Aston Villa

Aston Villa: Dan Bardell rubbishes claims of Dean Smith job pressure

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Podcast host Dan Bardell has rubbished claims that Aston Villa manager Dean Smith could be sacked if the club’s performances don’t improve soon. 

A recent report from publication Football Insider claimed that Smith is ‘fighting for his job’ having taken just four points from their opening four Premier League matches.

The article goes on to state that, with a difficult run of fixtures on the horizon, the Villa manager will come under increasing pressure if he can’t change the club’s form before the next international break.

While speaking on the Villa View podcast, Bardell brought up the rumours and dismissed them entirely. He said (27:59): “It was a classless piece of journalism. I don’t even know why I’m even giving it the time of day.

“As I say, I’ve spoken to people at the club. Absolutely completely false. No truth in it whatsoever. So yeah, I just don’t get it at all. 

“Someone that’s improved you year in year out, why would you have any complaints?”

TIF thoughts on Dean Smith and Aston Villa…

Considering the job Smith did at Villa last season, helping them to an 11th-placed finish in the Premier League (their best since the 2010/11 season), it would seem odd that the manager should face such early scrutiny, especially when you consider the turnaround from them almost being relegated the previous season.

Will Dean Smith still be manager at Aston Villa next season?

Yes

Yes

No

No

The Villans may not have got off to the best start this season, but it is still very early days yet. What’s more, the club have backed the manager in the transfer market with a number of signings and so it would make sense for them to at least afford him the time to bed them into his squad.

Even still, football can be a baffling and brutal game at times. It doesn’t seem as if this story is true, even without Bardell’s confirmation, but never say never.

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