Unai Emery ‘relieved’ after Ollie Watkins development at Aston Villa
Bryan King claims Unai Emery will be “relieved” to see Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins withdrawn from the England squad.
The ex-Villa scout feels that the striker now has plenty of time to get himself fit for the visit of Everton on Saturday 14 September.
It was confirmed via England Football on Tuesday (3 September) that Watkins would play no part in September’s UEFA Nations League fixtures. The 28-year-old reported to St George’s Park but was sent back to Villa to continue rehabilitation for an ongoing issue.
And King – speaking exclusively to Villa News – believes that this was the correct decision.
“Watkins has time now to recover,” King said.
“I would have thought Emery and Watkins would be relieved. It appears as though he has a week or so to get himself ready for the next match.
“Watkins is a quality player who will now be missing from the international break, and it is never fun to pull out. However, it will give him a chance to get himself fit.
“I think it is a sensible decision to make, he can get his treatment from the club, and he doesn’t need to travel around a lot.”
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins misses out for England
While Watkins would have no doubt wanted to play for England this month, that probably wouldn’t have been wise.
It appears as though the forward is struggling with an ongoing issue, which could perhaps explain his slow start to the Premier League season. Therefore, risking further injury by playing for England would have been a mistake.
Villa face a busy few months with the UEFA Champions League set to get underway. As a result, Emery will need all of his stars at 100 per cent.
Therefore, while Watkins’ withdrawal from the England squad might suggest a short-term concern, the decision to bring him back to Villa will prove beneficial in the long run.
In other Aston Villa news, King has reacted after the club’s recent Champions League ticketing controversy.
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