Source: Telegraph
Martin O'Neill hails Aston Villa 'trailblazers'
Villa have opted to travel to Hamburg without several senior players, notably Gabby Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and Gareth Barry – left in Birmingham to recharge the batteries ahead of a Christmas push in the Premier League. Yet back in Britain the club's profile is anything but obscure.[LNB]Young has supposedly caught the attentions of Real Madrid (he is "not for sale"), while England manager Fabio Capello's interest in a number of Villa's young players has been greeted happily by O'Neill, who believes that the Italian's comments have significantly enhanced the club's standing.[LNB]"The image of the club now has definitely improved," he said on Tuesday. "Ashley Young, Gareth and Gabby trailblazing for us has helped."[LNB]O'Neill was especially satisfied that Capello chose to single out James Milner, the midfielder brought in from Newcastle in the summer. [LNB]"I am very pleased," he said. "It will give James a big boost."[LNB]Picking out Milner for specific praise will have put Capello back in the credit column after irking O'Neill last month by calling up both Agbonlahor and Young for England's friendly against Germany. Indeed, the Villa manager was all for returning the compliment, suggesting that Capello has done "remarkably well" since his appointment. [LNB]Looking ahead to Wednesday night's match, meanwhile, it will be of some consolation to those travelling Villa fans who might be harbouring concerns that it is a wasted trip to learn that O'Neill has no intention of being overly dismissive.[LNB]"There is absolutely no point in coming out here and being like sitting ducks," he assured. "The last thing we want to do is to be blasted out of sight."[LNB]Elsewhere, Martin Jol, the former Tottenham manager now at Hamburg, made no attempt to play down speculation that he is considering trading in his success in the Bundesliga for a return to the Premier League with Sunderland. "I am fine where I am now, but who knows," he said.[LNB]Team details[LNB]Hamburg (4-1-3-2, probable): Rost; Demel, Mathijsen, Reinhardt, Aogo; Neves; Trochowski, Benjamin, Jansen; Petric, Guerrero.Aston Villa (4-4-2, probable): Guzan; Cuellar, Knight, Davies, L Young; Reo-Coker, Sidwell, Salifou, Gardner; Harewood, Delfouneso.Referee: A Nikolaev (Russia). [LNB]
