Aston Villa chief and ex-Norwich City player Steve Bruce remembered former Canaries' official Peter Oldfield, who passed away recently, after plotting his old club's downfall at Villa Park.
Oldfield died following an illness after years of service behind the scenes in a number of roles at Carrow Road. Bruce, who spent three years with the Canaries in a playing stint that brought a League Cup win and promotion to the old First Division, paid tribute to Oldfield following his side's 2-0 Championship win on Saturday.
'I would just like to send my condolences to his family. It was sad to hear the news,' said Bruce, on the passing of Oldfield, who for many seasons was a well-known figure in a matchday role at Norwich.
Jonathan Kodjia struck twice at Villa Park to seal a sixth win in the last seven for the Villans, and inflict a major blow on the Canaries' faint play-off hopes.
'I said it a week ago – I wish the run we had in January had been awful rather than horrible. We would have been in with a squeak. But that's the Championship,' said Bruce, who took over in October 2016. 'We won when I first arrived then we couldn't win a corner and the next run we won have something like seven of them. It's ridiculous.
'I have said since I started management that you're only as good as your strikers. At the moment, we have Jonathan Kodjia playing at the top of his game. He's come back from international duty and scored another two goals. His first goal was wonderful - there won't be a better goal all weekend than that in any league. The ability to shift it on to his left foot and his clinical finish with his wrong foot was terrific.
'What sums him up is his Cruyff turn and toe-poke from 40 yards. I am looking up at the stars thinking, 'Kodjia, what on earth are you doing?' Then he whips one into the top corner. Jonathan is a really talented boy and a good boy too. We are all delighted for him. He knows he's at a big football club and he's well liked by everyone here. He is vital. We are under no pressure to sell any players. This is Aston Villa but you never know if one of the big boys will come along.'
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