Source: Daily_Mail
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill defends decision to name Reo-Coker captain
Martin O'Neill said he is 'too old to bear grudges' after his shock decision to hand the Aston Villa captaincy to Nigel Reo-Coker. [LNB]Villa manager O'Neill had a training ground bust-up with Reo-Coker in September but the midfielder made his first start in the Barclays Premier League since then against Bolton on Saturday - and was instantly given the captain's armband.[LNB]Forgiven: Villa captain Nigel Reo-Coker[LNB] It was a clear sign that O'Neill has moved on from his conflict with Reo-Coker. [LNB]At the time of the training ground incident, it was feared that Reo-Coker would not play for Villa again. [LNB]But he has been eased back into the side recently, making substitute appearances, and completed a remarkable comeback by starting at Villa Park in a match that Villa won 5-1. [LNB]Reo-Coker was given the chance to come into the side because of Stilyan Petrov's injury.[LNB]O'Neill said: 'I thought that Nigel should receive the armband. He's been captain before when Stilyan Petrov's missed out and when other people have. And I felt, if he's going into the side, he might as well burden himself with the extra responsibility as captain as well too and I thought he acquitted himself really well.[LNB]'I'm too old to start holding grudges now. Perhaps when I was at Nigel's age I probably would have done. But I'm too old and, for the benefit of the team, it's not that important. Nigel and myself had a bit of a spat. It's over and gone with. It was quite some time ago.[LNB]'So there isn't, as far as I am concerned, anything to take on into the future again. What will be will be like everything else but I just want players to come in here and give everything for this foot ball club and try and win games in this league because it's hard for us.' [LNB]Reo-Coker's midfield colleague James Milner also received praise from O'Neill. Milner set up three goals against Bolton and scored one himself.[LNB]O'Neill said: 'I think he has been really terrific since he has been here. Of course he had a year-long loan spell with us before I arrived and I obviously wanted him to come to the football club a couple of years ago. It was nearly there but Newcastle changed their mind at the last minute, so it took us two years to get him. [LNB] Drubbing: Gabriel Agbonlahor scores Villa's second of five goals[LNB] 'Fabio (Capello) knows what he can do. James' last excursion in the England team was playing at left back. And, while I accept that that was an emergency, even at that time he was able to get himself forward and hit a post. So James would obviously be a player that Capello would really enjoy having because he's prepared to put the work in and obviously he's improving in ability.[LNB]Head-scratcher: O'Neill's choice of captain has surprised many[LNB] 'He has got a good footballing knowledge and a good footballing brain. I feel he could move infield, to central midfield, because he is not concerned about receiving the ball under pressure. At some stage between now and the end of the season, he'll play in there for us.' [LNB]Players' World Cup dreams often act as a spur for them in club matches but O' Neill does not view the prospect of a big summer tournament as a positive. [LNB]He said: 'Personally I'm a club manager and I don't think it helps me at all. I think players are trying to catch the England manager's eye, which is great, but the main thing here is that we are trying to improve as a club and some of those players are certainly making inroads into improving us.[LNB]'But I'll start thinking about the World Cup about five minutes after the last league game of the season. For the players, I just want them to focus on here because, if they keep going like that (winning 5-1), Fabio Capello will know the strengths and weaknesses of the players.' [LNB]Emile Heskey is another Villa man with England aspirations. But injury ruled him out of the Bolton game. O'Neill explained: 'It's his back. It's not a serious problem to keep him out for weeks. [LNB]'I know Emile from the past and he's had an on-going back problem throughout. It comes up now and again and it gets very stiff and it obstructs him. But overall it's not a monumentally difficult injury and we're trying to get to the bottom of it.' [LNB] Aston Villa 5 Bolton 1: Villa team-mates give Milner the England seal of approvalAston Villa's John Carew sets big targets for team-matesWhen Ab met Fab for lunch... England boss Capello spotted with Abramovich[LNB] Explore more:People:Fabio Capello, James Milner, Martin O'Neill, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Emile HeskeyPlaces:Newcastle, United Kingdom
