Dean Smith spoke to the media via a virtual press conference on Tuesday morning to preview Aston Villa’s home clash against Burnley.
Speaking from Bodymoor Heath, the club’s head coach discussed the sad passing of former manager Gerard Houllier, Anwar El Ghazi’s late winner against Wolves, the visit of the Clarets, team news ahead of the Villa Park encounter and more.
Here’s what he had to say…
On Gerard Houllier…
“I’ve never crossed paths with him myself, so I never met him, but there’s certainly a lot of heartbroken people at Aston Villa Football Club who spoke very highly of Gerard when he was working here.
“He will be sadly missed and our condolences to all his family.
“He was here for one season, he finished early before the end of the season for health reasons but he certainly made an impact, not only with the players but the staff at Villa Park and Bodymoor Heath.
“There’s certainly a sombre mood at the training ground at the moment.”
Dean added: “It’s a disappointment that the fans won’t be able to go and give Gerard the send-off that he deserves (at Villa Park on Thursday), but I’m sure they’ll all be doing that at their homes.
“We’ll certainly be wearing black armbands and there’s a minute’s applause scheduled for the game.”
On Anwar El Ghazi…
“Anwar is competing this season with Jack, Trezeguet and Traore and he’s found it difficult to break in so far.
“But whenever he’s stepped up, he’s played well, he’s a top player, we know that, one of the major reasons we’re in this league.
“The goal and the penalty will have done him the world of good, by coming on the pitch and scoring that goal, it will certainly lift his confidence.
“Over the last two weeks, certainly in training, I’ve seen a marked difference in his application and attitude to training, to wanting to get back into the team.
“In regards to social media, I’d be happy if a lot of the players came off social media, I’m not on it myself.
“It is a platform for pats on the back but also critique as well, and if it gets too much then, for me, for the mental health of anybody, not just footballers, then get off there.”
On Burnley…
“They’ve obviously not had the start to the season that Sean (Dyche) would have wanted for them.
“But you just look at their last four of five performances, bar the Manchester City one, they’ve been performing well and very difficult to play against, very difficult to score against and got a deserved win in the end at Arsenal.”
On team news…
“Kortney Hause came through some minutes on Sunday (for the Under-23s), as did Tom Heaton and Frederic Guilbert, they’re all fit for Thursday evening.
“So we’ve got quite a few players coming back.
“We’re going to have a look at Ross tomorrow (Wednesday) in training, he’s getting closer and closer, we’ll have a look and see how he is.”
(Villa will, however, be without suspended pair Douglas Luiz and Matty Cash and Trezeguet, who misses out with a hamstring injury)
