SMITH TO JOIN CANARIES
Despite being sacked as Head Coach at Villa Park following a deterioration of results in 2021, Dean Smith’s stock remains very high throughout the game.
It’s therefore perhaps not any surprise at all that another club has moved swiftly to acquire Smith’s services. After parting ways with Daniel Farke, Norwich are widely reported to have agreed a deal with see the former Villa and Brentford manager take up the role immediately.
Smith will have his work cut out to keep the Canaries in the Premier League who are currently bottom of the table. He’ll be joined by his assistant Craig Shakespeare and will face newly unveiled Villa manager Steven Gerrard on the 14th December.
VILLA CONSIDER CASTORE?
As Villa’s existing kit and merchandise contract with Kappa enters it’s third campaign, rumours have begun to emerge that Villa are considering Castore.
Though there is little in the way of credible sources a the present time, but with the Kappa deal due to end in 2022, it’s not a huge leap to consider that Villa are exploring available options.
Castore, only founded in 2016, currently produce kits for Wolves, Newcastle United and Rangers. Their footprint in football remains small, but their ambitions are evident with high profile deals in cricket (South Africa & West Indies) as well as technical ranges across golf, tennis and performance.
Embed from Getty ImagesKappa had a difficult start to life as Villa’s kit supplier with a number of quality complaints; but both this and the overall designs have since improved. Many will no doubt defer to the incredibly popular and innovative Luke1977 deal that saw not only a modern classic emerge for the 2018/19 season, but a 750% increase in shirt sales with it.
We will however have to wait and see if the British based company, part-owned by 3 time grand-slam winner Andy Murray, materialises into a commercial relationship at B6.
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