Kevin Phillips has argued that Aston Villa have made the right decision by getting rid of Jesus Garcia Pitarch instead of manager Dean Smith.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Villa striker hailed his old club for allowing the sporting director, also known as Suso, to depart rather than laying the blame of a disappointing campaign with the boss.
The Villans announced earlier in the week that they would not be renewing the Spaniard’s contract following its expiry at the end of the season.
And Phillips believes it is the right choice following the “unbelievable turnaround” Smith implemented to keep his side in the Premier League after a nervy relegation battle.
Speaking to Football Insider, when asked if the club had made the correct decision, he said: “Definitely, in my opinion.
“Unfortunately, 99.9% of the time it’s the manager who pays the price. I know for a fact that at the majority of clubs players are brought in over their heads and managers have to try and deal and fit them into their squads or their teams.
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“So yeah, it is refreshing. Credit to Villa, they’ve identified the problem, they didn’t see the problem as being Dean Smith, and it’s shown that Dean has done an unbelievable job.
“I have to confess, I thought they were dead and buried three or four weeks. It’s been an unbelievable turnaround.”
Villa secured their place in the top flight next season with a 1-1 draw against West Ham on the final day of the season.
That result was enough to see them clear of both Bournemouth and Watford, who both finished one point behind Smith’s men.
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By: Football Insider speaking to Kevin Phillips
Title: Phillips praises decision to get rid of Suso
Sourced From: www.footballinsider247.com/have-to-confess-exclusive-pundit-hails-aston-villa-decision-after-unbelievable-turnaround/
Published Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2020 13:18:39 +0000
