Yacouba Sylla has not forgotten the current Wolves boss Paul Lambert for giving him his chance in England with Aston Villa.
Yacouba Sylla was signed, loaned out and sold by Paul Lambert within the space of 18 months. Yet, the French midfielder insists that he thrived under the former Aston Villa boss, as reported by the Birmingham Mail.
Sylla signed for Villa from Ligue 2 outfit Clermont Foot in January 2013 but, after just 24 appearances in the club’s colours, was loaned out to Turkish outfit Kayseri Erciyesspor before returning to France on a permanent basis with Rennes for just half of his initial £2 million transfer fee.
Therefore, you’d think that the midfielder, currently aiding Montpellier’s fight against the Ligue 1 drop after arriving on loan in January, would not be so open about his admiration of the former Villa manager.
“When I first arrived there, everyone wondered where I came from, a little player from Ligue 2 with no experience,” Sylla said in quotes reported by the Birmingham Mail.
“The manager, Paul Lambert, made me play box to box and I really loved it because I wasn’t brought in to be a player who just stays in the same position only kicking the ball. I was able to move around and that is where I play my best.”
Clearly, the Scot knows how to get the best out of Sylla, even if Villa fans will not look back on his brief time in the Midlands with any real fondness. Therefore, the 26-year-old would surely jump at the chance to work under Lambert again if given the opportunity.
After maturing as a player since returning to his homeland, the tigerish midfielder would certainly represent a far more effective addition to Lambert’s current Wolves side than he did when arriving at Villa as a youngster.
His hassling work-rate would offer an extra layer of protection to a defence that has been breached far too often this season while also offering energy and dynamism in midfield. Having improved since Lambert let him go, would the Wolves boss give him another chance?
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