Alex Mcleish

Alex McLeish has warned his Aston Villa successor Paul Lambert that the fans’ patience is running out.

McLeish reckons Scottish compatriot Lambert has found it a lot harder than he expected to turn the Midlands club around.

Former Birmingham City boss McLeish was hounded out of Villa Park after just one season when the club finished 16th with 38 points in 2011-2012.

But his replacement, Lambert, has also been battling at the wrong end of the Premier League with Villa finishing 15th - with 41 and then 38 points - in the two seasons since.

Both managers had their spending limited by Villa’s US owner Randy Lerner, who confirmed in May he wants to sell the club.

But McLeish reckons Villa’s fan-base will still demand results, despite the cut-backs and limited cash for players.

McLeish told MirrorSport: “I knew it was going to be a tough ask for Paul. I saw some of his early comments and I think he thought it would turn overnight. But I knew there was a wee bit of work to do.

“In the season I was there, we got the wages down pretty substantially but no fan is ever going to thank the manager for saving money. What they want to see is production on the pitch.

“But there is no chance that anyone can turn the project in a year, especially when you are reducing finances as opposed to giving the manager money to spend.

“There has had to be a bit of ducking and diving at Villa to remain competitive and to try to get up the Premier League. Villa fans don’t like to see their team near the foot of the table but it is still a massive battle.

“Paul has done well also to get the wages down to a level which Randy felt was sustainable for Aston Villa. But if you are not getting results you won’t get patient fans, I promise you. At any club, when the team is not winning they are vociferous.

“The bottom line is results and that is what they judge the managers on. But generally it is the guys who spend the money that dictate where they are going to finish in the table.”

Villa have just paid their first transfer fee this summer to recruit Aly Cissokho for £2million after Philippe Senderos, Joe Cole and Kieran Richardson all joined on Bosmans.

McLeish believes the club’s finances are now much healthier and more attractive to potential new owners.

But he has questioned whether Villa - who came sixth in three successive seasons when Lerner was spending big - will ever compete up there again given Financial Fair Play rules.

McLeish added: “The club has probably stabilised and is set up for Randy to sell it without any real problems. It is there for another owner to take it to another level if they can.

“But I don’t know, in terms of the Financial Fair Play whether they can get Villa back to challenging in the top six again.”

McLeish was targeted for abuse from unhappy Villa fans from the moment he took charge having quit their bitter second city rivals.

But he insisted: “I don’t regret going to Villa. It was a difficult place at Birmingham at the time and when you get offered a club with Villa’s history and heritage, you cannot turn it around.

“The intention was to try and stay at a good competitive level. But in the end it became difficult for me to stay on in that particular role at the club.”

* McLeish was speaking at the British Par 3 Championship at Nailcote Hall www.britishpar3.com.



http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/aston-villas-paul-lambert-warned-4032533#ixzz3A5DaxCHN

"I don’t regret going to Villa. It was a difficult place at Birmingham at the time and when you get offered a club with Villa’s history and heritage, you cannot turn it around."

Did the reporter make a typo? Meant to be "cannot turn it down"?
I'm sure he couldn't turn down top flight football at double the wage down.

Otherwise it's a good read. Limited manager but I like the bloke.

Our patiance is not running out, its ran out and it ran out ages ago. The only reason it does not seem like it has, is because our fans do not want to rock the boat and quite rightly blame the idiot whom is trying to get rid of us.

But thanks for that, Alex  

Trotters wrote: Limited manager but I like the bloke.

I feel the same way about him. Never really hated him and think he is a good man at heart.

My Old Man wrote:

Trotters wrote: Limited manager but I like the bloke.

I feel the same way about him. Never really hated him and think he is a good man at heart.

Agreed , a nice enough bloke who was on a hiding to nothing - good luck to him .

Yes, I agree with those comments. Nice guy in the wrong job who was put there by a clueless chairman who only displayed how out of touch he is with reality and English football.

It was never going to work out for him. The reason Lambert has been given so much slack is purely down to him NOT being McLeish. Decent bloke, not the most stylistic manager, but not the devil as some made out

Nothing more to add to what's been said by the rest of you guys. Seems like a genuinely nice guy and I felt sorry for the way he was treated during his time here (despite the negative football).

Thing is though wages are not down and yes change won't happen over night but 3 bloody years and still the same mess!

Agree with the sentiments above - AM wasn't my choice but I can't ever fault his integrity and honesty - I never had a problem that he's come from the scum, just that he was so limited.
Now, here's a question:
What have Paul Tisdale, Mark Yates, Russell Slade, Alan Pardew and Arsene Wenger got in common?
Answer - out of the 92 clubs in the 4 divisions in England, they are the only managers to have been in post before 2011!
In fact in the Championship, no manager has been in post prior to 2012.
Although managerially it has been (and might continue to be) tumultuous times at Villa, I was genuinely gobsmacked when I looked down the list of clubs and saw the lack of consistency regarding managers in post. I know footie is cutthroat and demanding, but Jesus, those figures are brutal - I reckon if I was a manager I'd think "right, I've got 2 years at this club before I get the boot, better do the best I can to keep myself employable in 24 months' time".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28731088

In the season I was there, we got the wages down pretty substantially but no fan is ever going to thank the manager for saving money. What they want to see is production on the pitch.

Im sorry Alex but this is quite obviously bollocks. How did you get wages down when only Stewart downing left (approx £55k off the books) but added

Hutton £30k
Given £55k
N'zogbia £55k

+ jenas £45k a week wage for the season?

Alex, your a decent bloke but a fucking awful football manager, had that 11/12 season lasted 42 games, you would have relegated us. It had nothing to do with you history managing the bues, you just weren't up to the job here and you ruined what little reputation you had coming here.

