Former Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has broken his silence on his acrimonious departure from the club, pinpointing a damaging split with a key group of players as a major factor in his dismissal.
The Villa Park Reign and Sudden Fall
Appointed in November 2021 after a successful stint at Rangers, Gerrard's tenure began promisingly. He won three of his first four games and guided Villa to a 14th-place finish, an improvement from the 17th position he inherited from Dean Smith. Backed in the summer of 2022 with signings like Diego Carlos, Philippe Coutinho, and Boubacar Kamara, expectations were for a push towards the top ten.
However, the 2022/23 campaign started disastrously. Just two wins from the opening twelve Premier League matches left Villa floundering near the relegation zone. The end came swiftly after a 3-0 defeat to Fulham in October 2022, with the club's hierarchy relieving Gerrard of his duties. His final record stood at 13 wins and 8 draws from 40 matches in charge.
Gerrard's Candid Reflections on What Went Wrong
In a frank interview on TNT Sports' 'Ally's Social Club', Gerrard admitted his deep disappointment. "Going into the second season, I'm thinking: we've taken Villa from 17th to seventh, eighth, ninth," he explained. "We're in a good place... Let's go for top ten."
He identified a shocking 2-0 loss to Bournemouth as a critical early setback, describing the performance as "tactically poor" with players who "didn't turn up". While a win over Everton offered brief respite, Gerrard confessed he lost control as momentum evaporated. "I didn’t feel like I could pull it back," he stated. "I felt like I’d changed the dynamics and upset too many people in the dressing room too quickly, and that hurt me a lot."
The Core Group That 'Pulled Away'
The Liverpool legend was particularly pointed about the breakdown in player relationships. "I think there was a core group of players in the dressing room who pulled away from us as a staff," Gerrard revealed. He pointedly added that, "interestingly enough, none of those players are in and around the starting eleven now."
Despite the friction, Gerrard was effusive in his praise for several individuals he worked with at Villa Park, naming them as "top, top players".
- John McGinn: Described as "a manager’s dream, on and off the pitch."
- Ollie Watkins: Praised as a "top, top kid" with another level to reach if he finds consistency.
- Matty Cash, Lucas Digne, and Boubacar Kamara were also highlighted as positive figures and signings.
Gerrard, who has been out of management since leaving Saudi side Al-Ettifaq in January, accepted ultimate responsibility. "I was really disappointed and upset with how Villa finished, but totally deserved it with the last run of results, for sure. And that was on me," he concluded.
The full interview with Steven Gerrard is available to watch on TNT Sports' YouTube channel from 22 December.
