‘Never heard that before’: Tony Daley admits comments by Aston Villa man were a first for him

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Aston Villa are hovering above the Premier League’s relegation zone and in a bad run of form heading into their League Cup final encounter this Sunday.

Tony Daley has admitted that he has ‘never heard’ Dean Smith speak in such a brutally honest way in public before following Aston Villa’s defeat to Southampton over the weekend.

Smith hit out at his players and claimed some have ‘played themselves out’ of Villa’s League Cup final on Sunday, as Daley told Sky Sports News (24/02/20 12:15 pm), that was ‘the worst’ he had seen the relegation-threatened side play this term.

It beggars belief how Villa aren’t in the Premier League’s bottom three because their defensive record this season has been pretty shocking. And as mentioned above, their desire has also been questioned by Smith, as quoted by Sky Sports. 

But all of those problems, and recent defeats, have to be put to bed because Villa have a League Cup final to contend with against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, and Daley made it clear that ‘pride’ is at stake.

“I have never heard that before from Dean Smith,” Daley told Sky Sports. “I actually saw that game as well and I can say that’s the worst I have seen Villa play this season. They were poor.

“For Dean to come out and say that, it says a lot because I have never heard him say those words before. Perhaps behind closed doors, yes, but never out in public.

“Hopefully, that will give a boost to the players, and let’s be honest, if you are playing at Wembley, it’s personal pride. I don’t think any of the Villa players want to go out there and embarrass themselves. And if [some of the players] have played themselves out of the game then it’s unlucky them and an opportunity for someone else to come in and put a good performance up.”

The last time Villa locked horns, or to put it in a better manner, laid down for their Sunday opponents, was when they met in the Premier League last month. 

Guardiola’s side put six past the Midlands club, and they did it without getting out of first gear, whilst Villa were like a scared lion that had forgotten how to fight.  

A repeat of that performance would be hugely embarrassing for Smith’s men because whilst the Manchester club are clear favourites, the Villa Park fans want to, at the very least, make sure that lion is heard loud and proud, regardless of the result.