Express & Star

Tony Daley impressed by Aston Villa's Leon Bailey

Former Villa winger Tony Daley believes Leon Bailey is coming to terms with the physicality of English football.

Published
File photo dated 23-04-2022 of Aston Villa's Leon Bailey who wants the brilliant display in the 4-0 win over Brentford to be the standard going forward as they aim to climb the Premier League. Issue date: Monday October 22, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Villa. Photo credit should read Mike Egerton/PA Wire.

Daley, who came through the Villa system as a youth going on to make 280 appearances for the club, says Jamaica star Bailey gets ‘bums off seats’ but wants him to add more consistency to his play.

“He is so exciting,” Daley said of Bailey. “You talk about getting bums off seats. When he is on top of his game and absolutely on it, he is unbelievable.

“He has strength, pace and so much skill and is a good finisher, which we’ve seen this season. He has a lovely left peg. He is a crowd-pleaser.

“The only thing I would say is, let’s see more of it please. We need to see it on a more regular basis.”

And the 55-year-old former flyer added Bailey is coming to terms with the demands of the Premier League.

“Physically, it is one of the hardest to play in, when it comes to intensity and pace,” he said. “If you are playing in a league not as quick, where you don’t run the same distances or make so many intensity runs, you are susceptible. So it does take time. But if you can get through it, get used to the pace and the demands, that is half the battle.”