New Aston Villa chief promises to be 'open and transparent' with fans after outlining big ambitions

In his first interview since arriving at Villa Park, the Italian described his role as being the “director of an orchestra” while stressing the importance of teamwork if the club is to be successful.

“It’s very important that we work as one club because Aston Villa is more important than any of us,” he said.

Calvo, who has joined Villa from Juventus and previously worked at Barcelona and Roma, will chiefly be tasked with boosting revenues as the club looks to bring its off-field operation to the same level as the team on the pitch under Unai Emery.

But building a strong bond with supporters is also seen as key. Calvo’s predecessor in the post of president of business operations, Chris Heck, regularly became a lightning rod for fan frustration on several issues, most notably rising ticket prices, with the club regularly criticised for a lack of communication.

Asked about the importance of his relationship with supporters, Calvo replied: “I know very well that in English football, the clubs are deeply connected with their communities and with their fans. 

“That’s extremely important for me, for all the club and also for the owners – they’re fully aware of that. 

“An open and transparent approach, for me, will be key, and I know very well what the fans represent to the club and what the club represents to them. 

“We’ll do our best to develop the club and to build a strong and further relationship with the fans. 

“I know, probably, we will not always agree or they will not always agree with us, but if we’re able to explain and be open, transparent and explain our decisions, that will be very useful to build a long-lasting relationship with them.”

Calvo is thought to have made a positive early impression on club staff. Though the 46-year-old did not officially start work until this month, he arrived in Midlands early and has been reading books on both Villa and the region’s history to better his understanding.

He explained: ““I’ve been trying to educate myself as much as I can about the region and about the club because I think the sooner I will be able to understand the club, its fans and the people working at the club, the better I will be able to perform.

“I try to be open and transparent because I think that’s key to working properly with people. It’s not going to be a one-man show with me – I’m a director of an orchestra.

“My ultimate responsibility is to put everybody in the best possible position to deliver.”

His job remains a tough one, with Villa’s revenues still lagging well behind the Premier League’s so-called “Big Six” despite the success Emery has delivered since taking charge in November, 2022.

Calvo already has an existing relationship with president of football operations, Monchi, with the pair having worked together at Roma.

He said: “How Aston Villa has been developing on and off the pitch, on the pitch under the leadership of Unai, Monchi and Damian, what has been achieved so far is quite unbelievable given the short amount of time. 

“My focus will be to support the three of them and support the football department of Aston Villa in order to make it an even more successful club.”

Calvo continued: “The longer-term goal is to make the club successful 360 degrees.

“On the pitch, we have the right people to make it successful. Off the pitch, for me, is building on the foundations of the club and the hard work that has been done over the past seven years. 

“The club has been growing a lot and now it’s about consolidating and optimising everything on the job in order to build something which is sustainable and solid for the long-term.”