Aston Villa have officially announced the appointment of Neil Critchley as our new Assistant Head Coach.
Villa boss Steven Gerrard saw long-term assistant Michael Beale leave earlier this week as he opted to take up the QPR job, and so a key void needed to be filled.
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It seems as though there was an awareness of a potential exit for Beale as Villa moved swiftly to bring in a replacement, as the club confirmed the arrival of Critchley to take up the job.
The 43-year-old has left his role at Blackpool to join up with Gerrard and his staff, and it appears to be an excellent choice when considering his experience at Liverpool over many years and the success he enjoyed in his previous position.
With a crucial pre-season fast approaching, Gerrard will no doubt have wanted to get his staff in place quickly after Beale’s departure, and with Villa also moving fast to bring in top new signings already this summer, the focus will likely now switch back to the playing squad and strengthening it where possible.
Critchley will hopefully establish himself as a valuable member of the coaching staff now, and although losing Beale is a blow for Villa given his level of input and influence during his time at the club, it appears as though we have chosen a smart option to step in and replace him.
