Petrov: MacDonald deserves chance

15 August 2010 21:31

Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov has urged the club's American owner Randy Lerner to appoint Kevin MacDonald as the full-time replacement for Martin O'Neill.

MacDonald took over as caretaker manager after O'Neill's shock resignation and he made the perfect start with Saturday's 3-0 destruction of West Ham.

"The way he prepared us for the game showed us that he wants to hold onto that job - and I hope we can help him take that job," said Petrov.

"We are behind him. He has been at the club a long time, done a great job with the youth and he has the opportunity to do it now.

"I said to him before the game, 'you try and hold onto that job'.

"He knows it's hard. Expectations are high and people want success and they talk about big names - but he has the opportunity and he is really determined to stay there.

"We played really well, we showed what we can do and if it keeps going that way there is no reason why he cannot make his own name."

Source: PA