Gareth Barry claims he didn’t expect Aston Villa prodigy to reach the ‘phenomenal’ level he’s at now
Aston Villa have gone from strength to strength under Spanish boss Unai Emery in recent years, being taken from Premier League relegation candidates to Champions League qualifiers.
Typically one of the bigger teams in England, there were years of struggle at Villa Park, including a 2015/16 campaign that saw them pick up just 17 points in the Premier League.
It’s been a slow climb back to playing European football, and ultimately having some of the best players in the league, but Unai Emery appears to have gotten the best out of his players.
Last season was arguably Villa’s best squad in a long while, with stars such as Ollie Watkins, Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres and Emiliano Martinez all shining in the West Midlands under Emery’s tutelage.
But former midfielder Gareth Barry has waxed lyrical over Morgan Rogers, describing his development as ‘phenomenal’.
Gareth Barry could not have predicted Morgan Rogers’ Aston Villa rise
Morgan Rogers joined Villa from Middlesbrough in January 2024, and slowly worked his way from loan spells in England’s second and third tiers to a permanent spot in Michael Carrick’s side.
Rogers perhaps wasn’t quite the type of signing that Villa were expected to make at the time, especially with the club sitting as high as second just a month before he joined. However, his rapid rise has been nothing short of sensational.
14 goals in 54 games for the club last season, including four strikes in the Champions League, saw Villa become a force to be reckoned with by reaching the quarter-finals of Europe’s biggest competition, and Rogers was at the forefront of that.
And according to former Villa midfielder Barry, it’s been a ‘phenomenal’ rise for Rogers. The Premier League stalwart watched the forward’s development at West Bromwich Albion in the latter stages of his career, and simply didn’t expect the England international to hit the heights he has done.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Barry said: “Yeah, the rise he’s had — the speed he’s got up to international and Champions League level — is phenomenal.
“He was a young boy when I was at West Brom. I remember him being a raw striker and thinking he’s not going to be the player he is today.
“It just shows you what you can sometimes miss. But he’s young, and it’s sometimes hard to find consistency as a young player.
“He’s probably started a tiny bit slow this year, but in his last England performance, he got back to his level.
“And I’m sure once that confidence comes, he’ll put together another great season.”
There is no doubting Rogers’ ability despite a small blip so far in the current campaign.
Rogers could be a definite for England’s World Cup squad
Although Rogers has yet to score this season, he’s still being trusted by Thomas Tuchel to come into England’s squad.
Featuring against Wales on Thursday, Rogers tapped home for his first England strike inside three minutes to keep himself firmly in the World Cup conversation.
He will have to improve his Premier League form to be more than hopeful of a place in the German’s 26-man squad for the tournament in North America, that’s for certain.
But Rogers has a unique skillset and his physicality, dribbling ability and explosiveness could be ideal for tournament football.
