One of Alex McLeish's first decisions as new manager of Aston Villa has been to pass on US international Michael Bradley, according to a report by Soccer By Ives. The American blog reports that Bradley's agent has confirmed that the US midfielder...
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This is the second in InTheStands' Transfermation series exploring the potential summer ahead for all Premiership clubs involved....this addition: Aston Villa

Where they stand:

Well, well, well, if I was an Aston Villa fan I would be sceptical – looking down the barrel at another mid-table finish.

This is the second in InTheStands' Transfermation series exploring the potential summer ahead for all Premiership clubs involved....this addition: Aston Villa

Where they stand:

Well, well, well, if I was an Aston Villa fan I would be sceptical – looking down the barrel at another mid-table finish.

As we were awaiting confirmation last night of Alex McLeish's appointment at Villa Park, the Birmingham Mail's Mat Kendrick spoke with theScore's Brendan Dunlop and Kristian Jack of The Footy Show podcast to share his reaction to events over the past week or so.

It's an interesting insight so I've borrowed a little under five minutes from the final 16 minutes or so of the podcast which featured the interview with the man from the Mail.

As we were awaiting confirmation last night of Alex McLeish's appointment at Villa Park, the Birmingham Mail's Mat Kendrick spoke with theScore's Brendan Dunlop and Kristian Jack of The Footy Show podcast to share his reaction to events over the past week or so.

It's an interesting insight so I've borrowed a little under five minutes from the final 16 minutes or so of the podcast which featured the interview with the man from the Mail.

Michael Bradley's time with Aston Villa is over.

According to Bradley's agent, New York-based representative Ron Waxman, Bradley will not be returning to Aston Villa next season.

He spent a half season on loan with Villa, but played sparingly in a crowded central midfield under former Villa manager Gerard Houlier.

When Mark Hughes walked out on the Fulham manager's job the popular narrative still holds that he did so the full expectation of being offered the managerial position at Aston Villa it was, as has become abundantly clear since, as massive miscalculation. There were noises at the time that Villa called off talks with Hughes over the way that his departure from Craven Cottage was handled.

After a generally well received first press conference, it looks like life at Villa Park is getting off to a predictably busy start for Alex McLeish. During his time in front of the cameras on Monday, he mentioned being inundated with calls from agents offering their players, but it's the futures of Carlos Cuellar and Michael Bradley that are capturing the headlines first.

Liverpool are preparing to make the first move for Birmingham defender Scott Dann, according to reports.
The 24-year-old centre back has impressed in the Barclays Premier League since moving to St Andrew's back in 2009, and now Kenny Dalglish is reportedly keen to bring the player to Anfield.
A Liverpool move hinges on whether the Blues survive this season, according to the Daily Mail, with Dann set to become available should Alex McLeish's side go down.

The Birmingham City board have slammed the decision of walkaway coach Alex McLeish to leave the club with a potential move to city rivals Aston Villa firmly on the cards.

Birmingham City were rocked by Sunday's news that coach Alex McLeish had decided to call time as Blues boss with McLeish's resignation coming via email while Birmingham's acting Chairman Peter Pannu was on business in Amsterdam.

The Birmingham City board have slammed the decision of walkaway coach Alex McLeish to leave the club with a potential move to city rivals Aston Villa firmly on the cards.

Birmingham City were rocked by Sunday's news that coach Alex McLeish had decided to call time as Blues boss with McLeish's resignation coming via email while Birmingham's acting Chairman Peter Pannu was on business in Amsterdam.

Liverpool has confirmed on their official website that they have agreed a fee with Aston Villa for winger Stewart Downing.
The Anfield side were understood to have had a £15 million offer for the England international turned down earlier this summer but have now come back with an increased bid to land their man.

Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt is refusing to give up on securing a Europa League place for the club after Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Anfield to Tottenham gave the Londoners the edge.
Goals from Rafael van der Vaart and Luka Modric ensured that if Spurs beat Birminghan City at White Hart Lane on Sunday then it shall be Harry Redknapp's side competing in the Europa League next season.

Birmingham City were shocked today to get an email from Alex McLeish resigning from his position as Birmingham manager:

A statement on the Birmingham website said:

"Birmingham City Football Club can confirm that Alex McLeish has resigned as manager. Acting chairman Peter Pannu received an e-mail resignation from McLeish earlier today while away on business in Amsterdam.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Alex McLeish's hopes of a 'Freedom of the City of Birmingham' award sailing off into the distance. Image: Getty Images/Zimbio,

Years of vicarious experience has taught us that getting dumped is crap. We feel the need to use the word ‘vicarious' here not just because we like it, but because we're hot bishes who never get dumped.

Ruud Gullit's managing stint in Chechnya ended the same way it did in Los Angeles -- with him being shown the door after a brief time in charge.

Gullit was fired by Chechen club Terek Grozny on Tuesday, just five months after being hired as the club's manager.

He was given an ultimatum to win Tuesday's game by team management, but a last-minute goal doomed his team to a 1-0 loss and cost him his job.

I don't think I'd classify this as a good day to bury bad news although your tastes may cause you to disagree, but while we're all wailing and gnashing teeth over the Alex McLeish debacle, it appears that the new 2011/12 away shirt may have found its way on to the internet.

I stress may because unlike the 2011/12 home shirt, which I have very high resolution pictures I obtained myself, I'm not sure of the authenticity of this one.

It is getting close to all-out war in Birmingham between bitter-rivals Aston Villa and Birmingham City.

The source of the tension between the two clubs is Alex McLeish is shocked City by resigning on Sunday. Birmingham say that McLeish was tapped up by Villa and that is why he resigned.

Going down to the Championship where we now find West Ham, it was interesting to see some transfer rumours surrounding our old centre half Anthony Gardner. The 29 year old is out of contract at Hull after a loan spell at Crystal Palace.

