The Fish

yup But, once they're promoted, what next? Bruce isn't good enough in the modern Premier League to achieve much more than survival which, for a club like Aston Villa surely isn't good enough? And the short termism is the problem. Bruce may well get them promoted in a season or two, but they'll remain the same shade of a once proud club that they are now. For me, this appointment relegated Villa into a bracket of clubs like Wigan, Birmingham City, Derby, Norwich, Wolves etc. In a way that appointing Grayson or Rowett wouldn't have. The highest he's ever finished is 10th. He's been relegated twice. He's done ok at unfashionable clubs like Wigan or sunderland because they seem unable to progress beyond that modest position, (and who ultimately succumbed to relegation anyway) but aren't Villa's ambitions loftier than that? Never mind that these two appointments prolong the perception that it's good sense to look for the quick fix.

Just have a KFC and stop lying to yourself.

The trouble with starting a post like this is that there's so much wrong with the recent appointments, I'm worried I'll drone on before getting to my point; these are both unambitious choices which reek of ignorance and short-termism. So I've put it there, front and centre in the first paragraph. Both Aston Villa and Derby are at a crossroads in their existence and while it makes some sense to plot the road most traveled to get promotion, it doesn't suggest they've a plan once that journey comes to an end. Aston Villa have the stadium, the fan base, the history and the finances, to punch their weight in the top half of the top flight. They tried throwing money at their malaise for decades with little success. There needs to be a new approach. Shed the husk of the old Aston Villa, the beige, the boring, and emerge as a dynamic progressive entity. Instead of the zombie of a club that eventually succumbed to relegation. Derby would need a seismic shift in the footballing landscape to do much more than flirt with 9th or 10th in the Premier League. Derby have a decent Youth system, a big population to draw from and a decent reputation in the game, but they're limited. They've a lot of clubs on their doorstep, they don't have the financial muscle that others do and their squad isn't the finished article. That said, it's not impossible, look at Southampton, at Swansea or Spurs. They've ignored the outmoded hierarchy and usurped traditionally bigger clubs who haven't evolved. Now, both Bruce & McClaren have proven incapable in the modern Premier League. While McClaren hasn't suffered the ignominy of relegation he's left clubs upon the precipice. His brand of football and avuncular charm may well work for players in that envelope between the top 2 flights when striving for promotion, it just won't cut it in the crucible of England's top flight. Derby know that Steve McClaren will get them into the Play Off conversation and would rather get back into bed with him than risk a new relationship. Bruce has a proven, irrefutable ability to get teams promoted from the 2nd tier, but has been found woefully lacking the next season. Aston Villa aren't going to get promoted this season. Lets be clear on this, they're 15pts off the leaders, they're 10 points off the playoff positions and they've an unbalanced, discouraged side. So, if that's accepted, this year is a dead-rubber. The kind of clubs that should be courting these two men are the likes of Bristol, or Birmingham, clubs who's ambitions are to become that yo-yo club and benefit from the Premier League's absurd tv deals. They could bounce between the leagues for a few years, (as Norwich have) until they're promoted with a squad too good for the Championship and short only 1-3 players who'll lock in their Premier League survival. If I were Dr Xia, the kind of man I'd be looking for is Wagner, or Rowett, or Grayson. A new breed of manager who's potential is unclear, they could strip out the deadwood at Villa Park, bring in a fresh approach, with fresh coaches and fresh ideas. Wagner has turned Huddersfield into a mid-table or better Championship team with 1 decent summer and a clear vision. They have the financial clout to spend another year outside the top flight, especially if they can lose a lot of the high earners. If I were Mel Morris I'd have fled from any meeting with McClaren. This is the guy that failed to get his club promoted after a cataclysmic end to the season, a guy that spectacularly failed in the Premier League despite spending a fortune on stars from abroad and closer to home. Players who have since left the club for eye watering sums to play for clubs who're playing at the upper reaches of football's pyramid. Yes, he knows the club and the league, but isn't that part of the problem? Both are decent managers, but both are uninspiring. Both have experience in the Championship, but both have failed in the league the club is aiming to make their home. It's like asking your mates where you fancy going for dinner and because of anxiety and ignorance you all end up going to Nandos.

Happy non-birthday.

My one real complaint about that podcast is the sound quality is usually awful. They need to sort out some decent mics and whatnot.

Bruce to Villa all but confirmed and it looks like McClaren returning to Derby?

It'd be perfect Toontastic if this was the first post on a new page.

Good athleticism and technique, but made of glass. Shame like.

Well he's certainly settled on a shape; 4-4-1-1, but I've no idea if that's going to carry over into the Premier League, just for the Championship or just for those matches we've played thus far.

Think it's more the former, Mitrovic is still too rash. But he needs to play, get used to what is and isn't allowed. HE's certainly got goals in him and can hold the ball up the pitch much, much better than anyone else in the side. Mind you, we're not often playing games where a target man is needed to relieve pressure.

Probably, Gayle hasn't played this weekend so should be fit and rested, I'd expect the starting 11 to be made up of players who've not featured at all for their international teams. I'd love to see Mitrovic actually starting some games though. The only way he's going to get into the swing of the league is by featuring for more than 20 ish minutes a game.

Aren't there rumblings that there's audio/video of him dropping the N-Bomb?

1wst was a tap in, but the second was a lovely bullet header

Hey, we all joke and that's fine, but don't say that about my friends, y'hear!

Couple of times I had mates come up to stay during the University breaks, they wouldn't be told that a smaller portion would be more than enough and 1/2 would go in the bin. Or my sister.

Pretty good destruction of the arguments against Bradley getting the Swansea job ahead of Giggs. http://www.football365.com/news/mediawatch-extra-robbie-savage-on-giggs

Get CT in to do it

Loving this thread. I'm not sure Howay is brave enough to reply to essembees legitimate, rational questions.

A grand for the story, a couple of paid tv appearances to "put her story across". Also, she doesn't strike me as the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Tory's don't half foster the idea that the only reason your life isn't perfect is other people.

Shit mate, sorrrry, won't be moving for a while and when we do it'll be into our own place. The one thing I do need is a good local in Altrincham, haven't found the right one for me yet and I've been doing a fair bit of "research" oh and fuck off essembee

Hah, we literally only just moved here Next move will be buying a place, probably in 12-18 months. No idea where that will be though.