Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa tenure ended abruptly after a little less than a year at the West Midlands club.
Fast forward a year plus a couple months and Villa are flying high at 2nd in the Premier League table, just three points behind league leaders Liverpool.
So what went wrong for Gerrard at Villa Park? Gary McAllister, Gerrard’s assistant at Aston Villa and Rangers, outlines where things went wrong for the Liverpool legend.
In an exclusive interview with BoyleSports, McAllister also touched on Aston Villa’s Champions League stature and the chances of a John Eustace return to Birmingham City after Wayne Rooney’s recent sacking.
What Went Wrong For Steven Gerrard At Aston Villa?
I had worked at Villa before joining Steven and I already knew the training facilities were world-class and that Villa Park was an incredible stadium.
I think Steven Gerrard's issue was time. You always need time and luck when you arrive at a new club, and Steven had the misfortune of injuries to Diego Carlos, Lucas Digne, and Boubacar Kamara - his three major signings.
They all got injured within the same time frame and all were ruled out for a long time. That provided a big issue in Steven second's season.
We'd acquired a bit of luck and we had welcomed three major arrivals, and all of them were injured very quickly. They had started to impact the team and they settled in very quickly.
The injuries coincided with a few bad results. It was unfortunate.
Steven is an iconic footballer, but he's an incredibly humble man. I never saw his status as a problem at Villa as he was trying to develop close relationships with the senior players - as that's quite common at clubs.
You talk about training, travel, and everything else over a coffee with the senior group of players and stuff. He just had a bit of bad luck.
It's no surprise to see Villa doing so well as they have outstanding characters and a proven manager. They've certainly made Villa Park a fortress - results there have been outstanding.
*Aston Villa are 20/1 to win this season's Premier League per the latest football betting odds at BoyleSports.
Aston Villa Have ‘The Stature To Be In The Champions League’
Aston Villa have a lot of history in the Champions League as they've won it in the past!
The infrastructure of the club is geared for high-end Premier League football. They've jumped from being a mid-table club and they've managed to maintain that and be in contention for a Champions League spot. Staying there will take more time and more investment, however.
It takes a good team to beat Aston Villa, and they certainly have the stature to be in the Champions League. The whole club is geared for it. They just need time.
There are some good youngsters at Villa, like Jacob Ramsey, and it'll take time for those players to develop.
*Aston Villa are now odds-on at 4/5 to finish in the top four of the Premier League this season according to the latest football odds at BoyleSports.
Is A John Eustace – Birmingham City Reunion On The Cards?
John Eustace had Birmingham City in sixth place when he was dismissed, and he must have been dumbfounded.
I remember him as a young player at Coventry, and he always confided in Gordon Strachan - a relationship that lasted throughout John's football career. I think the two still speak now.
John Eustace is a very solid person. I can somewhat see the logic behind Wayne Rooney's appointment due to his name-value, but that doesn't always work - and I mean no disrespect to Wayne by saying that.
Fifteen games is just not enough time for Wayne to establish a style. He tried to turn a counter-attacking team into one based on possession, but that can't happen overnight. It was impossible for Wayne to play that way without any transfer windows!
It was also harsh to see John get the sack, too. Football management is a ruthless world and I've witnessed that myself. It's tough.
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