Jordan Ayew has high praise for Remi Garde

While Remi Garde has only been in charge of Aston Villa for just over six weeks, he already seems to have made a big impression on some members of his squad.

The former Lyon manager signed a three-and-a-half-year deal to replace Tim Sherwood as Villa boss at the start of November but he has so far been unable to lift the club off the bottom of the Premier League table, having taken just two points from his first five games at the helm.

Nevertheless, striker Jordan Ayew has been extremely impressed by the impact his new boss has made on the training ground, and with performances also improving, believes it will not be long before results follow.

Speaking to AVTV, the Ghana international said: “He is perfect, magnificent. I’m very happy. He has settled in very, very well and his communication is perfect – he speaks English.

“I’m very pleased and I think everyone is happy to have him in the job.”

Ayew, meanwhile, has been arguably Villa’s standout player since Garde’s arrival, having started each of the Frenchman's first five games in charge and earned some impressive reviews for his attacking flair and work rate.

The 24-year-old initially struggled to adapt to the Premier League following his July move from Ligue 1 outfit Lorient, but having since bagged three goals in his past seven top-flight appearances and established himself as a regular starter, he is now feeling much more at home.

However, with Villa currently marooned eight points from safety at the foot of the table ahead of Saturday's trip to Newcastle United, the £8.5 million man is still far from satisfied with his start to life in England.

“Since I signed for Villa and the first day I started training, I was always working hard to be a regular player or to try to get my chance,” added Ayew. “Hopefully now things have changed. I keep on working hard every day in training and I got rewarded.

“The new manager has given me my chance and I try to give my maximum best. We all want to score for the team to win, but when you score and the team doesn’t win it’s like you haven’t scored at all.

“But hopefully this weekend things are going to change. We’re going to win and in 2016 everything is going to change. We’re going to get some luck, win games and make everyone happy at the club.”

credit: HITC