From ambitious declarations to huge investment in the playing staff, Xia has certainly made an impact.
Stan Collymore has said on Twitter that he is feeling positive about Tony Xia’s reign at Aston Villa so far.
The Chinese businessman took over at Villa Park with one of the traditional clubs of English football on its knees following a shameful relegation from the top flight that destroyed the careers and reputations of respected pros like Micah Richards and Jolean Lescott.
And Xia’s ambitious claims that he wanted to take Villa into Europe within five years didn’t quite have the effect the owner would have been hoping for, with the fans understandably concerned that the new man at the helm had a limited grasp of life in English football.
Yet, after a dismal start to the season which saw Roberto Di Matteo sacked after just 124 days in charge, Villa’s fortunes are looking up for the first time in recent memory with Xia’s decision to appoint promotion-winning specialist Steve Bruce proving something of a masterstroke so far.
The Midlands giants may be 13th in the Championship table but, such is the competitive nature of the league, they are just four points behind Leeds United in the final play-off place.
And, while Collymore is unsurprisingly reluctant to get ahead of himself, the former Villa striker believes the charismatic Xia can take the club forwards again.
Xia, a popular figure amongst the supporters due to his outspoken attitude and clear love for the club, spent huge fees in the summer to reinforce the squad and is expected to invest once more in January.
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