Ray Wilkins set for Aston Villa assistant role - sources

Born Under The Holte End wrote:

Trotters wrote:Just shows how much leaks out of Villa. Did anyone see this coming from anywhere???

No!

I may of said I wanted him when Tim originally came in Does that count? haha!

Great appointment, He's got a winners mentality and will be great as a no2. I knew KMac was a temp appoitment as No2 so was intrigued who would come in. I think this is as good as any appointment we could of hoped for.

Really good appointment in my view. I think a young lad like Jack Grealish will benefit immensely from him. I think Tim and Ray mutual admiration for young players will go well and lets be honest hes much more approachable than Roy Keane!

James_Curtis wrote:Really good appointment in my view. I think a young lad like Jack Grealish will benefit immensely from him. I think Tim and Ray mutual admiration for young players will go well and lets be honest hes much more approachable than Roy Keane!

He'll also help Jack out with that £1000 bottle of Vodka!

Fantastic appointment. Wilkins has a reputation of being one of the best coaches in England, and VILLA SIGNED HIM... Am I dreaming?

The other thing I like is Wilkins has sai TF approached him but Sherwood confirmed he'd got the job. Showed TS is very much involved in things.

Trotters wrote:Pancakes, mate. Pancakes.  :)

Pancake Rolls ?

I'm also delighted with this news, welcome Ray to a proper football club for a change

Well I think i can see what the Guvonor has done 'ere. He's gonna shove Wilko up top with the KMac boy dropped in behind 'im and leave Parky at the back minding the shop.

Are we all excited yet?

I know I am.

Good apointment, he must be on a fair wage???

People said Roy Keane wouldn't come in without there being a takeover - I certainly leant towards that belief myself - so I'm not sure it means anything on that score.

However, either way, I feel it's an excellent appointment. 

As good a coach as Wilkins undoubtedly is, I think he'll be grateful to Sherwood for offering him this chance. He's mucked up his reputation big time with his well publicised drinking and driving issues, and he needs to rehabilitate his rep at a decent club.

villabromsgrove wrote:As good a coach as Wilkins undoubtedly is, I think he'll be grateful to Sherwood for offering him this chance. He's mucked up his reputation big time with his well publicised drinking and driving issues, and he needs to rehabilitate his rep at a decent club.

Spot on that's what this is for him, another go at a big club. No link directly to a takeover or not. I guess it's possible the timing may be related in some form, as in they've not announced anything on the OS and it does feel like they're saving up a few announcements/unveilings for something.

Maybe it's all down to Jack Woodward being on Holiday?

My concern about Ray's appointment is not his ability, it's about his battles with alcoholism, ill health (ulcerated colitis) and the fact that he will have no driving license for the next twelve months, while living with his family the other side of London. The idea of Ray Wilkins sitting in a hotel in Brum from Monday to Friday does not fill me with confidence given his problems. He was a good coach but I really hope Sherwood has thought this through.

Ps: There's still no confirmation on the official site.

I don't have any concerns at all. He either does his job, and he's a coach of great calibre and reputation, or he's sacked for being a piss artist, in which case we have other good coaches and will cope.

However, he seems like he's in a good place and ready to get stuck in. Great stuff.
I'm sure his bank account can take a few Ubers too.

Superb news.

blimey Joppe, positivity, carefull your persona is slipping! Lol

Saw the 10 minute long interview with him on AVTV yesterday. I love this man. Very honest, open, and charismatic. He's the kind of guy you'd run through walls for, if you worked for him.

Mentioned that we have a good team, but they can be better and they need to get better in order to achieve the staffs goals for the season.

Mentioned that there are 3 different tables in the league and we need to move out of the relegation contenders and up into the next group this season. That would signify progress for him.

He said we they will select match day squads based on how the players work in training every day. They want the players to treat training with the same intensity as a match, and if the players don't apply themselves in the way Sherwood and Co are looking for, they won't play. He said its crucial that the fans know this. (Fairly certain he is referring to Gil's absence last season).

Was very complementary toward the club. Mentioned he is a Chelsea man, through and through, but Villa is his club now, so Chelsea takes a backseat as long as he is at the Villa.

He said he also performed an initiation song with Bunn and Richards, even though he didn't need to. Said he loves the banter in the squad and its what he's missed the most since he moved to punditry.

Most importantly, he seemed very excited to be here and is looking forward to the challenge of the coming season.

I forgot to add:

As far as specifics on his role at the club, he didn't get into much detail, but said he will be working close with the coaching staff and assisting them all wherever he is needed. Sounds like either he didn't want to give anything away or he didn't know where he was going to fit in yet.