Michael Bailey confirms: Smith offered job.

[Capt. Pants 4,194]

1 hour ago, Cantiaci Canary said:

Smith's starting eleven:

Krul

Williams.Gibson.Andy,Max.

Normann.Gilmour.

Rashica.Cantwell.Tzolis.

Goat.

Let's Go!

I like that but Smith prefers 4-3-3 so unless you're thinking Cantwell in midfield then that won't happen.

Replace Tzolis with either McLean or PLM.

 

[benchwarmer 624]

Fact is, we have little to lose whoever we appoint.  My only real concern is whether it's too soon for Dean Smith after leaving Villa.  He's in the rebound phase and is very likely to be a bit burned out.  When you've been dumped by a long term partner and go straight into another relationship, it seldom ends well.  With no time to recharge and relegation already on the cards, I don't envy him.

Edited November 13, 2021 by benchwarmer

[benchwarmer 624]

1 hour ago, ricardo said:

Its more like a drowning man clutching at a passing straw.

Do you mean NCFC or Dean Smith?  Or both.

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,421]

Actually after a walk into the fine city , a coffee and sandwich I am now completely convinced that Smudger was our first choice all the way along and will be great for the Club and keep us up. 
 

Doesn't make a lot of difference to me anyway. I’ll be at the Southampton game and the Spurs game . I’d watch a team of dancing dogs if they wear yellow . 

[Dixie Deehan 3]

2 hours ago, Monty13 said:

So he’s only as good as his last 5 games? 

Lets be honest, whatever is or isn't happening at Villa, they'll be nowhere near the bottom 3 come the end of the season...

[Inch High aka Inchy.. 405]

3 hours ago, 1902 said:

Managerial stats are absolute garbage without context. I'm pretty sure I could get a 50% win rate if given man city in the premier league. I could also comfortably manage the worst team in history if given Dean Smith's Villa from last season, even with Grealish.

If we are playing the stats game then Farke would be a classic example, he had the best squad in the division last year and he made them into one of the best Championship sides in history, he also had one of the worst this season and despite being talented still couldn't shape them into anything.

And Smith was doing at Villa exactly what we sacked Farke for.

[Inch High aka Inchy.. 405]

3 hours ago, TheBaldOne66 said:

You mean the stats that are actually BETTER than Farke’s? 
 

How is winning only 6 games in 49 by Farke better than Smiths record?

please do explain.

Because he'd just hit the same run Farke was already on, losing consecutive games. How is that an upgrade? And how could anybody see this appointment as a positive thing?

 

[Inch High aka Inchy.. 405]

3 hours ago, king canary said:

So what do Farke's managerial stats say?

That he has a better win ratio than Smiths.

[Indy_Bones 441]

8 minutes ago, Inch High aka Inchy.. said:

That he has a better win ratio than Smiths.

Not in the PL he doesn't, and I'm not even a fan of Dean Smith, but let's not ignore facts here.

 

[1902 1,167]

39 minutes ago, Inch High aka Inchy.. said:

And Smith was doing at Villa exactly what we sacked Farke for.

Except he wasn't, he lost 5 on the trot. Farke had 2 points in about 20 premier league games.

Also that's irrelevant, because a reset was clearly needed at both clubs. 

[robertociNCFC 98]

Like all managers before him, he will get my full support when he starts. I truly hope that under him we can kick on in the Premier League and at least have a fight of it this season.

[yellowrider120 761]

4 hours ago, Alex Moss said:

There is also the distinct possibility that our first choice became second choice the moment Smith became available. I’m guessing no ones considered that.

Smith, excellent at Brentford, turns a club in Villa with huge expectancy levels into play off winners from mid table obscurity, and has kept Villa up in his 2 full seasons with the club.

Craig Shakespeare - Premier League winner with the biggest underdogs to ever win the league.

On that evidence, I won’t be upset at this appointment.

Excellent points.

I'm sure that at Leicester he real guy behind their title win was NOT Ranieri but Shakespeare. Ranieri was salivated over by the London media but the players didn't rate him.  

[city4eva 207]

If this is true, I am  hugely disappointed in the club..I guess time will tell though

[WD40 720]

A positive on Smith is he has a bang up to date understanding of the other prem teams this year, their squad and tactics. Knutsen and Lampard would have to get to grips with the latest. 

[kenfoggo 247]

Has Smith actually accepted the job offer? What does the expert M. Bailey say?