They are both trying to put right the wrongs of previous regimes in a time of financial austerity, however, both of the current management teams seem to be getting the blame for trying to repair the mess they have been left with, as though they had created the miserable conditions we find ourselves in.
The last general election saw a party who did not want to hold onto power because they could see what a dreadful economic legacy they had created not enter into an agreement with the LibDems for fear of having to clear up their own ineptitudes. The new government then became immediately unpopular for having to impose tight financial constraints to try and put the country back into a viable state. This meant having to reduce the incredibly high burden of government spending, over inflated public sector salaries and costly Quangos that proliferated under both Blair and Brown, which this country just could not afford; these remedial actions were never going to win a popularity contest.
Sounds familiar doesn’t it. The current management team at Villa are fighting to put the club back onto a solid footing and using all best endeavours to end the reckless spending on wages and fees plus lose the highly paid, no added value players that have been bought by previous managers, without turning us into relegation fodder. In doing this Big Eck has become, in some quarters, public enemy number one, but by creating a more together, “all for one and one for all” squad, and moulding the highly paid with effervescent and talented youth, a real team is emerging, in a club that will soon be stable and perhaps successful, if not a top 4, without the risk of implosion if wealthy backers withdraw (or in Small Heath’s case are found to be shady).
I, personally think that RL and Eck are going down the right path (I also happen to think the Coalition are too) and in the medium term we will see the wisdom of the current actions. Meanwhile, I look forward to enjoying the new wave of talented youngsters, in particular Bannon, Albrighton, Clark and Delph getting opportunities to shine, and the four recent signings showing us what a good judge of player, and character, we have in our manager.