Aston Villa players were 'upset' by one-man team label with Jack Grealish, admits Dean Smith

Dean Smith revealed his players grew fed up of being labelled a one-man team during Jack Grealish’s time at Aston Villa and backed them to become a better side without him.

Villa begin life without Grealish at Watford on Saturday following his £100million move to Manchester City, which Villa tried to soften by signing Emiliano Buendia, Leon Bailey and Danny Ings to replace him.

Smith accepts that Villa relied too much on Grealish in their first two seasons back in the Premier League but said the intense focus on the playmaker had hurt other squad members.

‘[Proving people wrong] will be a motivating factor,’ said Smith. ‘We know what a unique player and character Jack was but somebody had to get him the ball. He didn’t do that himself.

‘It probably did upset a few of the players being labelled a one-man team. If someone is bought for £100million there is a special player there but we are certainly more than just Jack and it is our job now to go and prove that.’

As well as Grealish, Smith has lost two members of his coaching staff – long-time assistant Richard O’Kelly and former England captain John Terry – during a disrupted pre-season, where the manager spent time in isolation and also saw a friendly against Sevilla cancelled because of a Covid-19 outbreak at the Spanish club.

Smith is now interviewing for a replacement, with his focus on a coach who has worked in Europe rather than a traditional UK No2.

He added: ‘If Jack had stayed, we were always bringing in Emi Buendia. Then his departure enabled us to go and get Leon Bailey and Danny Ings as well. Along with Axel Tuanzebe and Ashley Young, I believe they make us into a better team.’