The Aston Villa midfielder hasn’t given up hopes of promotion just yet.
Conor Hourihane in action during his Barnsley days
Villa new boy Conor Hourihane spoke on the weekly EFL podcast, and delivered a message for the club’s fans, admitting that he and his teammates have been nowhere near good enough recently, although he did suggest that they have not yet given up on making the play-offs.
Steve Bruce’s men are currently in the midst of a woeful run of form, having not won a Championship game since Boxing Day, and are sitting perilously in 17th position in the table, a mammoth 22 points adrift of sixth placed Sheffield Wednesday and worryingly, just six points clear of the relegation zone.
And the 26-year-old midfielder, who moved to Villa Park from Barnsley last month, explained how he and his teammates need to work harder than ever on the training ground, if they are to turn things around, when speaking on the weekly EFL podcast:
“The fans deserve better. They have been high-flying in the Premier League and at the minute we’re struggling a little bit. We need to come together, work hard and all sing off the same hymn sheet. Sometimes you need to knuckle down that little bit harder and things will turn for you. We will keep trying to make the play-offs until it’s mathematically impossible and we will keep giving our all.”
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce
Bruce’s side head to the North East to take on Rafa Benitez’ Newcastle United on Monday night, and anything but a win will surely see their faint hopes of promotion permanently dashed.
That will be easier said than done, however, with the Tyneside outfit having not lost a Championship game since January 2nd.
And Hourihane, along with Villa’s other new recruits, will have to be at his very best, if they are to have any chance of leaving St James’ Park with the victory.
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce
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