The near-inevitable sacking of Mr. McLeish has created a huge relief amongst the faithful Villa fans. Its timing was precisely right - no opportunity was given for the fans to think that the club's management were in two minds on the matter, and the club's management were also too aware that season ticket sales were not going at all well. Less than 6,000 sales has been quoted - well down on expectation.
So for now, Randy Lerner has been seen to do the right thing and also in his press release he appears to have made a near-apology for the events of this season. However, he didn't say "I was wrong in appointing Mr. McLeish", and neither does he give credit to the numerous Villa fans who knew better. Some of whom even wrote to Mr. Lerner to express their contrary view.
Alex McLeish would have had to do something spectacular to convince the Villa fans that he was up to the job, and I suppose that when the club was unbeaten and sitting in sixth place after a few games, McLeish thought that he had done enough. But there were many wily fans that had observed that the first few matches had been a comparatively easy ride, and that Villa had not done enough against lesser opposition.Those wily fans waited for the inevitable - a near-cataclysmic slide down the table and only one win at home in the final 13 home matches. Even that win was obtained by a fortuitous goal in the 90th minute; but they all count.
The final number of points (38) was less than the number of points obtained by Blews the previous season when they were relegated under McLeish. It was a close run thing. And gates had been slumping; the fans were not at all happy.
Over the next few weeks, eyes will be turned to Mr. Lerner and the action he will have to take in the form of yet another managerial appointment. Aston Villa have seen four managers in the past two seasons; five if you include Gary McCallister's temporary role whilst Gerard Houllier was unavoidably absent.
No more mis-hirings (nor misfirings) are likely to be tolerated. The next one has to be right for Mr. Lerner. And for Aston Villa. And for the suffering fans.
.
So for now, Randy Lerner has been seen to do the right thing and also in his press release he appears to have made a near-apology for the events of this season. However, he didn't say "I was wrong in appointing Mr. McLeish", and neither does he give credit to the numerous Villa fans who knew better. Some of whom even wrote to Mr. Lerner to express their contrary view.
Alex McLeish would have had to do something spectacular to convince the Villa fans that he was up to the job, and I suppose that when the club was unbeaten and sitting in sixth place after a few games, McLeish thought that he had done enough. But there were many wily fans that had observed that the first few matches had been a comparatively easy ride, and that Villa had not done enough against lesser opposition.Those wily fans waited for the inevitable - a near-cataclysmic slide down the table and only one win at home in the final 13 home matches. Even that win was obtained by a fortuitous goal in the 90th minute; but they all count.
The final number of points (38) was less than the number of points obtained by Blews the previous season when they were relegated under McLeish. It was a close run thing. And gates had been slumping; the fans were not at all happy.
Over the next few weeks, eyes will be turned to Mr. Lerner and the action he will have to take in the form of yet another managerial appointment. Aston Villa have seen four managers in the past two seasons; five if you include Gary McCallister's temporary role whilst Gerard Houllier was unavoidably absent.
No more mis-hirings (nor misfirings) are likely to be tolerated. The next one has to be right for Mr. Lerner. And for Aston Villa. And for the suffering fans.
.
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