Departed Aston Villa coach says it would have taken a magician to avoid relegation

 

Former Aston Villa assistant coach Réginald Ray has told the French media it would have taken French magician Gerard Majax to save the club from relegation last season. Ray was hired when Remi Garde was installed as the Aston Villa last November.

Speaking to La Nouvelle Republique, Ray was asked about his time in England, and the failings of Aston Villa. Garde’s No.2 said there were difficulties with recruiting players, which ultimately made the job an impossible one.

“It would have taken a call to Gerard Majax to successfully keep Aston Villa up. We arrived on All Saints’ Day with Remi Garde and couldn’t bring players in over the winter transfer window. When you can’t improve the team, it becomes very complicated.”

Aston Villa picked up just 17 points last season, and ended the campaign rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table. The club went through three managers, but the appointments couldn’t turn things around.