Ezri Konsa - Aston Villa & England

[Dogtanian]

We may look back on Dean Smith in a similar way to how many think of Vick Crowe.
A very decent man, when at a very low ebb for the Villa  set the foundations that enabled the club to go on to achieve greatness.
Heroes.

Without a doubt.

I remember when we binned off Bruce. He was doing well with Brentford, a well run club that looked like they were going places. He could have stayed there and got them up, instead he took the risk and came to us. Took us up, kept us up, got us to a cup final, signed players would take us into europe... he took us as far as he probably could, which is all you can ask of any manager.

[Mister E]

We may look back on Dean Smith in a similar way to how many think of Vick Crowe.
A very decent man, when at a very low ebb for the Villa  set the foundations that enabled the club to go on to achieve greatness.
Heroes.

I like the comparison - let's hope with the same outcomes in a year or two.

[Risso]

We may look back on Dean Smith in a similar way to how many think of Vick Crowe.
A very decent man, when at a very low ebb for the Villa  set the foundations that enabled the club to go on to achieve greatness.
Heroes.

Without a doubt.

I remember when we binned off Bruce. He was doing well with Brentford, a well run club that looked like they were going places. He could have stayed there and got them up, instead he took the risk and came to us. Took us up, kept us up, got us to a cup final, signed players would take us into europe... he took us as far as he probably could, which is all you can ask of any manager.

I'm not sure he'd have got them up, 9th/10th seemed to be about their level under Dean, and I'm pretty certain leaving Brentford for Villa wouldn't be considered a risk by most managers. It took the signing of Toney who got 31 goals one season to get them up.

[dcdavecollett]

The replacement for Ollie Watkins!

[KevinGage]

We may look back on Dean Smith in a similar way to how many think of Vick Crowe.
A very decent man, when at a very low ebb for the Villa  set the foundations that enabled the club to go on to achieve greatness.
Heroes.

Without a doubt.

I remember when we binned off Bruce. He was doing well with Brentford, a well run club that looked like they were going places. He could have stayed there and got them up, instead he took the risk and came to us. Took us up, kept us up, got us to a cup final, signed players would take us into europe... he took us as far as he probably could, which is all you can ask of any manager.

I look back fondly on Stephen Bruce and Dean Smith.

Both played key roles in where we are today.

Nevermind Super John McGinn (enough for freedom of the city on its own), the much maligned ex Blose manager gave us a team that could win at home - regularly - for the first time in eons.

[dcdavecollett]

I thought Bruce helped with the 'healing' process after a dismal relegation.

The celebrations with the fans at the end of the game at Bramall Lane in Jan 2018 were a turning point.

[OCD]

There's been pre-match interviews with Emery where he's been introduced to Dean Smith and Martin O'Neill (separately). The way Emery was in both was telling. He was a lot warmer to Deano, basically thanking him for the job he did and the foundations he had laid for him.