Aston Villa FC

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O'Neill: Reo-Coker row forgotten

09 Nov 2009 - 14:27:07

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Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill claims his fall-out with Nigel Reo-Coker is now long forgotten.

The midfielder captained Villa during Saturday's 5-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers to finally draw a line under his training ground bust-up with O'Neill in September which led to him being axed from the first-team squad.

"There isn't, as far as I'm concerned, anything to take on into the future again," said O'Neill. "Was it an excellent piece of man-management? I'm too old to start holding grudges now.

"Perhaps, when I was 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."

Reo-Coker, who returned to the side in mid-October, was handed the armband in the absence of suspended regular skipper Stiliyan Petrov.

"He's been captain before when Stiliyan Petrov missed out and when other people have," added O'Neill.

"I felt, if he's going into the side, he might as well burden himself with the extra responsibility as captain as well and I thought he acquitted himself really well.

"What will be, will be, like everything else, but I just want players to come in here and give everything for this football club and try and win games in this league because it's hard for us."