Birmingham Mail - Aston Villa

Jimmy Riddle

2009-11-02T21:53:39Z

JAMES Milner has been so dedicated and dynamic since joining Aston Villa that he can be excused an occasional off day like at Everton on Saturday.

And there's no doubt that Villa will miss him if, as expected, he fails to recover from a calf problem to maintain his ever-present run at West Ham on Wednesday.

But perhaps the open training session at Villa Park last week solves the riddle about why he repeatedly gave the ball away at Goodison Park.

During a small-sided practice match, the bumper crowd given free access to the stadium for the event might have noticed Milner was kicking both ways.

Wearing a green bib to distinguish him from the other players on the two teams, Milner had to constantly swap ends to join whoever had possession.

It was a training exercise which showcased the winger's amazing work-rate but it meant him having to try hard to remember which set of players to pass to.

Which might explain why he so uncharacteristically struggled to find the feet of his claret and blue team-mates during Saturday's draw at Everton!

James and the Giant Speech

2009-10-30T00:24:27Z

IT'S amazing what a bit of England recognition can do for a player's profile.

Don't get me wrong I don't begrudge James Milner winning plaudits for carrying out the defensive duties which have so impressed Villa fans for such a long while.

But would the Match of the Day pundits really have spent so long eulogising over the former Newcastle winger if he wasn't in fashion with Fabio Capello's Three Lions squad?

And why did it take Alan Hansen more than 160 words to describe a simple example of Milner's willingness to track back against Wolves last weekend?

"It's a bit technical in as much as if you've got a full-back on one side taking a corner kick on the other side, beforehand you'll designate somebody to go in the full back's position," said Hansen.

"So you've got a full-back on one side taking a corner kick on the other side so you designate somebody to go in that position.

"But a lot of the time when the ball breaks down the person, whoever it is, might get sucked into the play, might follow the ball.

"I've seen it hundreds of times where they just forget.

"Whereas James Milner is so reliable it's just untrue. Warnock is taking the corner kick from the opposite side on the right.

"What happens is Villa get possession and then it breaks down and watch Milner. He doesn't forget.

"He goes back, he goes back, he goes back, he goes back and ends up in what you'd describe as a perfect left back position and who wins the ball on the other side? The guy that's taken the corner kick."

Like I say, it's commendable that Milner's qualities are being highlighted by the 'experts' on national telly.

And in fairness Hansen did also add that he had been won over by Milner's attitude and ability and now rated him as a top class player.

But he could have summed up all of his waffling above by simply saying: "When left-back Stephen Warnock took a right wing corner, James Milner covered and tracked back diligently - like he always does."

Wolves boss knows how to defend Carew

2009-10-23T21:04:58Z

MICK McCarthy might have been raving about Richard Dunne in the run up to this weekend's Wolves-Villa derby.

But it's Dunne's claret and blue colleague John Carew who McCarthy has particular admiration for as I found during a impassioned lecture from the Molineux manager early last season.

Idly passing time chatting at Wolves' Compton training base, myself and a fellow hack were discussing the merits of Carew.

Not knowing back then that the Norwegian battering ram would go on to top Villa's scoring charts with his highest season's goals tally, I was bemoaning Carew's failure to be the prolific frontman Martin O'Neill was crying out for.

Now the moral of the story is to be careful about entering into pub-style football tittle tattle when McCarthy is in earshot.

As soon as he heard me whinge that Carew would never be a 20-goal a season striker, the former Ireland boss jumped down my throat and accused me of over-looking the player's vast array of qualities.....strength, touch, awareness, aerial threat, deceptive speed, ability to bring others into play, shooting ability, etc etc etc.

If I'd been brave enough I might have told Big Mick to mind his own business and stop butting in on private conversations, but so gushing was he in his praise of Carew - and so intimidating is the brash Yorkshireman - that it was impossible not to listen - and agree with him.

Needless to say Carew has subsequently completely won me over - even without McCarthy fighting his corner - with his presence on the pitch and his bright and breezy and approachable and articulate manner away from it.

But when the travelling Villa fans heap affection on their hero at the home of the Dingles, there will be a secret admirer in the home dugout hoping and praying he doesn't score one or two.

Making Emile of it

2009-10-13T13:11:34Z

LET me get this right.

Emile Heskey has made it into every England squad under Fabio Capello when he has been fit and available.

Emile Heskey has been an automatic starter for Fabio Capello's Three Lions regardless of whether he has been in the Aston Villa first team or not.

Fabio Capello recently hinted Emile Heskey's place would not be in jeopardy because of his lack of club action and even joked that at least the striker would be 'fresher' for South Africa.

