Aston Villa fans to protest against McLeish
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Alex McLeish is under fire from Villa fans
Aston Villa supporters are being urged to attend a proposed pre-match protest against manager Alex McLeish ahead of Sunday's home clash with Manchester City.
A statement posted on the 'Vital Villa' (VV) fans' website claims the current record of six wins in 24 Barclays Premier League games is "relegation form." It also claims the Villa players are "seeming to be in open revolt" following Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Newcastle.
The statement reads: "We have played 24 games this season, we have won six! Is this good enough? No. This is relegation form. Alex McLeish is not the man to lead Aston Villa.
"He had a full pre-season, was given £20 million (approximately) to spend and has players of the calibre of Darren Bent, Gabby Agbonlahor and Stephen Ireland to work with (also the most promising batch of home-grown players produced in years).
"Despite all this, we find ourselves 13th in the table and without a home win since Bonfire Night (November 5).
"Now after the debacle of Sunday, with the players now seeming to be in open revolt, the future is looking very bleak indeed. We need to act now before it is too late and the unthinkable happens.
"If you support this, please join us 3pm on Sunday, Trinity Road Stand by the McGregor Statue. If you don't then please ignore this."
Some sections of supporters were unhappy when McLeish made the switch from local rivals Birmingham to replace Gerard Houllier last summer. But it remains to be seen whether there will be substantial tangible support for the proposed protest on Sunday.
Villa sold Ashley Young and Stewart Downing for a combined £35 million to Manchester United and Liverpool respectively last summer.
They spent around £17 million in signing Charles N'Zogbia, Shay Given and Alan Hutton plus Jermaine Jenas on loan from Tottenham.
McLeish was aware of the constraints he was under and often admitted he has been instructed to reduce the "astronomical" wage bill by club owner Randy Lerner.
The former Rangers boss has also conceded this is a season of transition for the midlands club but remains convinced he is the right man at the helm to eventually revive Villa's fortunes.
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That statement made me laugh out loud. Players of what calibre exactly? Darren Bent couldnt hit a barn door most of the time, Agbonlohor blows hot and (very) cold and as for Stephen Ireland, well, what can you say? I cant think of anything. Villa fans remind me of how Charlton fans used to be, always complaining because they finished mid table all the time. Charlton eventually sacked their manager, and look what happened to them
Oh and steve murphy, please note Villa aren't a big club anymore, and havnt been for about 15 years. Get a grip!
Every single one of them is hit and miss. Bent is a confidence player, Agbonlahor puts in a lot of effort but doesn't give enough return, and Stephen Ireland is Stephen Ireland. As for the rest of it I think these VV Aston Villa fans must have a really inflated view of their team. Another 5 points and they'd be 8th, which would be a good season for Villa. Cheer up.
"Now after the debacle of Sunday, with the players now seeming to be in open revolt, the future is looking very bleak indeed. We need to act now before it is too late and the unthinkable happens.
I thought football players won matchs not the manager ..... If the football players are not doing there high paid job right then they will not win pretty simple very easy in the modern game to blame the manager and not the players.....As a Villa fan i will not join in the protest against Mcleish (not happy with his appointment-but that's just me) Mcleish is just the middle man and we all know you can't do a good job with-out the right tools!
Come Sunday Villa will walk away with a Home win/Draw against City, not because of the protest but because we have enough fire power to beat most teams if only " we believe".
PS. Get rid of Petrov as Captain (The only negative player in the team) the bloke is a joke, he can turn an attacking move into 3 back-passes to Shay Given to HOOF it up the pitch.
They should learn to get rid of people like Stephen Ireland instead of people like Martin O' Neill.
McLeish is a good Manager. To have that arrogant Villa team in the position they are in at the moment - he's doing a great job.
The Republic wouldn't have the likes of Stephen Ireland around them.
I solely blame Randy Lerner, yes i agree he has spent allot of money since he arrived at the villa but what's the point in spending all that money only to tell Mcleish to sell the top wage earners which are mostly our best players!!
Makes no sense at all, So obviously he has hardly to no money to spend so i think its time to sell up Mr. learner and hand over the reigns to someone who has the money to take Villa to higher places, Now in saying that Mcleish i don't think is good enough to manage the Villa anyway but who's out there to take over at the moment, Heard Mourinho was looking to come back to England next season HeHe well we'll have him, Oh wait Learner won't be able to pay his wages!!
LEARNER OUT NOW!!!!!!!!
