Dean Smith has just been interviewed for the job..

[Cantiaci Canary 557]

Literally the ONLY reason Lampard is favoured by some supporters over Smith is because he's famous.

Ask yourself - IF Lampard had been an average footballer, let's say a Southampton stalwart, would you REALLY still think he's a better option than Smith?

This guy has grafted his way to the top league winning trophies and plaudits on the way. 

Both for a relegation dogfight and likely promotion push next season Smith is by far the stronger candidate and unlike Lampard I'm pretty certain he would eventually leave us stronger than he finds us.

People are blinded by celebrity shine but it's substance we need.

[Google Bot 3,278]

27 minutes ago, thebigfeller said:

So Mr Smith: our last manager was useless without Emi Buendia. You were even useless with Emi Buendia, so what can you offer us exactly?

Consistency?

[Capt. Pants 4,234]

25 minutes ago, Cantiaci Canary said:

Literally the ONLY reason Lampard is favoured by some supporters over Smith is because he's famous.

Ask yourself - IF Lampard had been an average footballer, let's say a Southampton stalwart, would you REALLY still think he's a better option than Smith?

This guy has grafted his way to the top league winning trophies and plaudits on the way. 

Both for a relegation dogfight and likely promotion push next season Smith is by far the stronger candidate and unlike Lampard I'm pretty certain he would eventually leave us stronger than he finds us.

People are blinded by celebrity shine but it's substance we need.

I don't think that's the reason at all. I'd prefer it wasn't Smith simply because I can't see where he is any better than Farke.

He cannot possibly have been at the top of our wanted list as Farke was sacked first. I was hoping Webber had some sort of plan, and a replacement all lined up of the quality of Favre or Knutsen, but apparently not.

 

[Jeremy Pymer 6]

I wonder, did Mr Webber ask the NCFC needlework department to sew the initials FL, DS and KK on separate sets of managers' apparel when the shortlist was agreed, or does he appoint and then get them to work overtime this weekend?  Hope the last one doesn't get an extra K on it by mistake, otherwise disaster follows.

In the absence of any announcement, but also in the presence of red herrings, continuing uncertainty and repeated general misinformation, I couldn't think of anything worthwhile to say.

But I said it anyway.

Edited November 11, 2021 by Jeremy Pymer

[duke63 542]

Dean Smith's win ratio at Villa is 43%, worse than Lampards at Chelsea and the same as his at Derby.

[VillaFan 118]

Villa Fan in Peace

The manager merry go round is in full swing. A few thoughts on Dean...

He is great at developing a good atmosphere and culture in the club and with the fans. He can play some lovely football but equally he can get a little lost at times. He likes 4-3-3 and has played that with us from the start but this season just before our 5 game losing streak he switched to 3-5-2 and it really didn't suit him. A lot of Villa fans suggest this was to try and fit both Watkins and Ings into the same team and it just doesn't work as it forced him to play Emi out of positions. Villa lost both out assistant coaches this summer and our Dir of Football and there are rumours that Ings was bought behind his back and he was instructed to play him. Not sure how true that is but there was something wrong there and I wouldn't completely hold Dean accountable for the poor form this season. But he was the manager and this is how football works. Personally, I think he would be a great fit for Norwich. You are a proper football club and that is where he is in his comfort zone. He wouldn't suit City or United etc.

As regards Lampard v Smith. When we were in the Championship and Derby were there we had one season under Smith. We beat Frank's Derby 4-0, 3-0 and then 2-1 in the Play Off final. 

If you do get Smith, Richard O Kelly is the man u want by his side. He was with him at Bees and Villa took him with Smith. He is a very good coach and as I said, he left Villa just before this season kicked off

[1902 1,167]

56 minutes ago, duke63 said:

Dean Smith's win ratio at Villa is 43%, worse than Lampards at Chelsea and the same as his at Derby.

Except Derby were supposed to be promotion prospects and Chelsea top 4. Villa were not expected to be in the top 25% of the division.

[PurpleCanary 5,562]

1 hour ago, Cantiaci Canary said:

Literally the ONLY reason Lampard is favoured by some supporters over Smith is because he's famous.

Ask yourself - IF Lampard had been an average footballer, let's say a Southampton stalwart, would you REALLY still think he's a better option than Smith?

This guy has grafted his way to the top league winning trophies and plaudits on the way. 

Both for a relegation dogfight and likely promotion push next season Smith is by far the stronger candidate and unlike Lampard I'm pretty certain he would eventually leave us stronger than he finds us.

People are blinded by celebrity shine but it's substance we need.

Exactly. Some poster made the point that if shown Lampard's record blind, not knowing whose it was, you would not pick him.

