Newly-appointed manager Alex McLeish meets Villa fans – EPL News.
Newly-appointed boss of Aston Villa, Alex McLeish has held positive talks with discontented club supporters at the club’s Bodymoor Heath training ground.
Editor of the Vital Villa Website Jonathan Fear believes that it was a positive meeting and McLeish was able to satisfy disgruntled Villa fans to some extent.
McLeish was officially appointed the manager of Aston Villa just five days after he resigned from the same post of the club’s arch rivals, Birmingham City.
The 52-year-old’s controversial switch left most of the Birmingham and Aston Villa fans fuming with anger. Moreover, Villa’s fans slammed club owner Randy Lerner’s decision of appointing the former Birmingham City’s manager despite number
of other manager with extensive Premier League jobs were available for the post.
Most of the Premier League managers including Sir Alex Ferguson and former Aston Villa Gerard Houllier backed McLeish’s appointed and has urged Villa fans to support their new manager.
McLeish’s also revealed that he is aware that Villa’s fans are not happy with his appointment but is determined to win their hearts by putting in positive results.
McLeish took the bold step by calling a meeting with prominent Villa fans at club’s training complex and Fear feels that McLeish’s first interaction with the fans was a success.
Fear said, “It was a good, positive, open meeting and I don’t think anyone left with long faces.”
“Some people might look at this as a cynical PR exercise but Alex McLeish wanted to meet some of the fans and put his points across and listen to what people had to say. He could have hidden away and it would have been easier not to front up to things.”
Fear now feels that the club supporters should not get behind their newly appointed manager McLeish and let the 52-year-old Scot prove his worth at the Villa Park.
“The whole club needs it. Everyone has had their opinions and now everyone should support the club. Let everyone give the manager the chance to show what he can do. He deserves that,” added, Fear.