Gardner came to Spurs back in 2000 after a couple of years at Port Vale.

Birmingham's top midfielder Craig Gardner has said he is unsure of his future after the sudden departure of manager Alex McLeish. Alex McLeish joined Birmingham after managing Rangers and a short time managing the Scottish National side, but he has seen Birmingham relegated twice, and got them promoted once, so why he would be interesting [.

Alex McLeish had 5 seasons in charge of Glasgow Rangers. He only won the SPL twice. That's a failure.

His four-year tenure at Birmingham City may have been crowned by League Cup glory in February, but it cannot hide two relegations in four years. That's a failure.

He nearly guided Scotland to the World Cup but, at the end of the day, that campaign ended in failure too.

Alex McLeish had 5 seasons in charge of Glasgow Rangers. He only won the SPL twice. That's a failure.

His four-year tenure at Birmingham City may have been crowned by League Cup glory in February, but it cannot hide two relegations in four years. That's a failure.

He nearly guided Scotland to the World Cup but, at the end of the day, that campaign ended in failure too.

It's hard to know where to begin at the moment, any thought I try to commit to the page risks spiralling into a 5,000 word mess. I'm sure you all have dozens of competing thoughts bouncing around inside your heads too. Whatever ends up here in this post, trust me, I've deleted more than remains.

Aston Villa fans have protested against the likely scenario that former Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish will be appointed new Aston Villa manager tomorrow, after the former Rangers manager was given the green light from Villa hierarchy to take the Villa Park hot-seat.

Aston Villa fans have protested against the likely scenario that former Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish will be appointed new Aston Villa manager tomorrow, after the former Rangers manager was given the green light from Villa hierarchy to take the Villa Park hot-seat.

Is it really that much of a ‘shock' to see Jermain Defoe linked with Spurs when the same story was doing the rounds around 3 weeks ago?

As far as Spurs headlines are concerned, there's not much beyond Luka Modric, but a couple of old rumours have started to gain some more momentum today and the Defoe link is just one of them.

They've only gone and done it Aston Villa have announced that Alex McLeish has been appointed as their new manager. Despite furious protests from Villa supporters, the ex-Birmingham City manager has signed a three-year deal at Villa Park. He said: "I am honoured to have this opportunity to manage a club with such a fantastic [.

Well, that's it then, it's official. After one of the most protracted and very public management searches ever, the club have confirmed that they have appointed ex-Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish as Gerard Houllier's successor at Villa Park.

Frankly, it's an astonishing move that has already upset the overwhelming majority of fans.

Well, that's it then, it's official. After one of the most protracted and very public management searches ever, the club have confirmed that they have appointed ex-Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish as Gerard Houllier's successor at Villa Park.

Frankly, it's an astonishing move that has already upset the overwhelming majority of fans.

First of all it's a Sunday today so there are likely to be many rumors in the papers. Joey Barton Alex McLeish interested The Daily Star is reporting that new Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish is ready to bid for Newcastle's Joey Barton. Alex will put in an initial £3M and get Newcastle's reaction, [.

By FRANCO PANIZO

The dream of plenty of soccer fans has come true. Jack Warner has quit FIFA.

Currently suspended due to bribery allegations, Warner has resigned as a committee member of the sport's governing body and from his position as head of CONCACAF, FIFA said on Monday.

Liverpool are looking at putting together a bid for Arsenal's Theo Walcott after becoming increasingly frustrated in their attempts to land a top class winger.
The Reds saw arch-rivals Manchester United beat them to the signature of their number one target, Ashley Young ,who joined from Aston Villa for £15m.

By Andrew McCarten

For many, the exit of Martin O'Neill as Aston Villa manager at the beginning of the previous season was the prime reason for their decline. When O'Neill took over for the 2006/07 campaign, Villa had finished a lowly 16th the year before under David O'Leary, managing only 42 points.

Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli believes the club has pulled off a coup by signing Stewart Downing from Aston Villa.
The 26-year-old winger, who turns 27 this week, signed for a fee in the region of £20 million last week and joins fellow summer signings Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam and goalkeeper Alexander Doni at Anfield.

Neither side were able to break the deadlock at Craven Cottage in a game that failed to ever spark into life. As the visiting manager, Alex McLeish will rightly be happier with his point, but will have Shay Given to thank for a number of important saves and might be concerned about the lack of any real threat at the opposite end today.

Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

After three years as a backup, Brad Guzan will make his first Premier League start on Saturday for Aston Villa, and the club is already in the process of trying to extend his stay at Villa Park before his current deal expires this summer.

LONDON, England Arsenal succeeded where Manchester United failed days earlier to become only the second team to win at St Andrew's in 30 games with a 3-0 victory over Birmingham City on Saturday. Their success saw Arsenal stay within two points of both Premier League leaders Manchester United, top on goal difference, and Manchester [.

Newcastle fans certainly need a lift after the disaster at Stevenage on Saturday, and it may just happen very soon. Seb Larsson in talks with Newcastle United The news is that Newcastle United are leading the way in the chase for Swede Seb Larsson according to the Birmingham manager himself, Alex McLeish.

Birmingham City manager, Alex McLeish, has confirmed that Newcastle have been given permission to enter into talks with Sebastian Larsson. The 25 year old Swedish international is a versatile right winger who has also covered both full back positions in the past. If successful, it has also been reported that Birmingham City would be looking [.

If Larsson is about to sign for Newcastle United then nobody told Alex McLeish who started Sebastien Larsson tonight ion their 2-1 defeat at West Ham in the semi-final of the Carling Cup. Larsson had a good game and was doing the Joey Barton role for Birmingham in taking most of the free kicks and [.