Bailey still slamming in goals for Villa

WHILE the Reggae Boyz will try to cope with the omission of star player Leon Bailey from their 23-man roster ahead of Nation’s League semi-final action against the United States on March 21, the exciting winger is enjoying life with his English Premier League (EPL) club Aston Villa.

Bailey, who has been dropped by Reggae Boyz head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson for a breach of the team’s 10 p.m. curfew, was among the scorers as Aston Villa whipped Ajax 4-0 in the Europa Conference League on Thursday. After the game, he told reporters that the performance was ‘brilliant’ as they sent the four-time European champions packing.

“It was a brilliant night for the whole team and the fans as well. The atmosphere was brilliant and we’re happy about the result and I think we showed good spirit, character and quality,” he said.

Aston Villa, who are currently in fourth spot in the EPL, will now feature in the final eight of a major European competition for the first time since 1998, as they’re set to lock horns against French club Lille. According to Bailey, his background work with the training staff has allowed him to create more scoring opportunities, not only for himself but his teammates.

ENCOURAGEMENT

“I’ve had discussions with the manager (Unai Emery) and he has always tried to give me confidence and let me know when to step up my game. Also, I’ve been working with staff a lot in training and working on how to get more time on the ball and create more space,” he added.

Bailey’s resurgence has seen him score a total of 12 goals, along with getting 11 assists in all competitions this season. He credits his good form with having a solid pre-season and believes the combination of feeling more relaxed and having lengthy team meetings is finally paying dividends.

“It was difficult when I first got in, as I didn’t have a pre-season and I felt like I was always trying to come back, and each time I got injured. However, since the manager has come, in a lot has changed and I’ve felt more relaxed and have a boost of energy. We do a lot of work in training and we have long meetings, normally one hour and a half, and it’s been paying off and I think that’s why things have been going great for us,” Bailey explained.

As for the ceiling which the ‘Claret and Blue’ can hit this season, Bailey said each player should just live in the moment.

“It’s an exciting moment for everyone and we all should be proud of where we are, and the fans are amazing. We’ve really worked hard to be where we are,” Bailey added.

orane.buchanan@gleanerjm.com