Filed under: Aston Villa, Premier League, Football
For four years, the Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner got it all right. He looked like a benign, but strong, leader willing to put his money where his mouth was and to back his manager. Martin O'Neill duly delivered him three creditable sixth-place finishes.When it came to taking the next step into the Champions League, O'Neill believed big new signings would be needed. Lerner suddenly seemed not so sure the Ulsterman was the man to make them and amid the confusion just 10 months ago, O'Neill walked out.
In came Gerard Houllier, though Lerner was taken aback that the Villa fans did not seem exactly overwhelmed by the appointment, despite Houllier's successful track record with Liverpool and Lyon. The Frenchman's illness in April offered an opportune reason to replace him, even though he could have returned to work at the end of the summer, possibly with a few good new signings who were willing to come to the club for him.
Now Lerner and Villa have got themselves into a pickle. Alex McLeish will be their new manager in the face of huge fan antagonism after the Scotsman's tenure of neighbours and rivals Birmingham City. It promises to be simmering summer of discontent in the Second City.
Lerner has vacillated. After Houllier he seemed to want an unreservedly popular appointment. Mark Hughes fitted that bill. But then Hughes walked out on Fulham in controversial circumstances that Lerner was reported not to approve of.
A dalliance with Wigan's Roberto Martinez having ended before it began, Lerner was surprised anew by fan hostility towards another target in Steve McClaren and reconsidered. This week, Lerner has acted defiantly as if fed up with being told whom he should hire by appointing McLeish. He has also compromised his principles since McLeish walked out of St Andrews in much the same way as Hughes left Fulham.
For fans, hiring a manager associated with rivals is anathema. It happened with less publicity but similar resentment when Sheffield United recruited former Sheffield Wednesday figure Danny Wilson last month. It is hard for supporters to understand that for professionals, this is largely a job rather than a tribal mission.
Owners and boards of directors clearly need to be sensitive to their support. Liverpool's, for example, may have been in the appointment of Kenny Dalglish but have now made a gaffe by including the colour blue - more associated with their rivals Everton - in the club's new third shirt.
Pandering to the whims of the mob is another matter altogether and Lerner made a rod for his own back over McClaren. The former England manager might well have been a good appointment given his good record in club management with Middlesbrough and Twente Enschede.
Now McLeish has been handed a piping hot potato. He is a good man, and a tough man, and will ride the wave of initial unpopularity. Time might even pacify Villa's more rabid element. Winning the first three games of next season certainly would. What would help that process along is if Lerner makes an expensive, marquee signing but that is a high price to pay to keep the peace.
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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/06/17/randy-lerner-alex-mcleish-aston-villa/
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