Villa boss has got perfect backroom staff in place

Alex McLeish is delighted to have his backroom staff in place following the confirmation that assistant manager Peter Grant and Dr Ian McGuiness have been given the green light to join him at Villa Park.

The pair compliment the appointments of first team coach Gordon Cowans, goalkeeping coach Rafa Gonzalez and fitness coach Adrian Lamb, to complete the managers support team going in to the 2011/12 campaign.

McLeish welcomed Grant and McGuiness to Villa after the club reached agreement with Birmingham City to relieve them of their previous roles, and backed them both to be great additions to the squad.

"I have known Peter a long, long time, since our Aberdeen and Celtic playing days when he captained the Celtic team in the 1990 Scottish Cup final," he confirmed.

"He's a good coach and he's got tremendous experience in terms of the Premier League. He's a very positive guy and he manages the mood well. I'm sure the players will love working with him."

McGuiness on the other hand brings with him in addition to a wealth of medical expertise, sufficient knowledge and experience in sports science.

"He's a very clever guy, an expert in sports science as well as a doctor," added McLeish. "There'll be a close relationship between him and the medical department and the fitness coaches.




 

"I've known Ian for about 10 to 12 years, we worked together at Rangers. He was already there as a reserve doctor and I promoted him when I got there."

McLeish also took the opportunity to pay tribute to reserve team coach Kevin MacDonald - who filled in admirably helping out with first-team duties at the start of pre-season.

"Kevin MacDonald has helped us brilliantly over the past few days. We've had a good look at the players and Kevin has organised some of the football stuff and I've just been able to sit back and look at the players.

"He'll go back to looking after the reserve team now. He's done a fantastic job at Aston Villa bringing the youngsters through in the reserves.

"You don't want to lose people like that - you want to let them continue to do it. What a job he's done, and hopefully he can keep doing that."