Dean Smith stunned by one Aston Villa player’s attitude

Dean Smith has revealed that new Aston Villa hitman Ollie Watkins has blown him away with an ‘unbelievable’ attitude since joining the club this past summer.

The Villans signed the former Brentford marksman last month for a fee that could potentially rise to £33 million, according to BBC Sport.

And already Watkins looks like he could be a brilliant addition, having scored a hat-trick in Aston Villa’s shock 7-2 win at home to Liverpool before the most recent international break.

But there’s no rest for the wicked and the 24-year-old striker intends to improve, according to Smith who says that Watkins – whom he managed at Griffin Park previously – has ambitions on breaking into Gareth Southgate’s England squad.

He said to Alan Brazil’s sports breakfast show on talkSPORT: “Unbelievable attitude as a player. He just wants to get better. He tests you as a coach himself because one of the former questions he asked me was how will you get me into the England squad? That’s his ambition and I love it when the people have got them targets and the hunger to get there.”

Watkins has a bit of improving to do before he’s ready for the Three Lions.

Despite scoring a hat-trick against the Premier League champions, they were his only goals in five games for Aston Villa so far.

That isn’t much of a criticism when you consider the context, but if he scores another treble in Sunday’s clash with Southampton and then doesn’t bag again until Christmas, it’s a problem.

Consistency is what defines the great Premier League goalscorers and Watkins is going to have to be a bit more regular if he wants to really hit the next level.