O'Neill - We can't compete

20 April 2009 15:53
Martin O'Neill has admitted that Aston Villa will continue to find it difficult to financially match the top four clubs in the Premier League. Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal look set to qualify for the UEFA Champions League once again despite a strong challenge by Villa for much of the season. O'Neill is delighted with the backing he has received from owner and chairman Randy Lerner but accepts that Villa may never be on a level footing with their rivals when it comes to money. He explained: "We have been up there all season, never out of the top six. But we are in the same league as Manchester United, who have gates of 75,000 and are a different entity. We are in there against Arsenal, who house 60,000 fans every home game. "Then we are against the other two (Liverpool and Chelsea), who have our sort of gates but not only have the experience behind them but a lot of money to go at it as well. "We won't be able to compete financially. We are trying to run this as a business at this minute. That is difficult, especially in this day and age. "It is a tough old business. Financially it is tough out there - and we are not going to be running this club in the manner of some other clubs. "But I think that is part of the excitement of it all. You have to try and find other ways to compete. I don't think we'll ever be up there in finance terms but it doesn't mean you cannot compete in other ways." O'Neill will be looking to strengthen his squad in the summer but is adamant he will not pay grossly-inflated transfer fees to bring players to Villa Park. He said: "I don't mind paying over the odds for some player but, if some player was worth £7million and I was told you'd have to pay £15million, I couldn't do so. "However, if I thought someone was worth it in the long term, like an Ashley Young, then I'd pay a bit over the top."

Source: SKY_Sports