Neil will be Cut above with theVilla keepers...
VILLA’S goalkeepers will benefit hugely from the club’s latest appointment, Dean Smith be- lieves.
The head coach managed to persuade Neil Cutler to join from rivals Albion after previously working with the 42-year-old at Walsall.
Cutler has an impressive record of improving goalkeepers, including Richard O’Donnell and Neil Etheridge, the latter of whom now plays for Cardiff in the Premier League.
He was also very highly thought of at the Baggies, with Sam Johnstone enjoying working under him.
Villa No.1 Orjan Nyland has lacked confidence and consistency this sea- son, but Cutler’s could help.
Smith said: “Neil is a very good coach. For me, he will improve goalkeepers. He is certainly very good at his job and we are pleased to have him on board. I’m looking forward to working with him.”
Gary Walsh was relieved of his duties as goalkeeping coach when Steve Bruce and his backroom team were dismissed last month.
As a replacement, Smith was always keen on Cutler, whom he enjoyed two successful years with at the Banks’s Stadium.
But he said the decision to appoint Cutler was made collectively with chief executive Christian Purslow and new sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch. calming influence
“When we came in Steve’s staff had gone so there was space for a goalkeeping coach,” Smith said. “I sat down with Suso and Christian and gave them five names I thought could do a really good job.
“They’ve done their due diligence and have been very professional in how they’ve handled it with West Bromwich Albion.
“I’m really pleased to have him here and pleased West Bromwich Albion have let him come to us.”
Cutler spent nearly two years at Villa Park as a player, after joining from Chester City in October 1999.
He made only one substitute appearance during the 1999/00 season before being loaned to Oxford United and eventually sold to Stoke City in July 2001.
Smith has stuck with Nyland in all four of his games in charge. Clean sheets in the home wins over Swansea City and Bolton Wanderers will hopefully give him confidence going forwards, although he still wasn’t at his convincing best in the last outing on Friday night.
“He kept a clean sheet, which will give him an awful lot of confidence,” said Smith.
“He spilled one in the first half and then recovered it. There was another one when he wasn’t sure, ended up going for it and gave the corner away.
“Clean sheets give you confidence. I have been here for four games and he has conceded three goals.
“He was maybe questionable for the first goal at Norwich. Other than that I think he has done well.”