Aston Villa forward Danny Ings has revealed how the squad reacted to the news that Unai Emery had been appointed as our new Head Coach.
Villa opted to part company with former boss Steven Gerrard last Thursday after our defeat to Fulham, leaving us languishing just above the relegation zone in the Premier League table with nine points from 10 games to start the season.
READ MORE: How Villa could line up vs Newcastle Utd: Danks eyes back-to-back wins before Emery arrival
Interim boss Aaron Danks led us to a much-needed win last weekend to alleviate some pressure, while the convincing performance will hopefully have built some confidence in the squad too.
However, he will now take charge of his final game this weekend at Newcastle Utd, with Emery set to be officially unveiled as Villa boss next Tuesday before taking his seat on the bench for the home game against Man Utd on November 6.
Ings has provided insight into the initial reaction from the players to the news of Emery’s appointment, as the general hope amongst supporters is that the Spanish tactician is the right man for the job and will lead us towards where we want to be, namely fighting for a return to Europe before too long.
“Of course, it’s sad when a manager does leave, I’ve said it before, you do feel like you’re responsible,” Ings told VillaTV. “When that was announced (Emery’s appointment), I think the lads were excited and ready to work under him and see how far it takes us as a group.
“Hopefully he was watching the game at the weekend, which I’m sure he was, and for us, we just need to keep bringing that energy.
“And with his guidance, hopefully we’ll be where we need to be.”
There is little doubt that Emery has now begun the process of analysing his new squad and identifying which players will be vital for him whilst settling into the job, and he will certainly be keeping a close eye on the game this weekend.
Ings and the players are right to be excited given his CV and achievements in his coaching career, and it’s just now hoped that it’s a good pick from Villa and the right fit that will see us make real progress in the coming years and rectify the issues that we struggled with under Gerrard.
Having failed to establish an identity and a style of play under our ex-Head Coach along with tactical concerns, Emery will undoubtedly have his own fresh ideas and it will be down to the squad to take those on board and carry out his instructions on the pitch to ensure it’s a successful tenure.