten ones
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4492760,00.html?
B62
will get the date mate ,, also l use the Craven arms off blucher street and gough street, never came out of there sober. )) weds you can take your own cheese in and they supply the crackers , guess what steamer took ?? a box of Dairy Lea triangles!!! ,
yes Frem same here with logging on, TC said hello , on that extension in about 2 weeks , waiting on a kitchen island to be sorted ,
is anyone else using that App Viber on their phones free calls and texts worldwide ??
Mark,
Can you P*l*e*a*s*e post those OS links in usable way! 😉
… forget it, I’ll do it meself… OS link
Agree about Sanchez John, i was just saying i’d rather have him in the team than the other pair and as you say, he gets forward when he can.
Some good pubs in Brum now with a good choice of beers, the OC’s is bang on,
Remember Yates’ Wine Lodge in Corpo Street ? used to finish off there with a few Docks and trip over the alcies on the way out. All the old pubs now have daft names and no spittoons and they call it progress.
Any appointment is a gamble, and badges or otherwise, if TS can get Villa playing anywhere near some of the potential that is there, then we will be fine.
I do wonder about what happens next season though, will Randy sell, we we see yet more change at Villa, another period of rebuilding and restructuring?
If anyone has seen Bent’s ‘goal’ for Derby? His a*se happened to be in the way and it deflected it in!
DB isn’t the answer for us, replacing Kozak should have been a priority for PL, and he didn’t do it. Benteke injured, Gabby and Wiemann doing what they do (plenty of industry, not many goals) and a midfield about as comfortable in front of goal as Ronny Rosen-miss, it’s no wonder we went backwards.
Still makes me smile
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiVq5-u7MH0
gog
like team and for sanchez we are playing stoke where you have to match them size wise thats one reason couldn t understand team against hull no sanchez benteke
football today you need big men at goalie centre back centre midfield centre forward look at chelsea
westwood too small light to have any effect in pl
sorry John not had chance to look at e-mail as you say you can cut and paste and they work fine
bent not in TS’s plans
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4492760,00.html?
if lerner had got fox or someone like at the start would we be mess we are in by the look off it fox couldnt sack lambert unless we where in bottom 3 and maybe we got lucky it didn t happen 6/7matches down the line
Mark,
Come on, man, it’s very easy code … please don’t do a Benteke and get disheartened! 😉
James,
You’re very right.
The club has been in a state of wilfull neglect these past few years …
John you try it on your phone while cooking you old silver surfer 😉
Mark,
And I thought you were capable of multi-tasking! … So it *is* only women that can multi-task…
steamer i got a blue peter badge back in the day what the fu ck do they matter the only place they matter is in the cubs and scouts
am going with the boys on sat where you drink will meet up after if you aint cumin
JD,
Going to Wolverhampton for the cage fighting on the night mate, i’ll let you know where we’re going for a gargle before we go, if not drop S75 a facebook with yer email address on.
So yer off to Canada then ? Ian Gibson on here lives there and sends some photo’s on email, stunning place, you should have a great time.
Mark Robson new coach then.
Absolutely distraught with the news about BCFC, i think we should organise some sort of financial assistance for them, who can we laugh at if they go bump ?
jesus we love Norwich steamer, wonder if they can give some of their old kit aswell
Frem – I get the blank screen when I log on recently – have to refresh to get to the home page.
Andrew – Peter Reid didn’t last long out here. Peter Withe coached both the Indonesian and Thai National squads and has worked his way down to near the bottom of the Thai Premier League and then coached a team near the bottom of the Thai second tier.
http://www.espnfc.com/blog/football-asia/153/post/2129056/former-thai-coach-peter-withe-i-want-to-manage-villa
Whoops !!!!!
Darren Bent 6 goals in the same no of weeks – but no recall clause in the loan contract . Who cares how he scores them. Whoever masterminded that loan contract will be rather unpopular if Darren Bent’s goals get Derby up and our lack of them take us down. I really hope that Tim can get Teckers scoring because this is starting to look very much like Karma with the Lambert Bent fall out.
As it is now out in the open that it was a stand off on the training ground which was basically down to Neanderthal coaching methods designed to humiliate and deflate the opposite of motivation and good leadership .
