Manager Dean Smith comments on his plans for an ‘Aston Villa way’

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Former Brentford manager Dean Smith has replaced Steve Bruce at the helm of Championship underachievers Aston Villa.

Dean Smith’s favoured style of football is surely one of the major reasons why owners Naseef Sawiris and Wes Edens handed him the keys to the Aston Villa machine.

The Midland giants were rumoured to have considered a wide range of coaches as a replacement for the sacked Steve Bruce with Brendan Rodgers, Thierry Henry, Graham Potter and Rafa Benitez all linked with the post.

But, a week ago, Aston Villa announced Smith as their new manager. The 47-year-old spent three years at Brentford, honing a reputation as one of the most attack-minded coaches in the Football League and supporters can expect a big difference from the rather rudimentary style embodied by Bruce.

And, speaking to the Birmingham Mail, boyhood fan Smith has opened up about the style he wants to introduce.

“I’ve been a supporter and you want to be entertained and watching players who will work hard for the shirt,” he said.

“That’s what we want to bring to the football club.

“We want to develop an Aston Villa way, lots of clubs have philosophies that change from manager to manager and I feel that this is an opportunity now to develop an Aston Villa way, with the staff we’ve brought in.”

What ‘an Aston Villa way’ is remains to be seen.

But anyone who marvelled at Smith’s Brentford side can expect free-flowing and creative attacking football with technically gifted young players at the forefront.