Emile Heskey insists that he has not spoken to Fabio Capello about the situation since the coach's comments and therefore should have no reason to believe his World Cup role is under threat.

So what is Emile Heskey's problem and why has he risked upsetting Villa's already unimpressed fans and notoriously no-nonsense manager by saying he might look to quit in January?

The only thing Emile Heskey should quit is moaning. Do yourself a favour Emile, the best way to get to the World Cup is to start giving something back to the club which pays your substantial salary.

Where's the Hare?

2009-10-13T12:29:09Z

FAR be it from me to start spreading conspiracy theories but has anybody else noticed that Marlon Harewood has mysteriously disappeared off the squad list on the official site?

Where Marlon's name and number 9 once were, now there is nothing.

It can't just be because 'The Hare' is out on loan at Newcastle United, because young defender Shane Lowry is also out on loan at Plymouth and he still warrants a mention.

And besides, I thought Harewood had gone for three months, not forever.

I'll investigate to see if I can get to the bottom of why Marlon is missing and report back to you.

Click the link below to see the Villa squad without The Hare

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/FirstTeam/0,,10265,00.html

God's gotta lotta bottle

2009-10-12T10:31:05Z

UNLESS I was very much mistaken the first rendition of 'Richard Dunne My Lord', to the tune of Paul McGrath's Kum Ba Yah chant emanated from the Holte End a week ago.

The reaction to Dunne's colossal performance in the 1-1 draw against his old club Man City last Monday was the Irish defender's first taste of claret and blue hero status.

But, although the early signs are encouraging, Dunney still has a long way to go before he can crack open a beer and celebrate being as loved as his compatriot McGrath.

Because you ain't achieved nothing until you've got 'It's Your Round My Lord' bottle opener keyrings being manufactured in your honour!

To buy one click here..... http://tinyurl.com/yj2vqj6

"If it was Villa Park she'd go ballistic"

2009-10-10T21:55:59Z

WHEN a friend of a friend got married a few years ago the only concession his bride allowed to his Aston Villa obsession was naming all of the tables after his favourite players, McGrath, Platt, Yorke, Cowans etc etc.

After all the only 'Villa' his future wife was concerned about was their honeymoon accommodation and if he'd have asked for anything else football-related he might have seen his season ticket used as confetti.

But, with his missus having absolutely no say whatsoever in the matter, that was far from the case for another Villa fanatic on Don't Tell the Bride on BBC 3 last Tuesday.

For the uninitiated it, this programme is the type of television trash which my other half sits through on the regular occasions she seizes control of the remote.

Which is exactly how I came to stumble across it the other night.

Anyway, in a nutshell the show revolves around an engaged couple receiving a large sum of cash for their wedding on the proviso that the groom-to-be organises the whole event.

The first the bride-to-be knows about the arrangements for the big day is when she turns up to get hitched.

In the latest episode, Luke, the fella planning his impending nuptials was a Villa supporter and let's just say he had a slight claret and blue theme in mind.

That much was clear when he burst into chants of 'Spinksy and Birchy, Alan McInally, they're the boys who are gonna do us fine' en route to his stag do down Brum's Broad Street.

Before he even checked out a potential venue, Luke was sourcing tropical fish in the club's colours to use as table decorations (Word of advice for future reference, Luke - Neon Tetras are the best match).

Anyway, he soon made it to Villa Park where he arranged a tour to find out about getting married up the Villa, despite being aware of his fiancée, Gemma's feelings on the matter.

Gemma: "The worst nightmare with Luke arranging the venue is that he's going to think that it's going to be great to have the ceremony in the grounds of the football ground and that would just be awful."

Luke: "I think if it was Villa Park she'd go ballistic, but I'd like it there so we'll just have to see."

Thankfully for Gemma, Luke decided against the stadium and chose some grand hotel instead, but not until he and his best man brother had been shown around the swish Trinity 82 lounge at Villa Park and fantasised about getting their cravats on in the home dressing room.

The journey from their Cheltenham home was not wasted, however, as they popped into the club shop to get a swatch of the Villa replica shirts for the colour of the bridesmaids' dresses.

And that was where Luke made one of the tackiest decisions of the lot by buying a Villa pillow, complete with Lion crest for the page boy to carry the rings down the aisle on.

It was surely the biggest waste of a Villa cushion since Martin O'Neill's men blew that six point lead, or whatever it was, over Champions League rivals Arsenal last season.

The claret and blue on the wedding invites was subtle enough to take Gemma a while to notice, but when a Rolls Royce turned up on their wedding day with claret and blue ribbons the bride-to-be eventually got the hint.

