Aston Villa are heading to Wembley for the second season running.
Ian Holloway has claimed that he has never seen anyone play so good in his life than Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish as he compared him with England legend Glenn Hoddle.
The 23-year-old has had a remarkable campaign in a Villa shirt, and despite missing three months of action because of injury, he is one game away from guiding his club back to the Premier League.
On Tuesday night, he played his part as Dean Smith’s side beat Midland rivals West Brom on penalties to book their place in the play-off final at Wembley.
Speaking to The Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast Show on TalkSport (14/05/2019 at 8:15 am), former Championship manager Holloway had nothing but praise for Smith and Grealish.
On Villa’s run: “It’s nothing short of sensational,” Holloway told TalkSport. “All I can say is I like the way that they play now. In other words, they have an identity. Dean and his coaching staff have done that. My two favourite people in the world, at the minute, are Chris Wilder and Dean Smith. I think they’ve been sensational.
On how good Grealish can be: “He is as smooth as a glass of Bailey’s being poured over the ice at Christmas. I watched him live, I have never seen a fella play so well in my life [5-5 game v Forest]. It was just a joy. A bit like Glenn Hoddle used to do. I’d love for him to be captain of Villa in the league they want to be in.”
Without Grealish in the starting XI, Villa are a completely different outfit. They’re not a one-man team, but he does make a huge difference when he is playing.
Villa supporters will be hoping that he can guide his boyhood club back to the Premier League when they take on Derby County in the play-off final at Wembley later on this month.
If the Midlands giants fail in their quest for a second season running then it’ll increase Grealish’s chances of leaving the club at the end of the season.
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