'I don't care' - Steven Gerrard fires warning to Aston Villa squad with Tim Iroegbunam message

Aston Villa head coach Steven Gerrard has promised to continue giving youth a chance as the club aims to bring through a new generation of talent in the coming years.

Midfielders Tim Iroegbunam and Tommi O'Reilly are the latest academy hopefuls to earn professional contracts at Villa and the former made his first Premier League start in the 2-0 win over Norwich City on Saturday afternoon. The teenager impressed too, as he made a two interceptions and recorded five successful pressures.

Iroegbunam is just the latest academy graduate to get exposure to Villa's first-team, as he follows the same pathway that Jacob Ramsey, Carney Chukwuemeka and Jaden Philogene-Bidace have taken in recent seasons. And Gerrard claims that he will hand opportunities to youngsters so long as they impress when given then chance to shine.

Villa boss Gerrard said: "I’m very much someone who doesn’t really focus too much on age. Are you capable of playing at this level? Are you capable of contributing and can you play your part to improve the team if called upon?

"If a kid is 18, 28 or mid-30s, it doesn’t matter to me. It’s about who are the best players to carry out the game plan for you. Having come through an academy, I know what it feels like to break through, I know what it feels like to have a pathway.

"My message to the academy players, and it hasn’t changed, if you’re good enough then you’ll get opportunities, and then it’s very much over to you. As long as I can look people in the eye after they have trained well or they are out-training senior players, I can give them the opportunity and then it’s up to them whether they take it or not."

Asked if Iroegbunam could become a regular in the starting XI, Gerrard replied: "I think in