Jim wrote:

In the season I was there, we got the wages down pretty substantially but no fan is ever going to thank the manager for saving money. What they want to see is production on the pitch.

Im sorry Alex but this is quite obviously bollocks. How did you get wages down when only Stewart downing left (approx £55k off the books) but added

Hutton £30k
Given £55k
N'zogbia £55k

+ jenas £45k a week wage for the season?

Alex, your a decent bloke but a fucking awful football manager, had that 11/12 season lasted 42 games, you would have relegated us. It had nothing to do with you history managing the bues, you just weren't up to the job here and you ruined what little reputation you had coming here.

Lets be fair ,Players out included far more than just downing-

Brad friedal
Luke young
Nigel reo-Coker
Ashley young
Jean makoun

From what i have been told by people who work at the club that Alex McLleish was liked and respected by everyone at the club, from the top to the bottom.
He was never given a chance really and with Lerner introducing the sell before you buy policy, he was knackered from day one.
I wish him all the best, even though on another forum i was very critical of his appointment at Villa.

Eastie wrote:

Jim wrote:

In the season I was there, we got the wages down pretty substantially but no fan is ever going to thank the manager for saving money. What they want to see is production on the pitch.

Im sorry Alex but this is quite obviously bollocks. How did you get wages down when only Stewart downing left (approx £55k off the books) but added

Hutton £30k
Given £55k
N'zogbia £55k

+ jenas £45k a week wage for the season?

Alex, your a decent bloke but a fucking awful football manager, had that 11/12 season lasted 42 games, you would have relegated us. It had nothing to do with you history managing the bues, you just weren't up to the job here and you ruined what little reputation you had coming here.

Lets be fair ,Players out included far more than just  downing-

Brad friedal
Luke young
Nigel reo-Coker
Ashley young
Jean makoun

Well friedel, NRC and ashley young had gone before McLeish joined, so he cant take credit for those, id imagine even with those departures our wage saving wasn't that much with the 4 incomings I mentioned.

PDC Lion wrote:From what i have been told by people who work at the club that Alex McLleish was liked and respected by everyone at the club, from the top to the bottom.
He was never given a chance really and with Lerner introducing the sell before you buy policy, he was knackered from day one.
I wish him all the best, even though on another forum i was very critical of his appointment at Villa.

Hated the bloke as a manager but outside of the football world he's a very nice bloke, Lerner only employed McLeish to deflect fan dissent from himself and on top of that refused to fund McLeish when he needed it the most, McLeish carried himself in a very professional manner, Lerner on the other hand is a two faced back stabbing twat.

He was backed though, he was backed with £20million pounds + wages that Paul lambert hasn't been allowed to offer, he also spent £2million on a loan fee + insurance to cover his 50 day loan.

Lerner didn't sell him down the river, McLeish said towards the end of that season that Lerner had made it clear that he had a tough job on his hands, and he was shit at doing it.

^Robbie keanes loan

Jim wrote:

Eastie wrote:

Jim wrote:

In the season I was there, we got the wages down pretty substantially but no fan is ever going to thank the manager for saving money. What they want to see is production on the pitch.

Im sorry Alex but this is quite obviously bollocks. How did you get wages down when only Stewart downing left (approx £55k off the books) but added

Hutton £30k
Given £55k
N'zogbia £55k

+ jenas £45k a week wage for the season?

Alex, your a decent bloke but a fucking awful football manager, had that 11/12 season lasted 42 games, you would have relegated us. It had nothing to do with you history managing the bues, you just weren't up to the job here and you ruined what little reputation you had coming here.

Lets be fair ,Players out included far more than just  downing-

Brad friedal
Luke young
Nigel reo-Coker
Ashley young
Jean makoun

Well friedel, NRC and ashley young had gone before McLeish joined, so he cant take credit for those, id imagine even with those departures our wage saving wasn't that much with the 4 incomings I mentioned.

Young was here when Mcleish arrived because his press conference he said he would try and keep him but I think the deal was close to completion and lets be honest no manager would have stopped him going .

Given and nzogbia looked good signings at the time although not sure why Lerner gave a 5 yr deal to shay.
Mcleish was a negative manager who would rather take a point than gamble for a win - as others have said a nice bloke in the wrong job at the wrong time .

CNZ was signed as the one creative player who had to get the ball to Darren Bent. He also signed Hutton a half decent wing back and stuck hm in a defensive formation. He did not utilize the players he had.

AM had a much better squad than Lambert has had. AM is a Mick Macarthy a manager that can get a team into tne Prem and just about keep them there if injuries allow it. Lambert is a manager who could turn a club around and get them onto the Prem on a shoestring. Neither are good enough for Villa but I would have Lambert over AM without a second thought.

AM should also stop going on about Villa and adding more negativity to the fans

See he's gone to Ghenk, isn't that where Benteke was from?

Wookster wrote:See he's gone to Ghenk,  isn't that where Benteke was from?  

Yes, he was brought from RC Genk.

Poor sods. What have they done to deserve McCleish.

I'm sure the Genk fans will love his brand of Dutch football he said he'd play here, like when we played Hutton at right back v Spuds,with Cuellar as a second right back and Herd as a auxiliary right back

Jim wrote:I'm sure the Genk fans will love his brand of Dutch football he said he'd play here, like when we played Hutton at right back v Spuds,with Cuellar as a second right back and Herd as a auxiliary right back

He must of meant Dutch oven

Jim wrote:I'm sure the Genk fans will love his brand of Dutch football he said he'd play here, like when we played Hutton at right back v Spuds,with Cuellar as a second right back and Herd as a auxiliary right back

We needed cover at right back If you can't get a decent left back just play 2 right backs, easy

When I first read that, I thought you was suggesting that Genk are Dutch, having read it properly I realise that was my bad