Whilst it may make some of the fans feel better that Sherwood is “going to kick arse”after the abysmal showings by the players , I hope and am sure that he has more sophisticated training methods of building their self confidence (currently on the floor) and getting the team’a mojo back . I doubt he got Adebeyor scoring by being aggressive towards him.
I also see the media (Nursery ) have rolled up on the “kick arse ” bandwagon too. This would be pointless at 13 cup finals to go – as the old saying goes ” use a stick you get donkeys ” I am all for honesty and the players taking responsibility – but let’s have less of the bully boy tactics after the Lambert Ira. Tim Sherwood has to be a leader they want to fight for , believe in and who they will go that extra mile for.
One of the things in his favour is that he has come from Spurs . I suspect Lambert felt insecure about coming from a much lesser club Norwich – which may have been behind his decision to “stamp his authority on the bigger egos ” with the bizarre treatment of the bomb squad .
You never know – maybe he can get Nzogbia back to the player he was at Wigan! Now that would be amazing .
St75 – keep the axe gift wrapped for the next one of Tori’s cocky little bleeders – mission completed for the last one without physical violence 🙂
Will be cutting carrots with it when her next BF calls – subtle hint 🙂 xx
well put Jen.
In the end Lambert’s failure to develop Bent and Benteke into a fearsome attacking force, has been his downfall. interesting that Ricky Lambert is now coming out and saying that it was very close, and not enough time, over his move to Villa.
Is this a sign in the right direction, that players will, once more, want to play for Villa, now that Lambert has gone, and Sherwood has arrived
Lambert scored 35 goals in 574 professional club games and 1 in 40 games for Scotland, i’d say that those figures are diabolical for a MF and a good indication of his ideas of MF play. When you consider that 534 games were for a dominant team in a joke league in Scotland then that makes it even worse, the blokes career is built on dodgy foundations.
PP,
I think it is, he was found out, thats why he signed lower division and foreign players, a genuine ‘name’ player would see him for what he is … a phoney.
As Jenny stated, Lamberts personal dislike for Bent could cost us our EPL position, no doubt if we are relegated someone will interview him and ask if he’d have kept us up, we all know what his reply will be.
It wouldn’t surprise me if TS told Zog to lose a stone and then gave him a chance in whatever position he regards as his best, does anyone know what it is because there’s a good player there somewhere.
Agreed Steamer,
Good watching interviews on AVTV just now with Bacuna and Sinclair. Get the feeling Bacuna knew he was going to be subbed in front of the new manager, and made sure, he put in that bit extra to get in a good position and get a good shot in, which obviously worked. Westwood’s interview, perhaps the most interesting, saying that the training yesterday with Tim, was electric. Agreed with Woodward that he owed a lot to Lambert , but it is time to move on with Tim now….None of them seemed to be to bothered about Lambert going, and of course JW is now full on TIM..!! Meant to ask you boys, is JW related to Eric Woodward, who used to be the Mail sports correspondent in the days when me, JL and Steamer were young men..!! When that tw*t Tony Butler used to be the commentator for BRMB.
JD
saw your comment to Vancouver on TVB , if your doing the Rockies train , have a word with steve hickman , he did that the year l went , but l drove , flew calgary , then spent 2 weeks driving to Banff, jasper , lake louise went up the BC glacier , lake malighn ,then onto miniwanker (sww birthplace ) then spent a week in toronto obviously Niagara Falls which when you walk into the town its Blackpool you can drive over the bridge into New york state but the customs on the USA side are arseholes , now you can access my F/B ,look in my photos , theres loads , driving you get up close to the wildlife , steve did see a bear but on the train its minuets , driving you just pull over and observe , saw loads of bears ,elks , cougar , gophers (sww again) and in the distance saw a moose , thought it was coog walking away , you wont want to come home , my daughter is going over this year to stay with a mate she made over there then she will be over here for a week ,hope to go over soon , and possibly meet up with Ian , have a good un mate , see you giving Coog stick , skin deep !! its about a foot deep with him lol
PP,
Nah … Jack Westwood is a Sheffield lad and a Wednesday supporter. Got a degree in history but got into media by some obscure route.