Then there was the claret and blue bows around the chairs and the groom on the wedding cake dressed in Villa kit and top hat, not to mention the exclamations of 'Up the Villa' when the photographs were taken, although fortunately he resisted having Holte Enders in the Sky for their first dance.

Remarkably, both Luke and Gemma had the time of their lives and, possibly because of the excitement of the occasion and more probably because the cameras were rolling, the bride took the Villa overkill in good spirit.

But the entire immensely enjoyable and amusing episode has left me wondering how many other fans made sure the love of their life, Aston Villa, of course, featured on their wedding to their second love, their spouse.

Let me know what claret and blue touches you added - or were forbidden from adding - to your big day....

PS: If you've got a spare hour, it's well worth a watch. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00n5pbx

Peace to One and All

2009-07-31T23:35:38Z

WHEN will Martin O'Neill admit that Marlon Harewood has no future at the club.

Not even on the bench for last night's welcome win against Porto, Harewood is the ideal replacement for the suspended Emile Heskey in Seville against Juventus.

But even with a side ravaged by injury, non-availability and suspension Harewood is unlikely to be anywhere near the action.

Elsewhere Curtis Davies is convinced that he will be available to play on Sunday.

That's all very well but anyone who saw him wince at Everton last season when that shoulder initially popped out of its socket will now see that Davies potentially has a problem that may need corrective surgery, similar to that undertaken by Luke Moore.

Eric Lichaj and the highly impressive Marc Albrighton (who needs David Bentley) picked up their second bookings in the rather niggly affair against Porto and as we left the stadium there was a good deal of confusion as to whether they might be available or would miss out.

Just imagine if one, two or all three of those players don't make it - what sort of side would O'Neill be able to field against Juve?

It's no doubt a great experience for the likes of Lichaj, Albrighton, Ciaran Clark, Shane Lowry, Barry Bannan (who has now certainly slipped down the pecking order behind Albrighton), Chris Herd and Andreas Weimann.

But tomorrow could be one step too far against the Italians who ended the hopes of Ronaldo and co with their 2-1 win against Real Madrid.

It also won't help that Seville is renowned as the hottest place in Spain. The "frying pan" as it has been tagged.

As for last night's game. Brad Guzan appears to have given himself a real shout at one day soon replacing Brad Friedel. His handling was assured and he pulled off some fine saves. There were two clear errors when he lost the ball along the touchline and could easily have given away a penalty only for the referee to side with him in one incident. But his display was overall extremely sound.

Porto were a distasteful outfit. There was much gamesmanship. It was little surprise when Heskey paid the price.

Ashley Young has started pre-season with the proverbial 'bit between his teeth'. Steve Sidwell won the official man-of-the-match vote and certainly looked more like the player who shone for a brief time around the turn of the year.

Nigel Reo-Coker has taken to the captaincy. A pity for him then that Stiliyan Petrov will be back in two to three weeks.

But probably for me the game's most outstanding player was John Carew who, considering his laid back persona and the fact that these really are just friendlies, looked well and truly a man possessed.

True Porto defended shockingly at times and did not look on the night anything like Premier League let alone European standard.

But there is at last something for Villa supporters to be pleased about before the next week or two sees some strenuous efforts made in rebuilding a seriously reduced squad.

Work to bring in Sylvain Distin and get Portsmouth to reduce their £4.5m asking price should gather pace.

I am expecting Blackburn's Stephen Warnock to make the switch.

I understand Miguel Veloso and Sporting Lisbon are hanging on the telephone waiting for Villa to complete a £12m switch.

Sol Campbell could now also expect to be offered a short term contract.

And don't rule out an expensive foreign signing, a flagship signing, the likes of which O'Neill has never made before.

I've said before that Villa are at a crossroads. Perhaps they have taken just the first step on the right road.

Fiddling while Malaga burns

2009-07-31T11:07:23Z

FIRST the good news.

Stiliyan Petrov is in with a great chance of being fit for the start of the season.

The Bulgarian is a lucky boy.

Scans on his injured shoulder show that the dislocation should only put him out for between two and three weeks.

That makes it quite possible that he could play against Wigan.

Now the bad news. It's July 31. Still no players through the 'in' door.

The art of closing deals appears to be lost.

It's not just Martin O'Neill though.

Name the manager: "I think it's important that you get the right players, and if we miss out on them for the first three or four Premier League matches because they're hanging on for things, we'll have to do that.

"I've got a reputation for leaving things right up until the last minute."

Not O'Neill but Stoke's Tony Pullis.

The problem, as Villa fans are only too aware, is that Villa had to sign two crackers just to stand still.

