McLeish Resigns

[RBM]

From the BBC

 

 

Alex McLeish has resigned as manager of Birmingham City.

Birmingham won the Carling Cup in February but went on to be relegated from the Premier League at the end of the past campaign.

The club's board had stated that McLeish's job was "safe" in the aftermath of their drop into the Championship but the Scot has now decided to leave of his own accord.

Aston Villa are already being suggested as a possible destination for McLeish.

"Birmingham City Football Club can confirm that Alex McLeish has resigned as manager," said a statement on the club's website.

"Acting chairman Peter Pannu received an e-mail resignation from McLeish earlier today [sunday] while away on business in Amsterdam.

"No further comment will be made at this moment in time and updates will be released in due course."

McLeish took over at Birmingham in November 2007 and, after the St Andrew's club narrowly missed out on top-flight survival at the end of that season, he led the Midlands outfit back into the Premier League after the following campaign.

Birmingham stayed in the top flight for two seasons and beat Arsenal to win the Carling Cup in 2011 before they were again relegated after losing to Tottenham in a dramatic final day of action in the 2010/2011 season.

Although Birmingham's board were going to retain McLeish, they added the caveat that they expected him to achieve promotion once again but the 52-year-old has opted to move on.

How much substance there is in a possible switch to Birmingham's arch rivals Aston Villa remains to be seen but, if it did happen, it would cause plenty of controversy.

Villa failed in a bid to lure Roberto Martinez from Wigan as they continue to search for a successor to Gerard Houllier, who left at the start of July because of health issues.

"There is talk that Alex McLeish is now the number one target for Villa," said BBC Radio 5 live's Midlands football reporter Pat Murphy.

"This is fascinating because if McLeish is the number one target, Randy Lerner, the owner of Villa, is fully aware there will be a backlash from some Villa fans even in terms of approaching him.

"Lerner was concerned about a backlash in terms of possibly appointing Steve McClaren last week. I'm not sure what the fans would say about the manager of the Blue Noses going across the road to Aston Villa."

He added: "McLeish, in my opinion, should be in the Premier League as a manager. I'm told that Villa like him, they respect him.

"I've heard from various sources that he is very much in the frame for Lerner. I'm not saying that it's a given but that's an intriguing name to throw into the mix, isn't it?"

[Kahnee]

Why now? Why not in May?

[RBM]

Villa job?

[Billy Dane]

He was made favourite for the Villa job yesterday and resigns today.... Coincidence?

 

Can't see the Villa fans warming to an ex bluenose manager.

[Sion]

Birmingham and Villa are weird

They don't seem to mind taking each others players, so i can't imagine then having a problem taking a manager.

 

Some luck of Mcleish if he manages to get the Villa job considering the last 3 months he had.

[stressederic]

I imagine getting Birmingham relegated will help win the Villa fans over.

[Hassony]

I imagine getting Birmingham relegated will help win the Villa fans over.

 

anyone better than the fat Spaniard who fluked the champion league

[Cam]

McLeish in without the backing of the fans, Young & Downing going, no funds given to buy, one or two more go over summer & January.... they'll be a decent outside bet for relegation (along with Blackburn).

[muleskinner]

Billy Davies sacked by Forest today is being tipped for the Blues job. Shteve Mclaren expected to get the forest gig.

[Rimbeux]

McLeish in without the backing of the fans, Young & Downing going, no funds given to buy, one or two more go over summer & January.... they'll be a decent outside bet for relegation (along with Blackburn).

 

 

Is that a fact? I predict they will spend what they raise in sales and more, would follow the recent history

[lfc003]

How the hell can you dismiss approaching Steve McClaren so brazenly because of negative fan support but yet target a manager who has just got a team relegated, Plays the most dour football imaginable?? Oh yeah and that he got relegated was your biggest rivals

[Epic Swindle]

Had a few texts about Moyes resigning. Mischief probably

[lfc003]

Had a few texts about Moyes resigning. Mischief probably

 

He'd be stupid too, He's got a good thing going at the Bitters. Moyes may aswell wait till the Spurs job becomes available before leaving.

[Rimbeux]

How the hell can you dismiss approaching Steve McClaren so brazenly because of negative fan support but yet target a manager who has just got a team relegated, Plays the most dour football imaginable?? Oh yeah and that he got relegated was your biggest rivals

 

 

Maybe they've realised the folly of bending to however many shouters on forums, and are now going to appoint whomever they want.

[lfc4eva99]

Can't ever imagine an ex everton manager taking over at Liverpool, thank god for that

[RBM]

Can't ever imagine an ex everton manager taking over at Liverpool, thank god for that

 

Just wait until Howard Kendall takes over from Kenny in a few years.

[muleskinner]

What have the LMA had to say about their members walking out on their contracts?

[Billy Dane]

the LMA are strangely quiet on the subject.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

anyone better than the fat Spaniard who fluked the champion league

yeah - a mate of mine's a Villa fan, not happy about the thought of McLeish but also hates, detests, goes rabid about Rafa

[Cunny]

Tor-Kristian Karlsen on twitter criticises Villa

 

slightly puzzled by aston villa's manager hunt: martinez evidently 1st choice, mcleish 2nd. candidates with very different approaches

 

martinez/mcleish: transfer policy, approach to tactics, personalities, man-managment skills... couldn't be more different in pl context

 

surely, as a club chairman, wouldn't you first define what kind of football you want your team to play, what kind of markets...

 

...you want to recruit from, what sort of personality you want as a figurehead (etc) - and then look for a manager that ticks those boxes?

 

maybe another indiction that "perception" (+ interview) matter more to football chairmen than a serious profiling process...

[CarraLegend]

This is really bizarre, sounds like they're now going to get in to a war with their local rivals to take a manager who's just got a team relegated. So, so weird.

[Rimbeux]

I think it's clear they are out of their depth in terms of managing managers and the whole football culture. Targeting two managers from last year's bottom six, getting spooked by the fans on McLaren, but facing them down on McLeish. Confused dot com

[Epic Swindle]

They're a mess. Not sure what that whole General thing is about but they must put a lot of stock in what's said on message boards.

[Billy Dane]

No wonder Rafa told them to do one.

[Rimbeux]

They're a mess. Not sure what that whole General thing is about but they must put a lot of stock in what's said on message boards.

 

 

It's the power of the internet going mad, like parents asking the kids how to parent them, horse before cart. Listen by all means, but being directed?