Pen pics of Aston Villa's coaching, science, medicine and analytics staff.

INIGO IDIAKEZ has replaced Tony Carss as Aston Villa’s Under-21s Head Coach. The Spaniard, 49, joins from Mexican Second Division side Cancun, where he was Head Coach last season.

MONCHI, the Spaniard who has often been described as the best Sporting Director in world football, has been appointed President of Football Operations at Aston Villa.

MATEU ALEMANY has turned down the chance to become Aston Villa’s new Director of Football, Head Coach Unai Emery has confirmed. Earlier this month Barcelona said the Spaniard would be leaving the club on June 30th - a year before the end of his contract - to pursue a new “professional project”.

ASTON VILLA have named the six staff who have come to the club with new Head Coach Unai Emery, with “further announcements to be made in due course.”

ASTON VILLA have sacked the five staff who were brought to the club by Steven Gerrard: assistants Gary McAllister, Neil Critchley and Tom Culshaw; Head of Fitness and Conditioning Jordan Milsom; and Lead Analyst Scott Mason.

TONY CARSS is leaving Blackburn Rovers after five years to become Under-23s Head Coach at Aston Villa. The Pro Licence Coach, who signed his first pro contract as a player with Blackburn, was appointed Head of Academy Coaching by the club in August 2017.

ASTON VILLA have pulled off a coup by securing Blackpool boss Neil Critchley as Michael Beale's replacement as Assistant Head Coach.

PHIL ROSCOE has left Liverpool after 17 years to become first-team Player Care Manager at Aston Villa.

ASTON VILLA will begin work on their new Inner City Academy next to Villa Park this summer. The new facility is intended to cater for youngsters from inner city areas who might find it difficult to get to Bodymoor Heath.

ASTON VILLA manager Steven Gerrard paid tribute to his ‘firm’ of backroom staff following the 1-0 win against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.

LEAD Sport Scientist Jack Sharkey has left Aston Villa after four-and-a-half years.

STEVEN GERRARD has confirmed he has taken five of his Rangers staff with him to Aston Villa - but that he will also retain a trio who had worked under Dean Smith.

CRAIG SHAKESPEARE has left Aston Villa along with manager Dean Smith. He joined the club in August 2020 to add some 'Premier League experience.'

FORMER Arsenal data scientist Arjav Trivedi has joined Aston Villa’s new Football Research department.

AARON DANKS has been appointed first-team coach at Aston Villa as manager Dean Smith rebuilds his backroom staff following the exit of assistants John Terry and Richard O’Kelly earlier this summer.

ASTON VILLA boss Dean Smith has paid credit to the club’s new set pieces coach, Austin MacPhee, following the 2-0 win over Newcastle United on Saturday.

RICHARD O’KELLY has stepped down as Dean Smith’s assistant at Aston Villa just two days before the start of their Premier League campaign.

ASTON VILLA are pressing on with plans to open an Inner City Academy which will provide greater opportunities for kids in working class areas of Birmingham. Is it time for other clubs to follow suit?

ASTON VILLA have opened a new £6m High Performance Centre that takes their sports science, strength and conditioning, rehab and sports therapy to “elite 21st-Century standards”.

ASTON VILLA manager Dean Smith says the club believe in two-way learning, where the coaches gain knowledge from the players as well as vice versa.

ASTON VILLA have again hired a senior member of staff from FC Copenhagen, with Frederik Leth joining the Premier League outfit as Head of Football Research.

ASTON VILLA have submitted plans for a new ‘Inner City Academy’ in Birmingham, which will be targeted at youngsters living close to their Villa Park stadium.

ASTON VILLA have hired Nick Haycock from the Premier League to take up the new role of Head of Technical and Player Development.

CRAIG SHAKESPEARE has been appointed assistant manager by Aston Villa as the club looks to add “Premier League know-how” ahead of the 2020/21 season.

ASTON VILLA have appointed 40-year-old FC Copenhagen Technical Director Johan Lange as their new Sporting Director.

ASTON VILLA have sacked Sporting Director Jesus Garcia Pitarch after less than two years as they look to revamp their football strategy.

AMAN SINGH SHERGILL has left Birmingham City after four and a half years to become Physical Performance Scientist at near rivals Aston Villa.

ASTON VILLA Academy coach Kevin MacDonald has left the club “with immediate effect” following an investigation into allegations of bullying that had been made against him.

SOME might dismiss Harry Redknapp as a hangover from a bygone age, but Ben Dirs finds the 71-year-old as passionate and thought-provoking as ever about the game he loves.

ASTON VILLA Under-18 coach David Hughes is leaving the club to become Southampton’s first Head of Academy Player Development.

WEST BROM Academy Manager Mark Harrison has left the club to take up the same role at near neighbours Aston Villa.

INJURY specialist John Hartley found an unused Biodex machine in a storage room when he arrived at Aston Villa. Now he uses it every day and says it has "massive value".

FORMER Premier League footballer (and champion boxer) Curtis Woodhouse tells Ben Dirs why he's learnt so much managing Bridlington Town in the Northern Counties Premier Division.

DANNY CIPRIANI is one of English rugby's great talents, but hasn't started a Test for 10 years. He tells Ben Dirs about refusing to fit the mould.

FOR YEARS, the barmaid at The Borough thought the small, grey-haired chap wearing an old England rugby shirt was just another regular. She was right, up to a point.

TRAINING GROUND GURU has been shortlisted for sport website of the year at the prestigious Sport Journalism Awards.

THE FA laid down exactly what it means to be an England international in 2014 - and many clubs are now following suit.

OUR top 10 best-read stories of 2017, ranging from Redfearn to Ranieri.

MARTIN EDWARDS transformed Manchester United from a club in the doldrums into a corporate juggernaut. So why doesn't he get more credit? Ben Dirs went to meet the club's unloved emperor.

Steph Curry and Danny Cipriani are enthusiastic members of the floating fraternity. We sent Ben Dirs down to Float Level in Manchester to find out what it's all about.

Ex-England striker Alan Smith reveals the truth about his acrimonious exit from Leeds, the injury that almost ended his career and why he is relishing every moment with Notts County.