TOMMY: WE MUST STOP THE ROT NOW
NEW Aston Villa skipper Tommy Elphick says the fallen giants are facing the most important season in their history.
The Villains are the fifth most successful side in English football with seven top flight titles, the same number of FA Cups and a European Cup in the cabinet.
But last season’s humiliating relegation from the Premier League amid fans unrest, boardroom neglect and dressing room rifts sees them kicking off in the second tier for the first time since 1987.
And while Elphick – a £3m signing from Bournemouth in June – has urged patience, he admits that bouncing back to the top flight immediately is critical.
“This might not be the most glorious period in Villa’s history,” said the 28-year-old, whose side start with a tough trip to last season’s beaten play-off finalists Sheffield Wednesday.
“But in my eyes, it’s the most important season we’ll ever have. After everything that happened, this is the season we have to stop the rot, get back up and bridge the gap to the supporters.
“I remember coming here with Bournemouth last season, and I was thinking ‘How has this football club got into this position?’ It’s Aston Villa, one of the best clubs in England.
“The problem was that you had an owner (Randy Lerner) who wasn’t as interested as before and, for me, that led to a lack of guidance from top to bottom. Everything spiralled from there.
“We’ve all heard the stories but I don’t care what anyone says about what happened. This is a new era. New manager, new players, new owner.
“With any transitionary period, you need a bit of patience. But the longer these boys are together, the more the relationships are going to come on and the better we’ll get.
“Sometimes it can take a while but we’re under no illusions. We know how important it is to go straight back up.”
Villa boss Roberto Di Matteo had no hesitation in making exBrighton centre-back Elphick his skipper.
“He’s very well respected,” said the Italian, who led West Brom to promotion in 2010. “He was a captain at Bournemouth for many years. He knows the role and he’s got great experience of the division. He was an obvious choice.”
But Di Matteo – whose £12m capture of Ross McCormack has been offset by the loss of Scott Sinclair to Celtic – had better not expect his captain to turn up for the pre-match photo.
Elphick famously performs a bizarre ritual that sees him kick both posts, salute supporters and mutter instructions whilst his team-mates warm up.
“I’ve got so many superstitions that I couldn’t even list them,” he laughs. “It starts on a Thursday, touching certain things and eating certain meals. I always have the same breakfast on a match day. The Mrs says it’s because I’m a Virgo – a creature of habit.
“That particular one started at Brighton. Our keeper had the wrong colour jersey on and it took him about half an hour to change the shirt.
“I felt myself switching off so I went and banged my boots against the post. It focussed me, and we end up winning the game.
“Later on in my career, I started working with a psychologist and he picked up on it. He said ‘It’s a really good way to get yourself in the zone and mentally where you need to be’. Since then I’ve done it every single game and I always will.
“I don’t think the other lads notice to be honest. The only thing is if we have a pre-match picture before the games we’re always a man short!”