Source: Daily_Mail
Martin O'Neill bans Reo-Coker after Aston Villa training ground bust-up
Nigel Reo-Coker's future hangs in the balance after the Aston Villa midfielder was suspended following a spectacular training ground bust-up with manager Martin O’Neill.
The former England Under 21 skipper was sent home from the club’s Bodymoor Heath centre on Friday after a short meeting with his manager and told he would not be considered for this afternoon’s game against Portsmouth at Villa Park.
O’Neill chose his words carefully, and omitted more information than he included, as he attempted to explain away the incident, which started with a stinging verbal
exchange between the pair.
He said: ‘There was a contretemps between Nigel and myself. This usually happens between players and the manager normally separates them. This time it happened between Nigel and myself. There were no fisticuffs. We weren’t grappling on the ground as had been suggested. I am not going to divulge the details, but there was enough for me to treat the incident seriously.
‘He won’t play against Portsmouth and, on Monday, this will be forgotten about.
‘Players must understand I am the manager of this football club. I am the custodian of his football club and I make up the rules. That being the case, my rules apply. And players have to get used to my rules.’
Sources close to Reo-Coker have suggested that the Irishman’s famous temper flared after words were exchanged during a practice match and that O’Neill made the first move towards his player.
It appears that the fracas developed after the midfielder let rip at young Villa striker Nathan Delfouneso. The combative Reo-Coker’s anger had already been roused after he gave away an earlier penalty for a foul on Ashley Young.
Minutes later, the 25-year-old had charged up to support an attack and England Under-19 international Delfouneso had decided to try his luck and go for goal himself, rather than pass the ball.
After hearing Reo-Coker round on the youngster, O’Neill waded in, siding with Delfouneso. This sparked angry words between the player and his boss that ended with the duo having to be pulled apart.
Villa’s boss immediately called a halt to the match and finished off the session by forcing his first-team squad to undertake running drills.
Reo-Coker’s frustration has been building for some time. He was angry at being deployed at right back last season and the Villa manager has twice substituted him in recent weeks.
It is not the first time that Reo-Coker has been involved in friction. He was portrayed as a villain at West Ham when Alan Curbishley was struggling to contain disparate
elements within the dressing room.
After the incident a meeting was called at Bodymoor Heath on Friday in which Reo-Coker was asked to air a public apology. When one wasn’t forthcoming, O’Neill asked him to go home.
He added: ‘Nigel will be in contention to pull on a Villa shirt again — on Wednesday in the Carling Cup against Cardiff City. He hasn’t burnt any bridges. But my rules are my rules. And if you don’t accept those rules, then you run the risk of upset. It’s really that simple.
‘Has he apologised? Look there are more important things going on the world than this. I shall be looking at everything after the weekend.’
As ever with O’Neill, his dry humour shone through as he batted away questions at his
press conference.
Asked whether he had come across a similar situation during his time in football, he said: ‘Absolutely. I’m not the biggest but I’ll not shy away from something. I’ve taken my share of hammerings. Do you remember a centre half at Nottingham Forest called Sammy Chapman? He was about four inches taller than me and three-and-a-half stones heavier. I stood my ground with him and I got three punches in on my way down.
‘John O’Hare picked me up off the floor and said: “Very brave, squire, but very foolish. I’d think before doing that again if I were you.” I took his advice for about five weeks, and I then had the living daylights beaten out of me again.’
