Ty Bracey: Michael Beale’s Aston Villa comments were directed at Christian Purlsow
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Michael Beale’s comments suggesting there are issues with the way Aston Villa is being run were directed at Christian Purslow believes Ty Bracey.
Steven Gerrard’s former assistant, and now Queens Park Rangers boss, was asked about the chances of him taking the then-vacant manager’s position at Villa Park on talkSPORT (23 October), but after ruling out the possibility and praising the club he suggested the model and recruitment aren’t right due Gerrard and Dean Smith both leaving in quick succession.
Bracey is confident that any criticism is being sent the way of the chief executive rather than owners Wes Eden and Nassef Sawiris because the off-pitch movement of the Villans as a whole is positive, and is optimistic about the arrival of Unai Emery.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News he said: “Obviously we don’t see what goes on behind closed doors so I can’t really comment on that because that’s something where he’s got the experience.
“But this time around it’s been an appointment from the owners so it’s done in the right way, it hasn’t been Purslow’s recruitment.
“So let’s see if they’ve made the right decision.”
On Beale’s comments being directed at Purslow rather than the owners he said: “I would say so. The club’s in zero debt, we’ve got stadium expansion coming, we’ve got a Las Vegas Villains franchise branching off.
“Wes Edens is massive in terms of the sporting ownership world, he’s done well in the NBA etc.
“So I really don’t think it’s aimed at the owners, I think it’s pointing at Purslow personally.”
Clearly mistakes have been made because no club would purposefully sack two managers in the space of a year, or wish to be kicking about near the relegation zone.
So the personnel decisions have turned out to be wrong, whatever the logic of the appointments in the first place.
But while Beale will understandably remain loyal to Gerrard, the former Rangers pair can’t entirely escape criticism for the miserable results in 2022 themselves after what has been a difficult year for the fans to get through.
In other Aston Villa news, Alan Hutton doesn’t believe there are problems behind the scenes at the club.