Stiliyan Petrov has accepted the offer of becoming an assistant coach to Development Coach Gordon Cowans at the club after hanging up his boots.
The 33 year old former skipper announced his retirement following his successful battle against Leukaemia and nobody needs to discuss how the fans feel about him, or how he feels about the club either here, so it’s fantastic to see the club offer him a role helping to nurture our youngsters and no doubt, unofficially, continue his skipper role behind the scenes at all levels of the club.
Speaking to the Official Site as his new role was announced, Stan said:
‘I’ve very excited by this new challenge and I wish to thank the club and Paul Lambert for giving me the opportunity to continue my association with Villa, which I have always regarded as a privilege.’
Stan has to obviously study for his coaching badges now and he’ll do that over the coming months.
‘I am looking forward very much to working with Gordon Cowans, someone I know and respect, a true Villa legend. My hope is that I can assist Gordon through my own experience in the game and that I can help the young lads to progress, become better players and better human beings. There are important values that we have always stood for at the club and we will continue to do so.’
Petrov again thanks everybody that he has come into contact with at the club from the Chairman down to the fans and the many club staff we never hear about, and rightly he adds on being offered the role:
‘The main thing for me is that it’s not for sentimental reasons that I will be taking up this role but because I have something to contribute and I really want to do this.’
Petrov has bundles to contribute within the club not only for his standing but for being the type of character he is and alongside Sid he should be able to do some cracking work in bringing our youngsters through and helping them to grow.
To finish after again lauding the Villa faithful, Petrov talks Wigan and the wider football world:
‘I want to take this opportunity to thank the Wigan fans. I was shocked by how incredible the response was from all of the fans when I walked back on the pitch. So thank you for making Sunday even more special for me. Finally, thank you to football fans everywhere because I know how fans of so many clubs in many countries have accepted me into their hearts and stood by me during my illness. My gratitude will hopefully be evident from what I intend to put back in the game with all my heart, my soul and my ability.’
Just a top top man and as has been said many times the reactions of opposition clubs on the 19th minute and the like has been phenomenal and shows all the good in football.
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