Sorry, Jack Woodward I meant, not Westwood.
jen where is this common knowledge coming from as I haven’t seen anything like that? falling out with a couple of senior players is understandable, it happens, but the bomb squad? cant see it especially as nzog, mutton and given still play, even bent was given run outs pre season. I think Lambert and Ireland had some tension and bent but not in some vindictive way its all about the wages for me.
sids new old mate 🙂
http://www.astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=7518252
Steamer, Bure was a forward with the Vancouver Canucks. He scored goals like there was no tomorrow. His father was an Olympic swimmer who went to the 72 games.
John Doyle–are you coming to the far west? Let me know and I will try to meet up with you if I can. There are a couple of beers here you will like.
Im definitely starting to clap again with a new manager. Well one hand has started. GOG the team you posted yesterday is a good one and like you I wonder why Villa are having so much trouble. Well I do–Lambert. He had them second guessing themselves for months. They won’t go down but boy they are making it miserable.
I think all this badges stuff is a load of bullshine. It’s just another level of beaurocracy skimming a bunch of money from people who don’t have a hope in hell of coaching at a level beyond schoolyard ball. Why else would pro footballers get a pass of some sort? Either you have it or you don’t. It’s a head game first and foremost between player and coach. Skills and such are already in place they just need fine tuning for the most part. A proper fitness regemen is needed but you don’t need a coach for that.
Excuse the spelling.
Sure Bent can score but how many goals have been against Villa because Bent was person non grata in the defensive end.
He belonged in a team that has everything. Like putting a wind speed indicator on your car–nice but practically useless.
Ian you nuts !!! steamer warn him about JD )))
Badges to say your a coach , bloody con
just like Part P in the electrical game . l was paying over £500 a year to have someone young buck just out of college telling me l was a spark , used to run rings round him , but who was the mug ? explained to him how to get round the certification and even got star letter in Professional Electrician , but l did get a nice little framed certificate )
I got a lot of badges when I was a cub. Will those do? Or how about the ones that come in a box of Corn Flakes?
A certificate? Wow. We got computer printed bits of paper signed by arseholes when we completed courses in the Fire Department.
Ian- show off, most people only get one certificate and they don’t get to see that! unless you count NDE’s
NDE’s?
Yeah, and all the bits of paper were quality fax stock
near death experience
Shabby to be out the season
Hopefully sold in the summer to
Great news
Or maybe not.
Sounds like he might be fit to continue putting in those class performances
steamers both of you why should you warn Ian about me i am a very placid gentle man compared to you pair of nutters s75 as for cog an he don’t change and will look at photos have had a large bet on winning sat and for us to finish in top 10 at 8 to 1 come on you lions at last
Agree with the comments relating to the resurgence in feelings for the club in just over a week! Just shows how down we all were under the reign of he who can’t be named……….
Think TS will get the majority of the players to show something like their true potential by letting them play a more flowing game and also letting them know exactly what he requires from them as individual players. Was it just me or did Cleverley seem to be a much better player in the 2nd half against Leicester – a player who could play a part in our future?
If TS can get the best from the beast and also get players like Bacuna and Sinclair playing their part, we wont have to rely on winegum and flabby ………… and add in Gil, maybe Grealish and a cohesive midfield (which I’m sure we have) ……. then maybe we will reach safety along with progress in THAT cup ……..
How we tackle Stoke will be so important …… along with the result obviously ….
Onwards and upwards ………
Manager Mark Hughes already has Bojan Krkic out for the season and Ryan Shawcross out for the short-term future.
Erik Pieters, Marc Wilson, Stephen Ireland, Peter Crouch and Jon Walters have also all been struggling to train ahead of Saturday’s match with Aston Villa.
And now Muniesa, who pulled up as Blackburn Rovers broke to score the third goal in their 4-1 FA Cup win last Saturday, has been forced into the busy physio room at the Britannia.
Lets hope we put on a good show against the Potters.
On the managerial experience front, there has been precedent where an inexperienced manager was appointed – and hasn’t Garry Monk done well at Swansea? I know he played with most of the players and knew their good and bad points but he has gelled new players into the squad.
Garry Rowett had only Burton Albion managerial experience but he has pulled Blues out of the mire.