So it’s official then. Steven Gerrard is our new manager after the club released a statement around an hour ago.
It’s believed that negotiations are ongoing with regards to the Rangers background staff, but it would seem it’s pretty much a formality and they’ll all be following Gerrard down to Villa park.
The good news is that it’s rumoured that we’ll only have to pay compensation of £4 million maximum and it could be less. In today’s world, that seems cheap to me and it seems the Gers dropped the ball there in not ensuring it was a higher figure.
I know this appointment has captured the imagination of a lot of Villa fans, particularly the younger amongst us, but I have to hold my hands up and say straight away that I’m worried.
Yes, I get it all. He’s a winner and a leader. He’s done very well at Rangers, in winning the title. I personally don’t think that’s much of an achievement, but the fact is you still have to actually win it and he did.
I get all of that.
And when you look at it, it’s a really good move all round and even more so for Gerrard.
We get a young, dynamic manager who’s on the up and even though I’m not wholly convinced, when I look around and consider who we might otherwise get, I really don’t see much.
Yes, I could name some managers who I would have much preferred, but there’s no way we’d have got them.
So Gerrard is pretty much about as good as we could have hoped for.
And in return, there’s no way Gerrard was going to get a top Premier league club yet. I saw it written elsewhere by a Rangers fan, that Villa and Everton are probably in the next tier, so we’re ideal.
Add in that there will no doubt be some very serius money to spend and we already have a very good squad anyway and there is no doubt that we’re about as good a job as Gerrard could expect at this stage in his career.
There is of course the fact we all know that Gerrard is hoping to use the Villa as a stepping stone on the way to running his beloved Liverpool. That does on the face of it annoy me and I know it really irks many of you.
But I’m okay with it really. It doesn’t matter what club a manager might support or end up managing, they will all have the ambition of maybe one day running one of the really big clubs. It’s only the fact that he has such an allegiance to Pool that makes it a big deal in some eyes.
But then, keeping my level head on, I have to see this as massively risky all round.
The plain and simple fact is that Gerrard has no experience of managing in the Premier league.
Indeed, it’s something that was thrown at Dean Smith by some fans that didn’t rate him when we first got promoted.
I thought that was harsh, as though he lacked Premiership experience, he had at least spent a good few years as a manager, which would stand him in good stead.
Well, we all know how that’s worked out and those early nay-sayers have possibly proven to be correct. Sadly Dean Smith was rapidly beginning to look out of his depth.
So Gerrard also lacks Prem experience, but also lacks much experience at all and it worries me.
Gerrard hasn’t had to struggle as a manager before and it’s all going to be new to him. Which would be fine, but our current position means that if Stevie doesn’t get us rolling instantly we’re going to be mired in a relegation battle as we approach probably our worst string of fixtures of the season.
And wow, does he have a major job on his hands.
He has to try and sort out our awful defence, gel our new signings (maybe after he’s found out why they’re still not fit) and try and get kids more involved before they decide they’ve had enough empty promises of games and opt to leave.
The good news here is that it’s very much in the manager’s interest to suceed, because if he doesn’t, he’ll only be setting himself back
I might seem as though I’m being overly cynical, but it’s only out of concern for the club.
But of course, I wish him the very best of luck and will try not to adopt an approach where he has to win me over.
UTV! Onwards and upwards.
Comments
110 responses to “It’s official; Gerrard is our new manager. This is really risky.”
I have doubts, but here we go, a new chapter begins.
Badger,
Could you reply to my email bud, trying to sort somethings out on here.
Sent to your sent email.
Jamie, done.
Thinking about it, I wonder how much of this is about raising our profile?
I wonder if the hierarchy might be thinking that not signing Ward-Prowse and Emile Smith Rowe was down to the manager?
Well, judging by how all the media are calling this a “huge, huge” story, it would seem that it’s a strategy that will suceed.
Interesting that Carragher is doing an interview just now and thinks Gerrard has got the better end of this deal.
I think that’s a good point and very much in the mind of our owners
I suspect we all have doubts – it’s in the very nature of supporting our great club,
I liked Smith and hoped he would take us further but the last 10 months have been disappointing – not just the last five games. Since the turn of the year our results have declined and it was only the two wins at the end of last season that masked it.