[The Great Mass Debater 1,090]

2 hours ago, Cantiaci Canary said:

Literally the ONLY reason Lampard is favoured by some supporters over Smith is because he's famous.

Ask yourself - IF Lampard had been an average footballer, let's say a Southampton stalwart, would you REALLY still think he's a better option than Smith?

This guy has grafted his way to the top league winning trophies and plaudits on the way. 

Both for a relegation dogfight and likely promotion push next season Smith is by far the stronger candidate and unlike Lampard I'm pretty certain he would eventually leave us stronger than he finds us.

People are blinded by celebrity shine but it's substance we need.

 

Totally agree. Anyone know why this forum limits reactions?!

[The Great Mass Debater 1,090]

27 minutes ago, VillaFan said:

Villa Fan in Peace

The manager merry go round is in full swing. A few thoughts on Dean...

He is great at developing a good atmosphere and culture in the club and with the fans. He can play some lovely football but equally he can get a little lost at times. He likes 4-3-3 and has played that with us from the start but this season just before our 5 game losing streak he switched to 3-5-2 and it really didn't suit him. A lot of Villa fans suggest this was to try and fit both Watkins and Ings into the same team and it just doesn't work as it forced him to play Emi out of positions. Villa lost both out assistant coaches this summer and our Dir of Football and there are rumours that Ings was bought behind his back and he was instructed to play him. Not sure how true that is but there was something wrong there and I wouldn't completely hold Dean accountable for the poor form this season. But he was the manager and this is how football works. Personally, I think he would be a great fit for Norwich. You are a proper football club and that is where he is in his comfort zone. He wouldn't suit City or United etc.

As regards Lampard v Smith. When we were in the Championship and Derby were there we had one season under Smith. We beat Frank's Derby 4-0, 3-0 and then 2-1 in the Play Off final. 

If you do get Smith, Richard O Kelly is the man u want by his side. He was with him at Bees and Villa took him with Smith. He is a very good coach and as I said, he left Villa just before this season kicked off

 

Why was Smith sacked do you feel? Do you consider Gerrard's appointment progress?

[VillaFan 118]

7 minutes ago, The Great Mass Debater said:

 

Why was Smith sacked do you feel? Do you consider Gerrard's appointment progress?

The bottom line is that the results were not good enough. There will be other factors i.e. the amount we spent but also from a footballing perspective he simply couldn't get Emi, Ings and Watkins to play in the same team. Watkins and Ings both play the same role so one of them had to lose there place. But rather than put one on the bench he changed formation from 433 to 352. So instead of 1 central striker (which we had for the last 3 years) we now had two strikers. And then he went and put Emi sitting in behind them as a number 10. He had players playing out of position and with the change in formation from 4 at the back to 3 CBs and 2 wing back we exposed that our full backs (Targett and Cash) are not up to playing as wingbacks, particularly Targett. Add to that we lost our best player and it all went to ****. Once u get into that situation it is very difficult to get out of it. 

Yes if Dean was a better manager he would have fixed it but it was a huge task, he was under massive pressure and he is not Conte or Pep. But he is a very decent manager and a man that fans will very quickly become very fond of. He also tried to buy Rashica so he will be very familiar with him and obviously sees something in him. I think you guys could do an awful lot worse that Dean and if you go down this year u have a manager that knows the Championship and has won promotion from it. 

[The Great Mass Debater 1,090]

5 minutes ago, VillaFan said:

 And then he went and put Emi sitting in behind them as a number 10.

 

A lot of us wanted this tried with Emi here. Emi is officially a right winger, but thats not his game really. Surprisingly he comes deep, is fantastic defensively for a slight guy (google his tackling stats) and his major asset is his playmaking from deep - so much of Pukki's goals came from him. He added goals to his game last season so maybe he could play as a number 10, but then you'd lose his contribution deeper on the pitch and he'd be involved less in the games.

[VillaFan 118]

1 minute ago, The Great Mass Debater said:

 

A lot of us wanted this tried with Emi here. Emi is officially a right winger, but thats not his game really. Surprisingly he comes deep, is fantastic defensively for a slight guy (google his tackling stats) and his major asset is his playmaking from deep - so much of Pukki's goals came from him. He added goals to his game last season so maybe he could play as a number 10, but then you'd lose his contribution deeper on the pitch and he'd be involved less in the games.

Yeah, I can see Emi as a 10 but if u are changing formation and putting players in the wrong positions up front and you are on a losing run then the penny should drop that he should play players where they have more experience to get a few points on the board and may try Emi as a number 10 at later stage. Villa squad is unbalanced. We have too many attacking players of quality and not enough in the middle of the park. 

