TeemuVanBasten 3,327 Posted October 29, 2022 No Dean, you were unemployed mate, remember? Aston Villa sacked you. 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unhinged Canary 375 Posted October 29, 2022 Yeah, I'm fairly confident it's impossible to be headhunted if you're unemployed. 🤦♂️ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Graham Paddons Beard 2,432 Posted October 29, 2022 I would also be reasonably certain he , or his agent , applied for the job when it became available . Not sure that qualifies as being headhunted. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A Load of Squit 5,170 Posted October 29, 2022 4 minutes ago, Graham Paddons Beard said: I would also be reasonably certain he , or his agent , applied for the job when it became available . Not sure that qualifies as being headhunted. At the time he said he was planning some time off and NCFC approached him but as you were there at the time we'll go with your version. 😀 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Branston Pickle 3,661 Posted October 29, 2022 I’ve always thought being headhunted is where an employer seeks you out, rather than you seeking them/applying, and it’s a moot point whether you’re currently in employment. At the time Webber said we approached him rather than the other way round, and that he had been looking forward to some time off. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Creative Midfielder 1,996 Posted October 29, 2022 (edited) Utterly delusional nonsense from Dean Smith, from start to finish. Edited October 29, 2022 by Creative Midfielder 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coneys Knee 962 Posted October 29, 2022 I’m firmly in the “Dean Smith was NOT our first choice” camp. However, I am certain I’ve read somewhere that Stuart Webber and one of the top brass at Aston Villa (maybe even the SD) are good friends on a personal level. Has anybody else got any recollection of this or am I dreaming it? If this is the case it wouldn’t be inconceivable that SW knew about Dean Smiths impending availability long before even Dean Smith knew. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danbury Yellow 126 Posted October 29, 2022 I mean, give the guy a break. I get the point he’s making, his teams did play decent football. Obviously, this team can play decent football too, but the mood of the team, fans, club is all negative right now. Why….because ‘what’s the point in getting promoted’, they / we can’t see past another season of pain. That needs fixing mentally with everyone, we need to feel, as a full collective, that the prem is where we belong, which is a super tough fix, any manager will have this same issue to sort….I’ve no idea how they resolve this very clear mental block. Out of interest, anyone seen the Arsenal documentary on Prime and like me, wondered if our club has anything like that kind of positive atmosphere behind the scenes? Would be interesting to see. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
astro 360 Posted October 29, 2022 Yeah, shame they only got his head and not the rest of him - we might actually get some body language other than the can’t be @rssed version we currently have. Maybe Webber fused Smith’s head on to soccerbot? 🤔 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TeemuVanBasten 3,327 Posted October 29, 2022 1 hour ago, Danbury Yellow said: I mean, give the guy a break. I get the point he’s making, his teams did play decent football. Brentford played some nice stuff, but Villa's only plan in the Championship was basically "give it to Grealish" and when he got injured they had a terrible run of form. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
City Stand Ultra 41 Posted October 29, 2022 2 hours ago, Branston Pickle said: I’ve always thought being headhunted is where an employer seeks you out, rather than you seeking them/applying, and it’s a moot point whether you’re currently in employment. At the time Webber said we approached him rather than the other way round, and that he had been looking forward to some time off. Normally a client organisation uses an executive search agency (the "head hunter" firm) to approach an employed candidate where the client organisation cannot approach directly. Over the years the term "head hunted" has been diluted by many people looking for a role to try to inflate their importance/rewrite the history of how they arrived in their current role. Deano was as free as a bird to speak to us so there was no "head hunting" If you google head hunter definition youll see it explicitly refers to someone who is employed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,539 Posted October 29, 2022 21 minutes ago, TeemuVanBasten said: Brentford played some nice stuff, but Villa's only plan in the Championship was basically "give it to Grealish" and when he got injured they had a terrible run of form. I guess the best player is probably the most influential. This used to be said on here about Farke and Buendia. And our form dropped considerably when Emi wasn't available. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
corbs 147 Posted October 29, 2022 WBA Stuart perky in pub last night, Carlos Corberan appointed, Ex number 2 to Bielsa, who should never have been sacked by Leeds, ah that reminds me …. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
littleyellowbirdie 2,551 Posted October 29, 2022 2 hours ago, TeemuVanBasten said: No Dean, you were unemployed mate, remember? Aston Villa sacked you. The implication of his statement being that there was some conversation before he was sacked... quite possibly when we (and AV) were still in the Chamionship . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
littleyellowbirdie 2,551 Posted October 29, 2022 31 minutes ago, TeemuVanBasten said: Brentford played some nice stuff, but Villa's only plan in the Championship was basically "give it to Grealish" and when he got injured they had a terrible run of form. A bit like ours under Farke was 'give it to Pukki'? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt. Pants 4,246 Posted October 29, 2022 1 hour ago, Coneys Knee said: I’m firmly in the “Dean Smith was NOT our first choice” camp. However, I am certain I’ve read somewhere that Stuart Webber and one of the top brass at Aston Villa (maybe even the SD) are good friends on a personal level. Has anybody else got any recollection of this or am I dreaming it? If this is the case it wouldn’t be inconceivable that SW knew about Dean Smiths impending availability long before even Dean Smith knew. I think there was/is a good relationship with Villa forged when we sold Emi to them. There was mention, on here I believe, of Webber's friendship with their SD but it's a total myth Webber knew of Smith's impending sacking. Smith quickly became Webber's choice once he became available but not at the time Farke was axed. The real point is whether Smith was the right choice for NCFC. I suspect we'll soon find out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coneys Knee 962 Posted October 29, 2022 3 minutes ago, Capt. Pants said: The real point is whether Smith was the right choice for NCFC. I suspect we'll soon find out. I think we already know the answe to this font we? Smith is suffering in the same way Gerrard did. They are surely both decent coaches in their own right but they don’t/didn’t fit their new clubs as the shoes they were being asked to fill were/are too big at this time. A “Farke-esque” unknown name would have had a better chance of succeeding. However good a coach Dean Smith is or isn’t, he was the wrong appointment for where we were at. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ulfotto 635 Posted October 29, 2022 Errr Smith was a prime candidate for the job because he had got a team promoted from the championship and established them in the premier league. Whilst playing good football and developing players. Whatever anyone thinks of the job he has done here his credentials on paper are what we are looking for I.e. take a championship team and make them a premier league. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TeemuVanBasten 3,327 Posted October 29, 2022 35 minutes ago, littleyellowbirdie said: The implication of his statement being that there was some conversation before he was sacked... quite possibly when we (and AV) were still in the Chamionship . What when we were top of the league? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chicken 2,627 Posted October 29, 2022 37 minutes ago, littleyellowbirdie said: The implication of his statement being that there was some conversation before he was sacked... quite possibly when we (and AV) were still in the Chamionship . We also need to dismiss the other stuff as PR spin too. Like the bit where Webber had seen Smith as a viable option should Farke have departed sooner, that he always has an eye on the next head coach in case the current one doesn't work out - or works out very well and is poached. But like I said, it can't be true as it came out of the club so is PR spin. By the way, wouldn't you like them to be more honest with us? 🤪 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yellow_belly 226 Posted October 29, 2022 The only thing Dean Smith’s Aston Villa team got him … was the sack! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baldy09 158 Posted October 29, 2022 3 minutes ago, chicken said: We also need to dismiss the other stuff as PR spin too. Like the bit where Webber had seen Smith as a viable option should Farke have departed sooner, that he always has an eye on the next head coach in case the current one doesn't work out - or works out very well and is poached. But like I said, it can't be true as it came out of the club so is PR spin. By the way, wouldn't you like them to be more honest with us? 🤪 Would JUST like the whole board to come out and speak to the fans openly instead of hiding away and totally not acknowledging fans completely- i believe they treating fans with contempt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Hairy 3,773 Posted October 29, 2022 No Dean, you were unemployed and cheap. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chicken 2,627 Posted October 29, 2022 3 minutes ago, baldy09 said: Would JUST like the whole board to come out and speak to the fans openly instead of hiding away and totally not acknowledging fans completely- i believe they treating fans with contempt Sure, but when they do that it's called a PR stunt - see Scotland. If they do it through the clubs official channels it's called PR spin. There are AGM's etc - people often say that the questions are rigged. The press have become more "clickbaity" of late, which isn't a criticism (ducks the big finger of deleting), I get it. News media is in a very weird place these days. Physical papers are a dying breed with ever decreasing profit margins. Small news media companies are not only having to duke it out with nationals but also internationals that now try to cover it all (NYTimes, I'm looking at you). So they have to do something to address it. Ultimately I think this is all a perfect storm. Some people are starting to listen to the voices that have said the same thing for 20+ years and been wrong for 19+ of them. Suddenly there is some sort of conspiracy. The club is never honest, if it does something it's not good enough, if it does something else it's just "spin". And what is the solution? Even the representatives we have on the fan board have tried to allay some of these things and even they have been rebuffed on here by some. Feedthewolf is someone I have a lot of respect and time for. I'd follow his view more closely than those who got all shirty after not winning in our first four last season. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt. Pants 4,246 Posted October 29, 2022 31 minutes ago, yellow_belly said: The only thing Dean Smith’s Aston Villa team got him … was the sack! It wasn't the sack it was a headhunting opportunity 😉 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Graham Paddons Beard 2,432 Posted October 29, 2022 4 hours ago, A Load of Squit said: At the time he said he was planning some time off and NCFC approached him but as you were there at the time we'll go with your version. 😀 That’s great . Thanks Squit . Means a lot . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Graham Paddons Beard 2,432 Posted October 29, 2022 2 hours ago, City Stand Ultra said: Normally a client organisation uses an executive search agency (the "head hunter" firm) to approach an employed candidate where the client organisation cannot approach directly. Over the years the term "head hunted" has been diluted by many people looking for a role to try to inflate their importance/rewrite the history of how they arrived in their current role. Deano was as free as a bird to speak to us so there was no "head hunting" If you google head hunter definition youll see it explicitly refers to someone who is employed No . He was “planning some time off”. The thought of a premier league salary was no draw whatsoever. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Hairy 3,773 Posted October 29, 2022 Thinking about this statement surely at the time he was at Villa, he would have been looking at being headhunted by those further up the scale? This is surely nothing more than an admission of failure by Smith? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Apples 1,320 Posted October 29, 2022 I wish someone would headhunt him again then, right now. Apples Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parma Ham's gone mouldy 2,220 Posted October 29, 2022 4 hours ago, nutty nigel said: I guess the best player is probably the most influential. This used to be said on here about Farke and Buendia. And our form dropped considerably when Emi wasn't available. Weapons. Parma 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites