Why did Aston Villa ever appoint Alex McLeish?

Premier League Aston Villa have sacked boss Alex McLeish.

The Scot has been in charge at Villa for less than a year, after he arrived after a spell at local rivals Birmingham.

Birmingham claimed Villa had tapped him up before he resigned his position at St Andrews. The decision to appoint McLeish has always mystified me.

Unpopular

Alex McLeish was a very unpopular appointment when he arrived from St Andrews. The season before his arrival at Villa Park the Blues were relegated. McLeish’s appointment was based on the fact that City had won the Carling Cup in that season.

I don’t think that chairman Randy Lerner understood the rivalry between Aston Villa and Birmingham before he appointed the Scot. If he fully understood the rivalry surely he wouldn’t have made the very strange decision to appoint McLeish.

McLeish was always going to find it tough and his performance as manager of Aston Villa just hasn’t been good enough this season. Aston Villa have gone backwards under the former-Rangers boss.

Close

Villa finished this season just two points above the relegation zone. Villa haven’t won in their last nine games this season. Their form under McLeish has been absolutely atrocious. They really are lucky to have survived this season in the top flight.

Chairman

Aston Villa chairman Randy Lerner confirmed McLeish’s exit by telling the clubs official website: “We need to be clear and candid with ourselves and with supporters about what we have lacked in recent years. Compelling play and results that instil a sense of confidence that Villa is on the right track have been plainly absent.

“The most immediate action that we can take is to look carefully at our options in terms of bringing in a new manager who sees the club’s potential and embraces our collective expectations.”

Rebuild

Aston Villa’s squad needs a major overhaul. Villa have lost their best players in the last few years. The players left at the club have proved that they are no longer good enough to keep Villa where they want to be. The next Aston Villa boss will need to be given the financial resources to strengthen their squad.

Alex McLeish wasn’t given much to work with and the result was a poor position in the Premier League table. I always got the sense that Randy Lerner never fully trusted McLeish with the clubs money.

Randy Lerner has to start backing his managers with real financial muscle. If he doesn’t then the club will find themselves in trouble next season.

Underachievers

As a neutral I really do think that Aston Villa should be finishing in the top ten of the Premier League every season. Aston Villa have a great history and are a big club in Britain’s second city. Aston Villa in the last few seasons have gone from a comfortable top ten team into a team fighting for their lives.

Future

Aston Villa will already have a shortlist of future managers drawn up. The current favourites are Norwich’s Paul Lambert, Wigan’s Roberto Martinez and unemployed former-Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez.

Martinez turned down the Villa hotseat last summer and decided to stay with Wigan. Martinez is currently also being linked with a move to Liverpool. It would be a big surprise to me if Martinez takes the Villa job.

Paul Lambert is regarded as one of the brightest young British coaches in the game. He has helped Norwich back to the Premier League and kept the club there. The Canaries finished above Villa but the Midlands clubs are considered a bigger club than the club from East Anglia.

Former-Liverpool boss Benitez still has a residence in England and has previously acknowledged his desire to return to the English game. I don’t think the Spaniard would be a bad appointment. He has good experience of the English game and is quite tactically astute.

Fresh

Aston Villa are in desperate need of a fresh approach. The club have to appoint the right man this time around. The club have gone stale in recent years and are in need of a manager capable of providing inspiration.

Alex McLeish was never capable of providing that. The Scot as Aston Villa manager was never going to work out. Hopefully Aston Villa can get a manager who can take the club back to where they belong, the top ten of the Premier League.

Why did Aston Villa ever appoint Alex McLeish?