Going, Going, Garde
After many days of negotiation about compensation between Remi Garde and the board, Garde finally parted ways with the club and left his role by mutual consent. The Frenchman spent four months in charge of Villa and no matter how dignified he was when dealing with the overall situation at the club, looking back in hindsight his appointment was another costly decision that added to our downfall.
Eric Black will now take over as an interim manager for the time being until the newly formed board make their biggest decision yet. The next managerial appointment is absolutely crucial and there’s a plethora of candidates. Garde’s reign started off with a hint of optimism after a solid point was gained at home against Manchester City. However, the ex-Lyon manager struggled to control the dressing room and eventually looked a broken man after he was let down with empty promises about the January window.
Gabby and Richards Party/Grealish’s Secret Signs
Gabby Agbonlahor and Micah Richards were pictured living it up on holiday in Dubai and it’s another incident where the Villa players show themselves in an idiotic and careless light. Gabby’s name has been involved in many shocking incidents and rumours for the majority of the season and it optimises the club’s downfall this season that their ‘club captain’ can act in such a way. What’s even more depressing is that the promising Jack Grealish uses Gabby as a role model and idolises the let-down ‘legend’.
Grealish didn’t see eye to eye with Remi Garde after he was pictured on a night out and then consequently suspended by Garde. Super Jack hasn’t featured a lot due to injuries and off field issues such as this particular example, but after Garde’s exit was announced by the club; the youngster posted a timely twitter picture expressing his pleasure at being involved in full time training again.
The club have now announced that Gabby will not feature this weekend against Chelsea due to an internal investigation about his recent actions in the media and I’m hopeful they also investigate his woeful performances in recent seasons as well.
Injury Update
Even though we look dead and buried when it comes to any survival hopes, there is some light at the end of the tunnel and an actual reason to partake in the viewing of Villa’s match against Chelsea this Saturday Lunch time. Jack Grealish and most notably Adama Traore have both been given a shining light on their fitness for this weekend’s game.
Adama will be an entertaining feature and if Eric Black does decide the ex-Barcelona winger is ready to play, then it’ll be nice to see the youngster sprint at Chelsea’s backline on the Villa Park turf.
Almost every player’s future at the club is an uncertainty as vast footballing changes are on the horizon whilst the newly formed board perform their clear out and click the refresh button. So watching such a powerful, pacey and skillful attacking player in claret and blue (especially this season) is something we need to cherish before he’s potentially caught up and swept away in the mass clear out that looks to be on the cards for the summer.
Bevington on the Board
Adrian Bevington became one of many new additions to the board as the ex-FA man has been added to help Villa’s end of season review. He’ll slot in alongside David Bernstein and will work with the new Villa director in order to assess the wrongdoings of last season and improve the club’s woeful PR and communication strategy to the outside world and supporter base.
Bevington has a wealth of football experience and this addition looks like another positive one as the board continues to add real depth to the experience that the new football dedicated section of the board already boasts.
Fresh Meat
After Remi Garde’s long and drawn out dismissal was finally confirmed, a few fresh faces were added to the long managerial candidates list that Nigel Pearson and David Moyes lead as joint favourites at the moment. Sean Dyche’s and Gary Neville’s names were both thrown into the hat as the club begin their long and careful interviewing process for a new leading man at the helm.
As the Telegraph reported, Dyche just brushed off reports about any contact between him and Villa, revealing that the club hasn’t approached him so far but it didn’t look like he’d be at all put off by such an offer. As for one side of the Neville brothers, Gary recently lost his job at Valencia and although it may be many ‘Monday Night Football’ viewers’ dream to see him learn his trade at Villa Park, now is not the time for a gamble.
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