There are genuine concerns from within the camp that not enough has been done and that the squad is simply not strong enough.

Anyway, we're hours away from the semi-final of the Peace Cup. Hopefully there will be plenty more fans here tonight after the game against Atlante was watched by one man and his dog (and plenty of folks back home on an internet stream).

O'Neill has faced Porto three times. One win and two defeats, including the UEFA Cup Final.

But tonight is not about him. It's about seeing whether Steve Sidwell and Nigel Reo-Coker can strike up an effective partnership, it's about Carlos Cuellar and Curtis Davies, it's about John Carew and Emile Heskey....

The emergence of Marc Albrighton on this trip has been a major plus. Brad Guzan was impressive against Atlante. Ashley Young is already up to speed.

But the negatives: Luke Young's thigh injury surely being the biggest cause for concern, still leave a nasty taste in the mouth.

Tomorrow is the first day of August. We can only hope that somebody's mobile phone has a signal and that that person's fax machine is plugged in.

So Many Names, So Little Time

2009-07-30T17:33:12Z

I'VE never known a summer like it for speculation.

Only last night, whilst at the game, we must have been hit with as many as eight, nine or ten names on the Birmingham Mail's live match blog.

Obafemi Martins, Steven Taylor, Stephen Warnock and Tuncay. You name it they were on it.

Well, almost everyone.

It still baffles me why Olof Mellberg was firstly allowed to quit the club on a free transfer. Villa left it far too late to open talks with a player happy in the Midlands.

And then secondly why he was allowed to join Olympiacos for £3 million when a decent centre-half these days will cost you treble that for his boots alone.

I've heard it on the grapevine Olof wanted to return. His missus wasn't quite so keen.

As for the names being banded about I'm quite sure there remains a strong interest in some of these players.

And I am now pretty convinced that plans have had to be altered in the last few days. I hear or two signings that were lined up as near certainties who then fell through.

Certainly judging by Martin O'Neill's body language in the early stages of the match against Atlante you could tell there was a bee in his bonnet about something.

So where to next?

Robbie Keane would undoubtedly show ambition. Steven Defour? Definitely top drawer.

Villa have been keen to play down all the Darren Bent stories from back home, but sometimes there is no smoke without fire and despite his public utterances last night that Carew, Agbonlahor, Heskey and Delfouneso were quite ready to lead the charge this season (note, still not one single mention of Marlon Harewood as if he needed any further hints that his future lies away from Villa Park) it is clear that Villa need a natural goalscorer.

Clearly there are still problems in defence and it remains a huge surprise why Zat Knight was everr allowed to leave with no one seemingly lined up to come straight in.

Knight, to his credit, rarely let Villa down and Gary Megson has not done at all badly with his capture.

So who else has O'Neill lined up?

Stephen Warnock? That's a possibility although Blackburn will be looking at £6 million at least for a player with three years left on his contract.

Few words are now ever spoken about Fabian Delph. Clearly Leeds have been asking top whack and Villa won't pay it. Tottenham are thought to be ready to swoop.

Ah Tottenham. What ever happened to David Bentley who not so long ago was claiming to be in talks with Villa?

What of Tom Huddlestone? What of Jermaine Jenas?

There remain so many questions and so few answers. The season is a little over a fortnight away.

If this were happening in Doug Ellis' era the chairman would be coming in for a heap of stick.

One can only hope that the first of many signings are just around the corner.

But on a positive note we were lucky to be granted an interview with Nigel Reo-Coker earlier today.

What a few weeks it has been for him.

Not many people would have given him a starting place a few weeks back. Now he is going to be captain of Villa due to Stiliyan Petrov's dislocated shoulder.

For Reo-Coker also read Steve Sidwell. The challenge is there for both of them to now make something of their Villa careers. Finally the chance is there for either or both of them to make Gareth Barry's name a thing of the past.

I'd have put my money on Sidwell changing clubs this summer. Now both players look certs for starting berths and how on earth could O'Neill look to sell either of them?

The same "Not for Sale" message will also have to be slapped on Nicky Shorey and Craig Gardner, both who may well have been thinking about pastures new.

The only player who can leave is that man Harewood. But who will pay £2million for a player earning twenty-odd thousand a week who has hardly played for two years?

Time to Pay Up

2009-07-30T17:06:23Z

THERE'S little doubt that three goals and victory over the Mexicans of Atlante wiped away some of the frustrations and misery of a fraught summer.

Following a poor display against Malaga and a pretty woeful opening 35 minutes last night, Villa suddenly decided to up the ante and gets some balls into the box.

