Stepping up

MILE Jedinak has admitted Villa must make a serious challenge for promotion next season after falling short this year.

The 32-year-old reckons a stuttering start to the campaign cost them a crack at the top six but he’s convinced his team-mates are ready to make amends next time out.

Villa have grown as a team, insists Jedinak, and the guidance from boss Steve Bruce will be vital when the promotion push resumes in August.

“We have to take the next step [next season],” the Australian said. “We’ve had a taste of it this year but, next year, a taste is not good enough. We have to go a bit further.”

Jedinak is keen to right the wrongs of this season and is desperate to guide Villa to promotion.

At Crystal Palace he inspired the Eagles to the Premier League in 2013 and played a major role in keeping them there.

This season hasn’t quite gone to plan. Although Jedinak’s individual performances have been impressive, the team have struggled to achieve their overall aims and that disappoints the 70-timescapped international.

“Looking at it overall, I think it started really slow and didn’t really get going,’’ he said. “It picked up and has been indifferent.

“That’s Championship football for you and getting to know what it takes to get through it.

“There’s a dozen teams that are always pushing to try to get promoted. Having just gone down last season and coming into this division, we are always going to be tipped to go back up straight away.

“But you realise quite quickly that it doesn’t always happen like that.”

And it won’t get any easier next season, Jedinak admits.

There’s always going to be hurdles because it’s a Championship season,’’ he said. “And there’s so many games, so there will always be lows.

“The key is, how do you react to a tricky period? Do you say, ‘ok, well this is us’. No, of course not. You have to keep fighting.

“Every single game is going to be a fight. Every game will be difficult because every opposing team wants three points as much as we do.

“They all do their homework, like we do. They all practice to play as a group against us.

“It’s down to us to find the solutions and having a manager as experienced as the one we have is key in a lot of that. It’s been helpful so far and it will be in the future.”

But are Villa making progress and will they be better equipped for the next campaign? Jedinak certainly thinks so. “I’ve seen the group grow, not only as individuals but as a playing squad,’’ he added.

“We now know what it takes to win football games in this division.

“I don’t think we are under any illusions that it’s going to be easy going forward.

“It never was and it never should be. But, going forward, you want to see people take all of that onboard and bring even more next season to try and build this club and get it to where it should be.”