[Highland Canary 76]

Although I would have stuck with Farke, Smith at least has a championship promotion to his name which is key for our context. Can’t see Lampard ticks many boxes at all.

[Alex Moss 2,165]

9 hours ago, Cantiaci Canary said:

Literally the ONLY reason Lampard is favoured by some supporters over Smith is because he's famous.

Ask yourself - IF Lampard had been an average footballer, let's say a Southampton stalwart, would you REALLY still think he's a better option than Smith?

This guy has grafted his way to the top league winning trophies and plaudits on the way. 

Both for a relegation dogfight and likely promotion push next season Smith is by far the stronger candidate and unlike Lampard I'm pretty certain he would eventually leave us stronger than he finds us.

People are blinded by celebrity shine but it's substance we need.

 

7 hours ago, PurpleCanary said:

Exactly. Some poster made the point that if shown Lampard's record blind, not knowing whose it was, you would not pick him.

Hi Purple and Cantiaci, pleased to see I’m not the only one who thinks along exactly the same lines here regarding Lampard. Someone had a meltdown when I suggested it too, well more than suggested it, as it’s obvious that there ARE some (not all) people that want Lampard as our coach simply for celebrideee status! Sorry but it’s the truth, I figured the angry reaction to that was simply a case of the truth hurting as otherwise there wouldn’t have been a response!

Btw Purple, yep, I pointed that out about Lampard - I feel strongly that this is quite true though, you take away Lampard’s name so people can only judge on what’s important (his managerial record to date), and then present said managerial record to the supporters without them having a clue who it is, and I’ll tell you now there would have been *uproar* from literally everyone if they were told by Webber that this is our new guy! But for whatever reason it’s suddenly all ok when it’s Frank Lampard because he’ll raise NCFC’s profile even if we’re losing!

[By Hook or Ian crook 917]

12 hours ago, Capt. Pants said:

Beggars belief really doesn't it.

I hope this is all wrong, particularly the bit about not even having spoken to Knutsen yet.

Smith got villa up and kept them up. Something Farke could not do with us. Some people only see what they want to see. Dean Smith is a very astute manager. 

[rock bus 851]

2 hours ago, By Hook or Ian crook said:

Smith got villa up and kept them up. Something Farke could not do with us. Some people only see what they want to see. Dean Smith is a very astute manager. 

But only by spending millions and millions more than us that season and thanks to the failure of the goal line camera. Without those points they’d have been relegated and back in a financial mess! Don’t think you’d be praising Smith then!

[Capt. Pants 4,234]

Caught the tail end of an item on 5 Live saying that Smith is off to New York to be re-united with his son/family. He might have more priorities at the moment.

Not sure what that means on context of the Norwich job.

[PurpleCanary 5,562]

3 hours ago, Alex Moss said:

 

Hi Purple and Cantiaci, pleased to see I’m not the only one who thinks along exactly the same lines here regarding Lampard. Someone had a meltdown when I suggested it too, well more than suggested it, as it’s obvious that there ARE some (not all) people that want Lampard as our coach simply for celebrideee status! Sorry but it’s the truth, I figured the angry reaction to that was simply a case of the truth hurting as otherwise there wouldn’t have been a response!

Btw Purple, yep, I pointed that out about Lampard - I feel strongly that this is quite true though, you take away Lampard’s name so people can only judge on what’s important (his managerial record to date), and then present said managerial record to the supporters without them having a clue who it is, and I’ll tell you now there would have been *uproar* from literally everyone if they were told by Webber that this is our new guy! But for whatever reason it’s suddenly all ok when it’s Frank Lampard because he’ll raise NCFC’s profile even if we’re losing!

Yes. There was a great quote a few days back - I am sure it was from an ex-player - who said the idea that a manager who'd been a top-class player would get extra respect in the dressing-room because of that was total guff. If it was there at all it would last only as long as the first training session.

[Jim Smith 2,317]

Dean Smith appears to currently be in New York judging by pictures posted by his son. So if an announcement is imminent, it appears unlikely it will be him! 

[The Engineer 16]

 

It seems as though Dean Smith may have been rather busy over the past couple of days travelling to New York - obviously I'm sure with today's world he could've fitted in a Zoom meeting but this doesn't look like a man about to take charge of another Premier League side over the weekend... Mind you, as has been reported on this board Frank is in Dubai at the moment so who knows!

 

For me, Sky Sports is reporting this (the Dean Smith interview) to try and stay relevant, try and break their own 'exclusives' because they've simply been pipped to the post by talks***e and need the clicks and views for some sort of credibility claim to hold the throne of sports news...