Remi Garde says Aston Villa's relegation would be 'unbelievable' for English football
Thursday 17 December 2015 13:38, UK
Aston Villa boss Remi Garde says the club's relegation would be "unbelievable" for everyone involved in English football, but conceded it might represent a new start.
Villa are six points adrift at the bottom of the Premier League table and eight points from safety after 12 defeats and just one victory from 16 games.
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The struggling Midlands club are certain to be bottom at Christmas, and only three teams have been in that position and survived in the history of the Premier League - West Brom, Sunderland and Leicester.
Garde, whose side travel to Newcastle on Saturday Night Football on Sky Sports 1 HD, said: "A football club like Aston Villa being relegated is very bad news.
"It's unbelievable for the fans and everyone who's followed the English league for many years.
"But if it happens, then what? Everybody stops? It's done? No, you have to keep working and build again - a new start.
"Of course, it would be a huge disappointment but we are not yet there and I believe strongly that, from what I saw earlier in my team, we can switch the way things are going over the next four games.
"Then, after that, we will see what happens."
Former Aston Villa player and Sky Sports football expert Alan McInally believes the club are in a "terrible position" and face a mountainous task to improve the squad in January.
"I feel for Remi Garde. He's got to change the attitude of the players because it's not been good enough - and the quality isn't good enough either," he told Sky Sports News HQ.
"They're going to have to spend money in January - every position will be on the agenda - but it will be the hardest job Remi's had as a manager; trying to get players to come to a club that's in the position they are.
"I was always proud of not being relegated as a player and I look back and think that no one can point the finger and say 'you didn't do enough'.
"But that's what's happening at Aston Villa now."
