Just back from work, so please excuse the two pages that have slid inbetween this response.
My Villa Park ref was this. When he was put in charge of them, they were doomed, not mathematically but everybody knew they had gone. During his time there he allowed players like Lescott & Bucuna not just to walk all over the club, but the fans as well. In the build up to our game Lescott had accidently** tweeted a picture of his £200,000 motor(as a F* you I presume) & Bucana had made it clear he wanted to leave to play Champions League Football (don't laugh!). Eric showed a lack of every leadership quality I've ever known that day, and that's why it was a such a toxic environment (ever heard the home team sheet booed by the home crowd like that?) . The Villa fans were ready for gallows humour that day, but this guy just didn't read the situation at all. They had kids ready to step in, players the crowd would have responded to, but he set the tone that day. That's one reason why he's associated with failure, but if you dig a little deeper there's many others.
And in saying all that, once he was given the chance with us I fully supported him, and hoped he'd do well with the opportunity. I feel massively let down.
I've seen the footage, I've tried to piece together the dialogue, & I reckon there's a chance he'll worm out of it like Jimmy is currently doing. But I am ashamed to have the association, dodgy back door deals, how ever you paint it up, its a disgusting. I'm not someone who would look for an excuse to get rid, you should be judged by the job you do, but this is September 2nd we are talking about.......unbelievable!