Atlante had clearly not done their homework on Villa or watched any Match of the Day clips. If they had they would have realised that you cannot allow a Premier League centre forward, especially one who is 6'5" and as aerially dominant as John Carew, free space in the penalty box.

There were other plusses. Marc Albrighton looked particularly impressive. No show-boating, no feigning injury despite some close attention, just a refreshing desire to get the ball down the wing.

Eric Lichaj also looks one for the future. Sure much bigger tests lie in wait but with so many youngsters out on the field at the end of the match, it was difficult not to wonder at the fine work of Bryan Jones, Kevin MacDonald, Tony McAndrew and Gordon Cowans.

I've often wondered why some Championship club hasn't wanted to prize the whole lot of them away.

Anyway, it was a good win but would even reaching Sunday's Final against Real Madrid or Juventus mask the problems behind the scenes. It would be most welcome, of course it would, but injuries to Luke Young and Stiliyan Petrov have opened up what was already a severely limited squad.

Can you see a team of Friedel, Lichaj, Shorey, Cuellar, Davies, Milner, Reo-Coker, Sidwell, Young, Carew, Agbonlahor seriously challenging for honours this season?

The manager thinks not. So there's your pointer. He says five players at least need to be brought in.

We're almost in August and just Stewart Downing has come in. It's the same every transfer window, isn't it?

This time Manchester City are being blamed for hiking up prices.

That may be so, if you are shopping in the same boutiques. But aren't we constantly amazed at some of the talent spotted in far off markets for a fraction of the cost?

It's all very well only wanting to buy English, but sometimes necessity demands an alternative.

With Martin Laursen, Gareth Barry and Zat Knight having departed and Young and Petrov injured, there has never been a more imperative time to act.

If Portsmouth want £4.5 million for a 31-year-old out of contract in a season then pay it.

If Leeds want £6 million for a teenager who has not played in the Championship before, then pay it.

It's all very well looking after the pennies like they were your own, but Villa are at a crossroads.

City and Tottenham look good bets to mount a charge on the top four.

Villa, it appears, will have the happiest accountants in the top flight. But exactly when did that win you trophies?

Crying, Waiting, Hoping

2009-06-24T09:03:26Z

"Emptiness" as a human condition is a sense of generalised boredom, social alienation and apathy.

Don't ask me, it's there in black and white on wikipedia.

Four and a half weeks since the final game and counting...

And still the 'IN' box at Aston Villa is exactly that. Empty.

The 'Outs' make depressing reading. Martin Laursen (retired) and Gareth Barry (Manchester City, £12m).

How on earth do you replace those two at a time when average nobodies cost £8 million, or Glen Johnsons costs £18 million.

Congratulations to Stuart Taylor in getting a free transfer and a one year contract at Manchester City.

He's well thought of at reserve level at Villa for the support he has given the younger players.

But he clearly doesn't fancy first team football, does he?

I'm led to believe that things are progressing on two fronts, one of which I would bet my bottom dollar was David Bentley, that scoundrel who admitted Villa were talking to him a fortnight ago in a national newspaper.

Word has it that Martin O'Neill was none too pleased with that half-advert for his Spanish bar and threatened to pull the plug.

Anyway, Villa's players will be back in training in a fortnight in preparation for a couple of low key friendlies, the Peace Cup and a season that could see them play 16 games just to get to Hamburg (or five or six games to then send their reserves to Eastern Europe).

Time for 'Martin No Deal', as some supporters have somewhat harshly started to tag him, to deal?

Well, I sense no great urgency from within the walls of power.

I think they are comforted by the knowledge that in their opinion the big guns in the Premier League are yet to show their hands, other than of course Manchester City.

They would seem correct in that assertion by and large.

And they appear comforted in the knowledge that they clearly know who they want and are confident of closing deals with the swiftness reminiscent of that double swoop for Luke Young and Nicky Shorey last summer.

Surely Villa cannot wait until five to midnight at the end of August again?

And yet the post-bags here at the Mail are increasingly agitated and somewhat negative.

This is exactly the type of dithering that the new American broom was supposed to brush away when it breezed into power three years ago.

The club, most say, are standing on a precipice in danger of falling off the cliff face with two of their best players gone.

Manchester City and Tottenham would appear to be advancing faster than a speeding bullet. Furthermore, Chelsea are undoubtedly trying to turn Ashley Young's head with the promise of riches far beyond that which Randy Lerner can deliver.

Speaking of Tottenham, I see Ian Broomfield has been handed the Chief Scout role.

He was always a friendly face at Bodymoor Heath. Perhaps we will never get to the bottom of exactly who signed Eric Djemba-Djemba. I'm led to believe it was done directly between David O'Leary and Roy Keane.

