Smith, who is now the coach of Charlotte FC, thinks that Aston Villa would not want to lose either player and that they would be difficult to replace. He describes Ollie Watkins as "another top lad" and notes that he is now the club's top scorer in the Premier League.

Smith is also delighted to see many of his former players at Aston Villa achieving success at the top level. He is proud of the progress that they have made and the opportunities that they have earned.

He mentions that he had told Ezri Konsa that he had 18 months to earn a spot in the England squad, and that he was happy to see him achieve his goal. Smith is also impressed with the progress that Unai Emery has made with the team and notes that it is in line with the five-year plan set out by the club's owners.