Former England manager Sam Allardyce has said that Dean Smith is a “top, top manager” and said that he hopes John Terry will go on to be the same, although he predicted this wouldn’t be at Aston Villa.
Talking on the talkSPORT breakfast show (talkSPORT, Tuesday, 6am), Allardyce was asked what he made of the new double appointment, with former Brentford manager taking the Villa job, with Terry as his number two.
Steve Bruce was sacked after a string of disappointing results and Smith was brought in after Thierry Henry and Rui Faria turned the role down.
“He’s a top, top manager and I’m very glad he got the job,” Allardyce said.
“He might have to change his name, like me, to Deanio or something like that to get recognised but he’s a brilliant manager. I’m really, really pleased for him and I hope he takes Villa all the way. The pairing, John will learn an awful lot and hopefully go on to be a great manager himself, but not at Villa.”
OPINION
It was a roundabout of a recruitment process that eventually led Aston Villa to Dean Smith but everyone seems happy with the new man, seconded by former Villa defender John Terry. Thierry Henry, the club’s initial choice, landed the top job at Monaco and second-choice Rui Faria is still taking a break from the game. That left the man who really wanted the job and the fans are happy with Smith too. He’s done a fine job at Brentford and will be hoping that there’s still time to salvage this season, with a tilt at the play-offs still on the cards if Smith can get his team playing quickly. Smith has been told by CEO Christian Purslow that there will be funds available in January if he needs new recruits, but that might well hinge on where Villa are in the league come January. If the play-offs are a realistic aim then we can see new players coming in. Otherwise it will be all about the 19/20 season for Smith and Villa.