Back to this summer and the question as to whether Villa are missing a trick.

Arsenal have signed Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax, Blues have brought in Christian Benitez, Scott Dann and Joe Hart, Blackburn have plumped for Elrio Van Heerden and Aaron Mokoena, Chelsea have blown Villa and everyone else out of the water for a virtually untried youngster in Daniel Sturridge, now earning more in a week than the average man makes in two years.

Fulham have nailed Stephen Kelly, Liverpool have the afore mentioned Johnson, Man City have the afore mentioned Barry and Roque Santa Cruz and West Ham have signed Luis Jimenez and Peter Kurucz.

Wigan landed Jordi Gomez and even Wolves have got going by signing Nenad Milijas, Marcus Hahnemann and are having a dart at Kevin Doyle.

This week's non-movers, as they use to say on 'Pick of the Pops'? (That's the radio for our older readers, or the wireless for the even older)?

Only Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Everton, Hull, Portsmouth, Stoke City, Sunderland and Tottenham are keeping their fans waiting, although Hull have admitted to imminent talks with Michael Owen's representatives (remember him?).

Manchester United have yet to start their summer spree, flush with an extra £80 million for a preening winker who spent most of his time on his bottom at Villa Park.

As most Villa supporters will agree, this is a huge pre-season where the advances of three years of intelligent management cannot be thrown away.

So please, please, please Villa... get cracking eh?

Southgate II - Blame Barry

2009-06-03T16:23:07Z

GARETH Southgate was never forgiven.

As proud a Villa stalwart as you can get, one who led the team out in an FA Cup Final and played a club record 42 times for England whilst at Villa, branded a 'judas' and jeered and booed at every turn over the last eight years.

All for muttering the word "ambition".

Gareth Barry might find it a little tricky too...at least in the short term. I hope not.

Martin O'Neill lauded Stiliyan Petrov a fortnight ago for never wanting to run his contract down, not at Celtic and neither at Villa.

Surely the selfish thing for Gareth Barry to do would have been to stay for 12 more months and then to fly off?

Went for the money? Don't make me laugh.

Villa offered Gareth as much as City...well, almost.

£80,000 a week and a testimonial was there for the taking had he stayed on.

Liverpool came in after the deal was done. All that messing about last summer. Left Barry hanging out to dry they did.

Then 12 months on tell him he will be playing at left-back, then allow him to agree everything with City... and then come in with a bid.

"Too late Rafa. That boat has already sailed!"

Laughable really.

But this was never about Liverpool.

Or about money.

This is about first team football and ambition. Oops, there's that word again. Uttered by Southgate all those years ago.

Back in March 2001, I interviewed Southgate who had grown stale by his own admissions.

John Gregory had blocked a lucrative move to Chelsea and he harboured Champions League ambitions.

"Mid-way through last season I decided that in terms of my career it would be the right decision to move on. I felt that I'd done everything I could for Villa,'' Southgate said over eight years ago.

"I just felt I needed a new challenge, and I didn't really see Villa battling for a Champions' League place or, more importantly, for the championship itself.

"I still feel I'm in the same situation now. I don't think anything that's happened this year has convinced me that I was wrong about the way I felt previously."

Pretty similar sentiments to today's 700 word letter sent via email to me last night by Gareth Barry, a friend over the last ten years.

Barry wanted to use the Birmingham Mail as a direct communication tool. His idea, not mine.

I'd have been happy to do an interview but I think it spoke volumes for the man. It had to be his words and his thoughts alone. Not interspersed with my interpretation of his quotes. And not hacked back to the most eye-catching 300 words.

Yesterday Barry was fearful that his thoughts would seem too contrived, too hot off the press. But thankfully he changed his mind last night, clearly the relief of a year of speculation now off his back.

He knew he'd get bucket loads of abuse ala Southgate, Yorke, Ehiogu... until that is that Manchester City set about building a team of superstars to challenge the top four, three, or two as they almost inevitably will.

Maybe then the knockers will start seeing Barry's move as one of ambition and not one motivated purely out of greed.

Barry, as he says in the letter, is fearful of becoming stale. 12 years of driving into the same Bodymoor Heath entrance whilst all of his mates have moved on - from Darius Vassell to Lee Hendrie, has taken its toll.

That first team at Sheffield Wednesday in May '98 of: Oakes, Southgate, Ehiogu, Taylor, Draper, Yorke, Joachim, Wright, Nelson, Grayson, Hendrie - all long gone to a man.

Some sold by the club, some let go for nowt, others demanding moves on pain of death. Some long forgotten, others cherished, and Southgate still despised.

