Villa Will Look After Petrov

Paul Lambert has talked about Stiliyan Petrov's future, being suited to working with our youngsters and called him the 'Nutty Professor'.

Speaking to the Birmingham Mail Lambert said that he believed Petrov wouldn't go into management because of the stress, but would be ideal working with the Academy and our youngsters because of his professionalism and talent.

He also said that Petrov isn't the type of character to take a job through sentiment, and one certainly wouldn't be potentially offered on that basis, he knows Stan has bundles to offer.

'At the moment it's too soon, because he's still in remission. I think Randy and Paul will look after him and this football club will look after him, which I think is only right. As a mate and a footballer he was on the best lads I've played alongside, he's said to me he wouldn't want to get something he thought was just for sentimental reasons, I think he'd want to do it because he felt he could do it and he was good at it and he could pass his experience on. I think he would look at maybe doing something with kids.'

As for seeing Stan develop into the footballer he is, Lambert said when he joined Celtic he looked like the Nutty Professor and his first reaction was 'Jesus Christ, what have we signed?'

'The first day I ever saw him train at Celtic, I thought 'Jesus Christ - what have we signed? He was hitting shots from about 80 yards, he looked like the Nutty Professor, he was huge. He lost about 9 stone and became a footballer. Then he became brilliant for Celtic. He's one of the fittest I've ever seen, he used to train before he actually trained with us.'

Many of us on here have said his attitude would be perfect for a youth coach role within the club, and I'm pleased to see that's obviously being considered when Stan is back to best, irrespective of whether he returns to the pitch for us. Would certainly be an asset, and it sums Stan up actually, doesn't want anything based on sentiment, he would consider something based on merit though.

Don't forget the charity match today at Halesowen, kick off 1.30pm and entry £5 for adults, £2.50 for children with all proceeds going to Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

It's expected that James Milner and Gareth Barry will be attending to watch the game, and I would imagine they will be joined by quite a few others.

Stiliyan Petrov Forum Thread.

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