I also think had become ‘blinded’ by the loss of Grealish – after all the Villa (Smith’s) project was built on Grealish – and Smith didn’t seem to know how to organise the team – or motivate them from the off – without him.
Gerrard is free of that particular monkey (on his back) which has to be a positive.
Going to be an interesting few weeks.
Badger a good article as usual.
The king is dead – I was sorry to see Smith go.
Long live the king- I welcome Stevie G and wish him well.
Point of interest. NSWE spent JG money on new players. Did they have doubts last summer about DS? Did they anticipate this and leave the other monies they could have spent last summer to help a new manager buy his players?
If you measure spend in FFP accounting terms they only spent around 30% of the JG money given the sale increased the credit balance by £100m but the debit (spend) can be spread across the contract lengths of each new player.
For NSWE it will all be about staying within FFP and not hard cash.
I expect them to continue spending but suspect with SG coming in we might see a few more outgoings.
One aspect he has to nail quickly is regarding the contracts (and opportunities) of our brightest academy stars if we don’t want to lose them.
Hitch, you’re absolutely right about the Grealish aspect, and also the second half of last season.
Even when we were apparently ‘in contention’ for a top-6/8/10 finish, I was worried by something I noticed in certain games: if we came-up against a really fit, physically-strong team, our palyers were jist run-ragged: last season’s games against Leeds & West Ham in particular still stand out in my mind as ones where we were exposed and made to look almost amateur.
Risky yes Stevie will have contacts galore, has amazing influence,is a very experienced leader,and has won lots of trophies all he has to get right is tactics and the nous to change a game if its not going well and we are on to a winner.
Also for me a fellow merseysider we now have a worldwide name lets hope he takes us to the next level
Now let’s all settle down and go with the youngest manager in the game, I have a feeling third time lucky Smith, owners, and now Gerrard. I could see and no doubt most on here also, Smith couldn’t take us any further and he certainly didn’t get help from his coaches, bells rang with me over Terry and Reilly I just couldn’t get my head round why? Nobody packs up a few days before the start of season unless something very serious happens and was killed there and then with money. I wish Gerrard all the best and move us on where we belong. Utv. .
Bill, at the time I didn’t see anything ‘suspicious’ in O’Kelly and Terry’s departure – and truth be told I don’t much go in for conspiracy theories.
However, in hindsight Dean Smith did look a bit ‘lost’ at many games this season, and Craig Shakespeare didn’t ever look as if he had any bright ideas to contribute – so whatever the actual reasons for the other two leaving, I think it certainly left Smith looking rather isolated.
I agree, Bill. I thought the same at the time. You often hear that the true tacticians are the number two or the coach as opposed to the manager themselves. It’s no coincidence to me that virtually the same defensive unit went from top 4 strongest to one of the weakest after Terry and O’Kelly left. It also set alarm bells ringing that neither left to go take up another position elsewhere immediately. You don’t leave a job because you’re happy unless you’re offered something better.
I’m sure being a midfielder as a player, SG will quickly evaluate our midfield as the biggest challenge he will face. An enforcer is needed in January although getting the quality needed will be difficult mid season. Whatever money he is offered should be blown on this alone.
It seems silly to say that he must get points from our next two games. If he doesn’t it won’t take long till fans begin turning on him. We saw it happen 6 years ago!
Good post Badger – agree with almost all of it!
In my mind we don’t actually have an ‘awful defence’ – the same players were pretty superb first-half of last season, and it’s surprised me how & why they let that slip this season, going back to the same stupid mistakes that nearly got us relegated 18 months ago. I can’t believe that they’ve all gone ‘bad’ in 6 months – suspect it’s been down to coaching, or lack-of.
Like everyone else I have some doubts about SG’s lack of PL management experience, but as you mentioned, few of the other names that had been linked actually had much of that either (Martinez’ days at Wigan were hardly the ‘step-up’ that Villa need).
Anyway, he’s here, so all we can do is support the new regime & hope that all the hype produces some concrete results. If nothing else the appointment WILL raise Villa’s media presence substantially, and may well help persuading some players to join who perhaps weren’t as impressed by Smith’s credentials (however nice a bloke DS is).
