Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Kevin MacDonald backed for Villa job
Monday 16th August 2010, 11:57AM BST.
Captain Stiliyan Petrov today urged Villa to hand caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald the job permanently.
MacDonald’s reign got off to a dream start on Saturday as Villa cruised to a 3-0 win over West Ham in their first game since manager Martin O’Neill quit last Monday.
The reserve-team chief last week insisted he “wasn’t a big enough” name for the job, but Petrov thinks otherwise.
He said: “The way he prepared us for the game showed us that he wants to hold on to that job – and I hope we can help him take that job.
“We are behind him. He has been at the club a long time, done a great job with the youth and he has the opportunity to do it now.
“I said to him before the game, ‘you try to hold onto that job.’
“He knows it’s hard. Expectations are high and people want success and they talk about big names — but he has the opportunity and he is really determined to stay there.
“We played really well, we showed what we can do and if it keeps going that way there is no reason why he cannot make his name.”
Club owner Randy Lerner has refused to rule out appointing the Scot, who is now preparing the squad for Thursday’s Europa League clash in Austria against Rapid Vienna.
Lerner said: “I’m not going to say it is in Kevin’s hands now but much will depend on how he feels, whether he thinks this might be right for him, if he is comfortable with the idea of being Villa’s manager.”
Petrov also, hopes Saturday’s standing ovation could tug James Milner’s heart-strings and persuade him to snub Manchester City.
Milner was a surprise starter in Saturday’s 3-0 opening day win over West Ham and was replaced to a standing ovation late on after scoring Villa’s third.
The captain said: “James deserved the standing ovation because you don’t see many more honest players in the world coming out and playing like that with such heart.
“When you play for a team and you make the fans happy, it makes it even harder to leave.”
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