Monday 26 October 2015 12:12, UK
Aston Villa’s problems run far deeper than Tim Sherwood but any hope he could be a solution had long gone, writes Adam Bate.
"I feel like the club is in a hole," said Tim Sherwood at the weekend. Others wondered whether he was burrowing a way out or just digging deeper. Either way, Aston Villa's decision-makers had seen enough. A home defeat to Swansea made it eight defeats in nine Premier League games and saw them bring Sherwood's time at Villa Park to a close.
It's just the latest sorry episode at a club that's becoming a byword for malaise. Certainly, the sight of Villa and Newcastle at the foot of the Premier League table raises questions about whether a proud history can become a hindrance in the present. But that would seem to apportion some of the blame on supporters who deserve only credit for their stoicism.
After all, Villa, in every sense, cannot win. While the presence of Leicester City and Crystal Palace in the top half is celebrated as a feel-good story, it would be difficult to regard such moderate success for the former European champions - a team that finished in the top six for three consecutive seasons between 2007 and 2010 - in quite the same terms.
And so, when overjoyed after an FA Cup win over West Brom, the brief fits of enthusiasm from success-starved supporters were mocked. But that's what it's come to. A decade of underwhelming investments on over-paid players has darkened the mood. Randy Lerner has had the club on the market for over a year so there's little sense of direction and any hope - however minor - is welcomed.
Ask any sailor, bigger doesn't always mean better when a ship is heading for the rocks and it's starting to feel as though Aston Villa's turning circle should be measured in years not matches. What's apparent is that Sherwood, with his limited influence on recruitment, was not the captain they were looking for.
In truth, he was always an unlikely saviour. But after Alex McLeish and Paul Lambert, fans were prepared to take a little on faith. Again, it was misplaced. The ex-Spurs boss deserves credit for unleashing Jack Grealish last season and initially encouraging his team to play with more freedom. That run to the FA Cup final in May offered much-needed excitement.
But the problems run far deeper with much of the recent focus falling on Paddy Reilly's role as head of recruitment. It has sparked fractious talk of that en vogue issue of the relationship between analytics and coaching, when it is surely obvious that the two should go hand-in-hand. If the coach is unconvinced of new recruits what hope for their progress?
The information war began some time ago. Sherwood's well-briefed sympathisers within the media point to an investment in ill-prepared talent. And when stories emerge suggesting the coach's knowledge of £8m signing Jordan Veretout was limited to say the least, it's clear that the cohesion between recruitment and selection has been worryingly lacking.
However, Sherwood cannot escape all of the blame in this regard. Indeed, Jordan Amavi has been one of Villa's better players this term. Meanwhile, Joleon Lescott, a summer signing from West Brom, an Aston Villa fan and perhaps the most experienced man in the squad, has struggled for form. This is not merely a tale of inexperienced youngsters from abroad.
Sherwood's handling of the squad, particularly since the summer arrivals, has appeared riven with self-doubt. Saturday's selection of Kieran Richardson over Amavi was confusing, there is a suspicion that Carles Gil continues to be misused, while any Villa coach must surely embrace the challenge of getting the best from Adama Traore not sideline him.
Sherwood enjoys being regarded as an attacking coach and has appeared frustrated by the gulf between his own perception and the reality of what he's seeing. A desire to be seen to take responsibility has sat uneasily with the demeanour of a man at the whim of events rather than someone dictating them. The Villa job has got the better of another manager.
Speaking to a visibly refreshed Lambert earlier this month, Sherwood's predecessor was in no hurry to dismiss with the notion that his new glow is linked to his departure from the stresses and strains of life at Bodymoor Heath. In time, Sherwood might come to the same conclusion. Villa's long-term health is rather more uncertain.
One point from nine games has left Villa four from safety and in danger of their 28-season stay in England's top flight coming to an end. Ultimately, particularly for a coach who was so keen to define his time at Spurs in the simplest of terms given his fine win percentage, it's a record that's difficult to defend regardless of the recruitment. He cannot be excused blame.
And yet, that both sides have legitimate cause for complaint only highlights the depth of Villa's struggles. Sherwood was not the sole problem but his departure was inevitable because any hope had gone that he could be part of the solution. The real worry for Villa fans is that his exit represents little more than pain relief. The cure looks as far away as ever.
