Colin Calderwood: Job not done yet for Aston Villa
Colin Calderwood hailed Villa’s derby win over Blues - but warned the hard work is just beginning if they are to claim promotion.
Second half goals from Albert Adomah and Conor Hourihane saw Villa record a seventh straight win in the Championship and climb above Derby into the top two.
But with 15 games remaining, Calderwood knows many twists and turns are likely between now and May.
The assistant boss said: “We'll certainly enjoy the elation of beating Birmingham and coming out on top in a derby day.
“But we’re all aware that the job isn’t about winning today. It will be what we do in the next couple of weeks that dictate where we finish in the table.”
Calderwood was again responsible for post-match media duties, with Villa boss Steve Bruce still mourning the death of his father last week.
Bruce returned to take training at Bodymoor Heath on Saturday and was present in the dugout as Villa extended their recent derby dominance over Blues.
Calderwood revealed how Bruce had delivered a rousing half-time team talk after Villa had experienced frustration in the first-half, with Scott Hogan hitting the bar.
“The manager was excellent at half-time in terms of keeping the players calm and focused,” said Calderwood.
“He was a very experienced managed today who controlled everything in his personal life well, alongside what he wants to do and achieve things here.
“When you have that joy of a professional moment, somehow you must have some reflection to your personal circumstances.
“He’s a hard-working manager, he enjoys this side.
“But he’s very family-orientated and it’s very impressionable for me.
“It was a shaft of light, a moment of happiness.
“I don’t want to speak too much for him. In time he will articulate it much better.”