Fresh challenges. We all need them from time to time. Even football writers.

The loyalty argument always makes me laugh.

Barry, after all, was pinched from Brighton.

This was Barry almost sold for £5 million to Portsmouth three years ago.

And what of Martin Laursen? Five years at Villa. Played brilliantly for one and a half of them.

He will forever return as a conquering hero, greeted by all and sundry - and rightly so. Great bloke, really excellent player.

But how much blood did he spill for Villa? Barry sweated for eleven years as a professional. Laursen spent three and a half years on the treatment table and one of those spent back in Italy with his feet up on full pay.

If you want to find a villain in all of this, blame the game.

Blame the Bosman rule, blame the TV companies, blame the agents (Barry didn't even use one, so give him credit for that at least).

Blame the state of a national game where the fourth best club can pick up £25million a year more than the fifth best.

Blame the club directors filling their faces on foie gras, king crab or caviar in plush corporate seating, maybe washing it down with a Georgia's Paddock Shiraz from Heathcote.

All this whilst acquiring accumulated debts of £3 billion in the name of sport.

If you can't blame them then blame the banks of MPs expenses?

But don't blame Barry.

Back to Southgate. He, of course, ultimately won his ambition argument with Villa. He won a trophy, albeit a League Cup when he would have collected diddly squit if he had stayed on.

Southgate, interestingly, had this to say when he signed for Boro. Just substitute Steve McClaren for Mark Hughes and it's amazing the similarity: "Once I had spoken to their manager Steve McClaren it did not take me long to make up my mind to join.

"I was extremely impressed with the manager and what he wants to achieve at the club. There is never any guarantee of success but there is a new era starting at the club which I want to be part of.

"Although it's great to be able to look ahead to a fresh challenge, I want to stress that I will not forget the great times I had at Villa and I truly wish the club well for next season.'

Football and loyalty. That old debate.

I remember George Boateng's agent threatening strike action against Villa if he failed to secure a move to Middlesbrough.

As I have said before, fans will always boo a former player.

Cyrille Regis, now a father figure at Albion, got it big style when he went back with Coventry City. How the Baggies fans cheered when he was sent off for trading blows with Martyn Bennett.

Villa will move on. The Tom Huddlestone's and David Bentley's of this world will come in.

But the worry is that without Martin Laursen and Barry, and with the top four able to go big again, and with Manchester City and Tottenham spending monopoly money, the worry is that the only way for Villa is down.

Always expect the unexpected

2009-05-22T12:29:52Z

All this fuss about expenses.

It reminds me of the tale I was told a couple of years ago of the club director here in the midlands who used to claim mileage from his midlands home to attend home matches.

Yes, home matches.

Nothing in football should ever surprise you.

Nothing.

I've just finished one of those live web chats we do every three weeks, or so.

The level of criticism levelled at Martin O'Neill was in part understandable. This has been a truly wretched 15 game run. Moscow was bad enough. But throwing away fourth place and then fifth.

If ever Villa needed to finish on a high it is Sunday.

The most important final home game since, well, since Sunderland in May 2003. Then it was all about staying in the division. Now it is all about sending out a ray of hope for next season.

Villa were four points clear of West Ham with two games to go six years back. Sunderland and Albion were already down but the Hammers were making a fight of it.

No one fancied the final game, away at struggling Leeds.

Marcus Allback scored with ten minutes to go and Villa stayed up by the skin of their teeth - four points clear of West Ham who went down on 42 points, a Premier League record high.

Sunday represents an incredible occasion for Villa but not for the reasons you would have imagined last August.

A Villa win and Newcastle, one of the best supported teams in the country, will be down.

I know an awful lot of Villa supporters who can see the funny side in that.

Indeed, a great many football fans in general will have little sympathy for Mike Ashley.

As for Villa? Is fifth really worth fighting for?

Is beating last season's 60 points worth anything whatsoever?

Is attaining 62 points and therefore getting the most points since 1996 worth anything?

Well, it will never make up for the way Villa have tossed away such a tremendous position on February 7.

It will never make up for Moscow and the decision that announced to the world that silverware meant little and that the finances of fourth meant everything.

But still the level of criticism of Martin O'Neill shocks me.

We are in a league where results mean everything. Look at Stoke. Playing hoof-the-ball football for eight months having spent a small fortune and where Tony Pullis is talked about as a contender for Manager of the Season. Laughable.

So if it is results you want then fifth or sixth place should not see the manager facing the level of criticism he is now facing, both on the internet chat rooms and in our letters pages.

Everything he has done, or is doing, is now under scrutiny.