That’s fair comment, Ardent and it was poorly worded.
What I should have said is “our currently awful defence”.
In fairness, give them a game or two in a setup they know and I’d expect them to improve again, as long as Stevie G can give them the required confidence boost.
Sid, I think our owners were probably just being prudent as well as pragmatic.
We laid out £90 odd million and it was probably wise to pause and have a look at where we are. Just think, we could have spent another £60 odd million or more on players who weren’t ready or didn’t fit.The mind boggles.
Stevie G (god that feels weird calling him that. I’ve previously only used it if I was being sarcastic about him.) will be given money to spend, so it’s academic, I think.
Holte, yep, he’ll quickly see that big hole in the middle and will sort on an enforcer and more. I fully expect him to get £100 miilion less whatever he can get from sales.
I hope that story about AEG to Roma is right. I’d snap their hands off for £10 mill, let alone the rumoured 15.
Little8, Bill, agreed. Strap in for the next stage of the ride!
Quite reasonably comments have been made about Gerrard’s lack of experience in managing in the EPL – strange that doesn’t seem to apply to foreign managers – although tbf Stevie has only been a manager for three and a half years which does include experience in Europe.
We talk often about successful managers having first class number twos without whom they they are not as effective. Even with our own Dean Smith losing ROK. Gerrard brings with him a wealth of experience in Gary McAllister (and hopefully other key members of his coaching staff) – I would be a lot more concerned were it not so.
None of us wanted John Gregory and that turned out to be a very exciting ride.
I have absolutely no idea how this will pan out, but I’m with Badger on this one. I wouldn’t risk a fiver on how this will turn out.
Interesting times ahead either way!
On the plus side, he’s got a massive reputation and can attract big names and we’ve got the cash and infrastructure to go along with those ambitions. Fingers and toes crossed then!
Yes, I do remember a lot of puzzled fans wondering why Doug had appointed JG – like he was supposed to come in and be Doug’s poodle or soemting…
My first meeting with SG was outside the away turnstiles at Anfield. He was around 12 years old. “Hey mister” he said continuing in thick Scouse ” – buy any Spurs, buy any Spurs”.
“You’re not playing Spurs son – you’re playing Villa.” I replied. At that he wrinkled his nose in rebuke, they way he has done ever since, so he stuck in my memory when he grew up and stated to play.
The very best of luck to him – if midfield is our problem we could hardly have picked a man with more experience of that department. UTV.
Is that true? If it is it’s hilarious!!!!!
Yes it is.
Are we forgetting that Gerrard bringing McAllister plus his coaching staff, isn’t that a march on what we had with Dean Smith? Some of us remember when McAlister was at Villa , I’ve just had a mate on Messenger in Scotland saying
whats Villa doing pinching our manager hes well liked and i wish you all well for the future. I’m as worried as the next fan but I think it was the right move on our part. Let’s give him our support verbally and morally. VTID.
1st time I have seen this blokes videos – bit loud but some good points on Deano and SG..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIRhAqce-8o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr3Hhump3ZY
Bill, I had a text earlier from a Man U fan mate of mine saying that he hopes we get relegated now we’ve gone for Gerrard. Heh, you have to laugh.
Hitch, this bloke is apparently the brains of the outfit;
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56298826
Interesting Badger; pretty good pedigree.
I read that Villa were still negotiating to bring the ‘rest of Gerrard’s coaching staff’ to VP, one of whom was quoted as being Beale.
If Beale’s that key to Gerrard’s success then I would imagine it will be a condition of his move to Villa that Beale comes with him.
We’ll find out soon enough.
According to Birmingham Live, Gerrard is bringing his whole coaching team with him apart from the GK coach. That includes Beale and (amongst others) a set piece coach.
Looks like MacPhee and Danks will be leaving Villa (we seem to have gone backwards since they joined) but Neil Cutler the GK coach will keep his job,
I truly hope we’ll stop incurring all these training injuries.
It’s this bit that impresses me, Hitch.
Happy players do better and if they’re itching to train, it can only be a good thing;
“What he does with the players on the pitch is phenomenal,” Lovenkrands tells BBC Scotland.
