Big Eck Puts Neck On The Line.

It may not have the same intensity as the Old Firm, but in recent times it’s hard to deny that, aside from the politics, the Second City rivalry between Aston Villa and Birmingham City has developed a bitter taste more accustom to its Glaswegian counterpart with former SPL managers Martin O’Neill and Alex McLeish in charge of the two sides respectively. However, the rivalry’s latest twist in the tale has seen the derby descend into meltdown.

In ending his tenure at Birmingham City to make the short trip across the city to Villa Park, Alex McLeish became one of the few managers, or indeed footballing personnel in general, to cross the much maligned divide and the most recent since Ron Saunders made the same trip in reverse just under 30 years ago. The salient difference being that, in the case of Saunders, he left Villa Park a hero after seeing them all the way through to the infamous European Cup Final of 1982 which Villa won under the guidance of temporary gaffer Tony Barton.

The main criticism levelled at McLeish by the Birmingham City faithful since ending his reign there is that, by and large, he played negative football that struggled to attract the bigger names to the blue side of Birmingham. However, from McLeish’s perspective, and indeed from any managers perspective, a team’s footballing philosophy is largely dictated by its strengths, and, in big Eck’s case, the season that they finished 9th in the Premier League they arguably had the best back-four to boast outside the top four. Another argument towards his philosophy of football since beginning to ply his trade in the English leagues is that he didn’t have the financial backing under two different boards at St Andrews that he needed to strengthen his side adequately going forward. It’s common knowledge in football across the globe that craft, guile and goals require, in general, a much more lucrative price to acquire than a watertight backline.

The fiery Scotsman’s move to Birmingham’s fiercest rivals has indefinitely sparked controversy and outrage from both sets of fans, but comments welcoming McLeish from Villa’s speed-demon Gabriel Agbonlahor have seen a lull in protests from the Holte End following. Although credentials earned at the Villain’s closest opposition may suggest otherwise, it may well be the resources at his disposal that see big Eck provide success at Villa Park. Firstly, he finally has a much sought after goal machine at his disposal in Darren Bent and a potential £40 million warchest as provided by Aston Villa chairman Randy Lerner. The success to the new blueprint drawn up by Lerner and chief executive Paul Faulkner could hinge on whether McLeish can snare defensive stalwart Scott Dann and England stopper Ben Foster from his former club as well deep-lying playmaker Charlie Adam from recently relegated Blackpool, all of whom expressed their delight whilst playing under McLeish.

Although McLeish’s decision to leave St Andrews for Villa Park may have been provoked by the board’s interference in the process of transfers, many Blues fans will undoubtedly feel betrayed and hurt by the Scotsman’s departure. However, his choice to take the helm at Aston Villa shows not only McLeish’s belief in his own ability, but also his ability to restore a certain degree of pride to the recently deflated and unstable claret half of the city. Alex McLeish’s time at Villa Park will only be measured in term of one tangible asset, trophies. The decision to install a rival manager is definitely one that could potentially spell the end for Randy Lerner and Villa’s current board of advisors, but it could also mark the return of stability to Villa Park that has been bereft since the departure of Martin O’Neill.

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