All of a sudden the bad buys, they often point to the likes of Harewood, Shorey, Cuellar, Davies, Knight, Sidwell, Reo-Coker, Milner and Heskey out-weigh the good: Ashley and Luke Young and Petrov (admittedly after an 18 month wait).

All of a sudden the substitutions are laughable (taking off to full-backs at Fulham) and the team selections puzzling (Milner at right back) when only three months ago the Irishman was a tactical whizz, playing five in midfield and out-thinking Arsene Wenger at home and away (undoubtedly, the best 45 minutes of the season was in the draw at Villa Park and the best 90 minutes came at The Emirates).

It's going to be a massive summer as ever.

Martin Laursen has already gone. Gareth Barry may decide to join him in the fulness of time - although Rafa Benitez' promise to play Barry as a left-back or a left-sided midfielder has not gone down well with the player. That's not exactly a ringing endorsement of his qualities.

Villa have kept Petrov, which was great news. They may well decide to cash in on John Carew should a big offer come in, but that is down to them.

You never know. Bouma could be back to finally hand the club a quality left-back.

Shorey, Osbourne, Knight, Sidwell, Reo-Coker, Harewood, Taylor, Salifou and Gardner will each have decisons to make: whether to make a break or to sit on their contracts.

I can forsee any one of them moving on, but of course not all.

Then the tricky part. Spending wisely to take the club forward.

Only then, come October or November at the very earliest, should O'Neill's management of the club even start to be questioned.

Just thank your lucky stars that you are not a Newcastle supporter.

Stil a Villa Boy

2009-05-20T09:12:01Z

First the bad news.... one win in 15 matches.

Now the good news, Stiliyan Petrov is signing a new lengthy four year contract today.

That really is terrific news for Villa.

The Supporters and Players' Player of the Season had just next season on his contract and, as I have said before, there was interest in the Bulgarian from elsewhere in the Premier League from serious challengers to Villa's 5th/6th spot next season.

Petrov's future was in doubt until last week.

I would not bet against him being captain next season if, as expected, Gareth Barry moves on.

Petrov would also not have signed had he not been given some sort of assurances about team rebuilding.

The last few months have been frustrating for one and all - even sports writers.

No one wants to talk when the team is doing poorly, although I have to give a special commendation to James Milner for facing up to the music after the 5-0 drubbing at Liverpool.

Saturday's draw at Middlesbrough once again served up a right mixture.

The first half was bad. Very bad. As bad as that second half at Fulham.

But the second saw Villa back to somewhere near the form of late November to early February, at least for a sizeable portion of that 45 minutes.

Ashley Young and Gabby Agbonlahor are struggling for form.

What on earth has happened to Villa's ability to take a free-kick? Young's were appalling at Boro and have been for some time. This from a player who is the nearest Villa fans have seen to David Beckham in years and years.

The winners for me were Milner who will surely not have expected to be playing at right-back from the start.

The early exit of Stewart Downing certainly helped Milner settle after a difficult start to the game.

But against, it must be said, a poor side apart from Tuncay Milner then picked up his game and came out with his head held high.

And I thought the centre-backs of Curtis Davies and Carlos Cuellar deserved massive credit.

Yes I know they were not up against much. But they did everything and more at The Riverside to suggest that actually they aren't bad players at all.

Martin Laursen's retirement was a massive blow to the preparations for next season.

The notion among many supporters I have spoken to over the last few months is that Cuellar has not been good enough and that Davies is a different player without Laursen shepherding him through games.

Well, let me tell you Davies has come out with some very strong words on that subject which will be printed in the Birmingham Mail later this week.

Congratulations to the 2,500 or so supporters who made the trip to The Riverside - and not just the row of 20 or so bananas - and made it such a joyous spectacle.

They could quite easily have decided to stay at home after such a depressing run but the fans have stayed with the team and the manager.

Ah - the manager!

I knew I'd have to address that one. He's still paying the price for Moscow and I have to say some of his public utterances since have hardly curried favour with the masses.

But now he finds his tactical prowess questioned at every level.

His critics are worried about an over emphasis on one or two favoured players, the fact that he plays so many out of position and that when he has to find cover for one position there seem to have to be five people moving around.

For two and-a-half seasons tactics was never an issue.

It goes back to the old saying of Graham Taylor. You will never win an argument if you are not winning football matches.

Anyway, back to Petrov. That's stage one in the rebuilding process for next season.

Stage two is to move out the dead wood - and there is plenty of that. Marlon Harewood, Isiah Osbourne - you know who they are.

Stage three is the tricky part - bringing in real quality. You might be surprised at one of the players who I have been told, by a good source, is on the list.

'Blast from the past' you might say.