“I remember he was giving me sessions to take down because I was doing the reserves; he wanted us to copy it. I was loving it. I actually wanted to take part in the training.
“He’s so on the ball. He’s so good at what he does. The players love it. His preparation for each game is fantastic to watch, and Gerrard is very lucky to have him.”
Yes, impressive.
I’ve been reading about Gerrard’s preferred playing style which (according to reports) is to employ a 4-3-3 formation with a narrow three up front, encouraging the fullbacks to overlap.
Will that suit the players Villa have – certainly a back 4 rather than 3?
I don’t think Gerrard will feel he has to accommodate both Ings and Watkins if it doesn’t fit as I assume he’ll play Buendia and Bailey (or Traore) as two of the three with either Ings or Watkins?
Or am I miles off track here?
Sounds about right to me. As you suggest, he will play either Ings or Watkins, which is how it should have been under Smith. Thinking about it, it was probably playing 2 up top that lost Smith his job.
Gerrard won’t make that mistake.
We’re already quite well suited to Gerrard’s style, I’d say.
“…it was probably playing 2 up top that lost Smith his job.” – seemed to me like it was playing them together without actually working-out in training how they were supposed to do it (particulalrly as Watkins didn’t seem to change his game from last season’s solo-striker role).
Just read confirmation that Michael Beale is joining Gerrard from Rangers – got to be a massive positive.
A couple of their bits of ‘news’ according to Brum Live – is that an oxymoron?
Anyway – congratulations to Jacob Ramsey who got MoM for U21’s against Czech Republic which was noted by Gerrard in a tweet and – not sure what to make of this – but according to his father, Bailey played through the last two games suffering with flu which accounted for his poor performance.
If true, is it a mark of desperation by Smith?
*other bits of news – duh
Leon Bailey, the new sicknote?
This gets more annoying every day. It’s just ridiculous that a player should play when he’s ill.
But it’s also ridiculous that we are nearly a third of the way into the season and we still have so many fitness issues.
In other news, Dwight Yorke applied for the job again. He didn’t even get a reply.
You’d think he might get the hint 🙂
Badger, I’m surprised Villa let him link up with Jamaica given we need him fit not off in the Caribbean somewhere. What’s the betting he comes back injured – again.
I watched Yorke on Sky – he claims to have a good relationship with Wes Edens and, it seems, contacted him direct about the Villa job so maybe an official response was unwarranted. Yorke admitted that he should get some experience first – no one is going to walk into a Head Coach role a club like Villa with a zero coaching CV.
Gerrard had, at least, been coaching at Liverpool under Klopp before getting the Rangers job.
I’m sorry. Yorke was a superb player in his day (despite how he moved to OT) – but ever since then the guy has been a complete to**er.
He comes out with the same stuff every time we’ve had a management change at Villa, and seems to imagine that anyone in football can take him seriously.
I don’t believe he ever finished even the basic coaching qualifications after retiring from playing, so he’s even more deluded than Solskjaer.
They (the media) talk about McGinn being ‘mercurial’ which explains his inconsistent form for Villa. Why is it then that his form for Scotland is consistently good or even excellent.
Assist again today against Moldova which suggests that Smith has failed to use him effectively over recent months.
I like Smith but the more I think about it he may well have been guilty of failing to get the best out of our most talented players.
I hope Gerrard won’t make the same mistake.
Hitch
I like your post. The Holy Trinity Show on YouTube gives a great point about McGinn being played out of position. He argues that he should play a more advance role and not the semi defensive one Smith placed upon him.
Now that you’ve mentioned it – I haven’t watched a huge part of Scotland’s games but in the odd snatches that I have caught, McGinn does seem to spend much more of his time up-front, rather than defending,
I’ve been ranting about that for a couple of years now. I even turned blue in the face at one point. (slaps forehead)
I believe he plays more forward for Scotland, where every man and his dog knows he’s more effective. Except Smith.
You make a good point there, actually.
Now he’s gone, it’s almost like we don’t need to blindly defend him and it’s even easier to admit his numerous (imo) faults.
Oh, and I don’t believe Gerrard will make the same mistakes either.
