Garde demands resources to stay and rebuild Villa

Ian Watson

Remi Garde says he would be willing to stay at Aston Villa, but only if he is given the “means to go up”.

Garde has failed to stop the rot at Villa after replacing Tim Sherwood in November. The Villans remain bottom of the Premier League, eight points adrift of safety, and the Frenchman appears resigned to relegation.

However, the 49-year-old says he would be willing to remain at Villa Park beyond the summer, but only if he is given the funds he feels are required to complete the “in-depth work” needed to rebuild the club.

“I’m prepared to stay in this club if there are the (financial) means to go up,” Garde told French radio station RMC.

“As everyone knows Aston Villa’s a big club and very prestigious in England. From the outside it remains prestigious – but when you’re on the inside there’s much, much work to be done.

“But if I’m given the means then obviously it’s a project that could interest me.”

When questioned whether he would stay at Villa if the club were relegated, Garde replied: “That would need to be discussed again.

“At the moment we’ll really start preparing for next season at the end of this season, even a little bit before, when we’ll have more certainty. There’s in-depth work to be done at this club.”