Aston Villa boss Dean Smith slams scheduling of play-off final against Derby
Smith claims the richest match in world football should be taking centre stage at Wembley on Saturday, not Monday
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DEAN SMITH has hit out at the scheduling of Aston Villa’s crucial play-off final against Derby at Wembley.
Smith claims the richest match in world football – worth a mind-blowing £170million to the winners – should be taking centre stage at Wembley on Saturday afternoon.
Instead, League Two Tranmere and Newport have been handed the traditional football prime-time slot of 3pm on a pristine Wembley pitch.
Meanwhile the showpiece match between Villa and Derby - which decides the final Premier League place for next season - has been shunted to Bank holiday Monday on a surface that will have been hammered twice in two days.
Villa and Derby will actually play THIRD fiddle to Tranmere and Newport as Charlton and Sunderland clash in the League One Play-off final on Sunday!
Meanwhile 13 days will have passed since Villa beat West Brom on penalties in their semi-final play-off on May 14.
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And Smith rapped: “It’s a long time to wait. It’s a little bit wrong in my opinion that – given the prize which is on offer – we’re the third game on at Wembley over the weekend.
“I just think it should be the first one. It’s the biggest game. Who knows what the pitch will be like?
“I’m guessing with technology now it will be perfect. But for me it’s the biggest game, put it on first.”
Smith is well aware of the riches on offer to the club which pulls off a £170m Bank Holiday heist but says the dosh doesn’t concern him.
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He said: “Listen, I can’t control the £170million, that’s just the price of it.
“All I can control is try to get the players to perform to the best level they can. I have to take that in isolation.
“After the game, one way or another, you are either a Championship team or a Premier League team - that’s when you have to deal with it.”