Now, I understand that this is possibly not the most popular decision ever made by the Aston Villa board, but predominately that dislike seems to be based on him having been at Birmingham City for while.
I must be getting old because I don’t care about that providing he is the right man for the job i.e. he has the ability, skills, passion, compassion, personality and experience required to turn Villa into a top 6 club in what is a much harder division than the one we did well in 2 years ago.
I just happen to think that McLeish has got the qualities that we need, and although Blues played possibly the most boring football ever seen in the premier league, he was up against a board who spent very little and a fairly mediocre squad of players with a few outstanding individuals most of whom played at the back.
The real tests for McLeish will be:
1. Keeping the best players at Villa, by which I guess I mean Downing and some of our young players
2. Ensuring that we bring in 3/4 really good players to support those at the club. A new keeper, central defender, creative midfielder, and a strike partner to fit in with Bent – not an easy task. One or two of those need to be marquee signings to bring the crowd back from their sulk over McLeish getting the job.
3. Getting a fast start to the new season to help us forget the summer disruption
4. Imposing and displaying a playing style that brings smiles to our faces and pride to our hearts
5. Bringing through the likes of Albrighton, Bannon, Fonz, Baker, Delph, Wee-man, Gardner and Clarke so we can see a real return on our excellent youth system
If our new manager can make all this happen and survive the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and angry narrow minded Villans then by Christmas we may all be wondering what all the fuss was about and looking forward to European football in 2012/13.