Last month, Aston Villa striker Scott Hogan joined arch-rivals Birmingham City on a loan deal until the end of the season.
The forward has been in very good form for the Championship side, scoring four times for the club already.
He has aimed a dig towards Villa after admitting that he has not really been enjoying football for the last couple years, especially the feeling of knowing that he is not going to be starting matches.
As quoted on the Birmingham Mail, he said:
I just want to play football. I’ll always back myself. I will always score regular goals at this level and I’m getting regular games.
All the manager wants is for me and Jukey to play up front until the end of the season and I’d only walked in the building 10 minutes and he said that to me.
That to me, I’ve not had that for three years. That little reminder to say you are going to play every game if you are fit is brilliant.
READ ASTON VILLA VERDICT
This is Hogan’s third loan spell since joining Aston Villa in 2017 from Brentford for £12m.
The striker has only made 61 appearances for Villa (Transfermarkt) and we believe his comment about being reminded that he is a starter is a slight dig towards Dean Smith and Villa, as a lot of his appearances for the club were from the bench (WhoScored).
If Hogan keeps up the good form, we believe that he could have a place in the Villa squad waiting for him next season because Keinan Davis is proving to be injury prone and Borja Baston was merely an emergency signing as cover, meaning Mbwana Samatta will be the only reliable alternative option to Wesley up front.
With the club currently having to balance the books to ensure there’s no Financial Fair Play breacedh, splashing money on a new striker may not be an option in the summer, meaning Hogan’s Villa career could yet take off.
