Gareth Barry names the player who was the perfect role model at Aston Villa

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Everton midfielder Gareth Barry played with England head coach Gareth Southgate at Aston Villa.

Everton midfielder Gareth Barry has told the club’s official website that Gareth Southgate looked after him when he was at Aston Villa.

Barry started his professional club football career at Villa and was on the books of the Villans from 1997 until 2009.

Southgate, now in charge of the England national football team, played for Villa from 1995 until 2001.

“I know him from when I first broke in at Aston Villa,” Barry told Everton’s official website about Southgate. “He was someone who certainly looked after me, which you need as a young player coming in.

“You need the arm round your shoulder, you need words of advice and he was the perfect role model for me to look up to and see what it’s all about to become a professional footballer.”

Southgate was a brilliant professional as a footballer and was quite a good player. The 46-year-old played with success at Crystal Palace, Villa and Middlesbrough, and is now doing quite a good job as the England national team head coach.

England are at the top of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group F with 13 points from five matches, four points above second-placed Slovakia.

Meanwhile, Everton find themselves seventh in the Premier League table at the moment with 50 points from 29 matches.

Ronald Koeman’s side will return to action on Saturday afternoon when they take on Merseyside rivals Liverpool away from home at Anfield in the Premier League.