‘One of the worst’ – Exclusive: Alan Hutton reacts to Aston Villa dressing room reveal
Alan Hutton admits that he was not surprised to hear that Dean Smith had torn into his Aston Villa players after the defeat to Watford.
The former Villa and Scotland star, speaking exclusively to Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge, says he was never on the end of a berating from his old manager but that he could tell the 48-year-old had it in him to blow his top.
Smith revealed that he had “read the riot act” to the dressing room at half time against Watford, a game which they eventually lost 3-0 despite the Hornets having 10 men for most of the match.
Hutton says he can understand why the manager was so angry with what he saw in the club’s last game of 2019, suggesting it might well have been the worst performance during Smith’s time in charge.
Asked if he’d been on the end of Smith’s rage, Hutton told Football Insider: “I’ve not actually, with the change (of manager) it was all very high and him getting to know the players so it wasn’t really settled in but now you’re in the big time.
“It’s not great, these were a few big weeks for Villa, playing all the teams about them and they go through it as if they were going through the motions, so I can see why he’s done what he’s done.
“You can tell he’s got it in the locker, there were things that would frustrate him and he’d voice his opinion I think as far as performances go, that’s probably one of the worst ones. You could see it in him that he could lose it.”
In other Aston Villa news, a Football Insider pundit has questioned the mental strength of one summer signing.