---
title: "Eric Black: I am very thankful to Remi Garde"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2016/04/02/eric-black-i-thankful-remi-garde/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Ed Payne"
section: "Aston Villa Match Previews"
published: "2016-04-02T00:02:54Z"
modified: "2016-04-05T13:02:00Z"
---

# Eric Black: I am very thankful to Remi Garde

Caretaker manager Eric Black in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Chelsea, thanked Remi Garde for bringing him to Aston Villa and also praised the Frenchman for being an exceptional coach.

Garde, who was sacked on Tuesday night, brought former Birmingham City assistant manager Eric Black in as his first team coach in January, in order to add some much needed Premier League experience into his backroom staff.

With Garde now gone however, along with his assistant Reginald Ray, it will be Black who faces the challenge of coaxing a performance out of a team which has underachieved all season, against last season’s Premier League Champions, Chelsea.

[Speaking](https://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~5461841,00.html) in his pre-match press conference, Black said:

> First and foremost, I want to thank Rémi for bringing me into the Club.
>
> It’s a fantastic football Club and he’s given me a great opportunity to work here.
>
> I found him an exceptional individual and an exceptional coach under very difficult circumstances. I think I have forged a friendship with him and have enjoyed working with him.

![Ben Hoskins/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readastonvilla.com/readastonvilla/2016/04/516531802.jpg)

Black also spoke of the task of attempting to take the first steps of re-establishing Villa as a club the supporters could be proud of as well as insisting the squad are fully behind him as he attempts to stop Villa losing eight consecutive games.

He said:

> Aston Villa will be Aston Villa and hopefully we can take the first steps – whether small or large – to take the Club back to where the supporters, especially, want to see it.
>
> Let’s move on to Saturday and focus on what we can do to repair any damage that has been done.
>
> I had the group on Wednesday for training. We had a meeting before I took the session and I felt there was a good response.
>
> We have all the players back on site today, in terms of the international lads.
>
> We will structure the team and work on certain things and focus purely on trying to get a result against Chelsea.

How do you think Eric Black will fare in his time as Villa’s caretaker manager?