Craig Butler: Steven Gerrard only just noticing value of Leon Bailey at Aston Villa
Leon Bailey’s agent Craig Butler claims that Steven Gerrard is only just noticing the value of the Jamaican at Aston Villa.
In an exclusive interview with the Jamaica Gleaner on 8 October, Butler believes that his client is still getting used to life in the Premier League.
Gerrard was not the Villa boss when Bailey was signed as he was recruited by Dean Smith who was sacked midway through the 2021/22 campaign.
Butler said, “The coach that is at Aston Villa now was not the coach that recruited Leon. That coach played wingers, he loved Leon and wanted him in. The new coach, Gerrard, does not really play that many wingers, but he is getting to understand the importance of the player.
“It’s very important that the manager likes you, wants you in his system and wants that position in his system.
“I advocated strongly that if they don’t want him and they are not going to use wingers, they are to let me move him and I could have moved him to Ajax this summer, but we worked it out and he got to play.”
Entirely on Gerrard
The Villa boss knows that he’s not been able to bring the best out of his attacking players this season.
They have been good defensively and decent in the transition but have not managed to finish their chances.
Bailey also has failed to nail down his place in the team but unlike the other attackers has been fairly consistent with his performances whenever he’s given the chance.
Gerrard has to find a way to get him and the other attackers to click or he could soon look for an exit when the window opens in January.
His agent would not come out and say these things in case a move was on the player’s mind so Gerrard muse play this situation carefully.
We’re hoping for the two to now be on the same page and also for the players around Bailey to click as this team is capable of a lot more.
In other Aston Villa news, John McGinn admits to the Villa v Southampton Premier League clash being a boring affair.