In fact, thinking about it, it’s difficult to see how Smith could have been so stupid/stubborn with some of his choices.
I really think there’s a lot more going on behind the scene than is realised.
And whatever it is, as much as any other reason, is most likely what led to him being sacked.
No need to invoke conspiracies!
Nice and genuine a bloke as everyone says he is, DS was increasingly looking like a great manager – at Championship level only.
His limitations at PL level were becoming more & more exposed as this season has progressed.
Heh, it’s just a logical assumption, Ardent.
It’s the only way I can possibly explain why Smith stuck with some of the choices he made.
I’ve said as much Badger, things wasn’t right,in the camp, it taken a foreigner to brake ranks and show his discontent by sticking his one finger up at Smith. The dressing room was lost weeks ago and players was losing their rag with each other.we needed this change to regain confident in each other. I’m confident we will start to improve where we wouldn’t have by sticking with Smith. We will see the likes of Ramsey, Archer and a few more being played and not being held back to lose to other clubs. In Villa I trust..
From the OS;
“Aston Villa are pleased to welcome Gary McAllister (Assistant Head Coach), Michael Beale (Assistant Head Coach), Tom Culshaw (Technical Coach), Scott Mason (Lead Analyst) and Jordan Milsom (Head of Fitness and Conditioning) to the club as part of Steven Gerrard’s backroom staff.
Austin MacPhee, Aaron Danks and Neil Cutler will also remain at the club.”
I’d seen people complaining that we had too many coaches etc under Smith.
That should give them some more to complain about 🙂
Beale supposed to be the real deal and a top class coach.
See Dean likely to take the Norwich job now Lampard has dropped out (doesn’t fancy a relegation battle or is he eying the Rangers job – bit of both?)
Anyway wish Dean Welles long he isn’t successful against us – brave call.
Apart from Neil Cutler they should have cleared the rest out IMO. There could be friction between the new and old which could translate to a bad atmosphere behind the scenes.
The one thing that annoys me already is the ‘stepping stone’ references. We had it for a couple of years with JG before he eventually abandoned ship. That kind of talk in the media proves a constant derailing affect and I’m certain we will hear more of it if Gerrard gets off to a good start.
Holte – I agree to some extent.
I don’t know anything about Danks but what has MacPhee bought to the club?
Our set piece defending is atrocious and seems to be going backwards; where are the new set piece routines or is the limit of thinking taking long throw-ins at every opportunity? What happened to taking quick throw-ins in attacking positions before the opposition have time to organise their defence – so predictable – is Pulis lurking in the background somewhere 🙂
Cutler – fair enough. He’s reputed to be a very good GK coach and Gerrard’s previous GK coach opted to stay with Rangers.
If the ‘chemistry’ doesn’t work or the existing coaches don’t perform I’m sure Gerrard will act decisively.
As to ‘stepping stones’ – disrespectful to Villa and, to some extent, to Gerrard’s integrity. He may have an ambition to manage Liverpool one day – and why shouldn’t he – but if he achieves that ambition with Villa we’ll be in a very strong position to pick and choose from the very best.
UTV
I suspect that whoever had been appointed from amongst the younger generation of ex-players turned coaches we would have heard the same from the media.
Imagine if John Terry had got it: would have simply been told it was a “stepping stone to the Chelsea job he really wants”, or if it had been Lampard a “stepping stone to the England job”… blah. blah, blah.
Let’s face facts. Very (VERY) few football managers last longer than a few years in ANY job, even if they’re successful, and even the ones at the very top tend to want a change or rest after four or five years.
The days of the likes of Ferguson or Wenger staying in place for 10-15 years I believe are over for good (& looking at what’s happened to ManU and Arsenal since those guys left might suggest that they were each there far too long anyway…)
Whatever Gerrard dreams of doing at Liverpool isn’t going to happen unless he can show 2-3 seasons’ real progress in the Premier League: IMO that must at least include a couple of top-6 finishes and a few cup wins.
If he can achieve that at Villa in the next couple of years we should all be really happy. He might then be eligible for his dream job, and Villa will be an even more attractive prospect for any top-rated manager we might want to find as a replacement.