Source: FOOTYMAD
Milner praised but move at stalemate
James Milner's move to Manchester City still looks on course, but if Saturday's match for Aston Villa against West Ham was his last for the club he leaves the Midlands on good terms with the club. He started the match, playing well and scoring the third goal in a 3-0 win over the Hammers, despite sitting out most of Villa's pre-season campaign. "It wasn't very easy for him out there. There were a few grumblings [from supporters] but that shows how good he is and how tough he is," said Kevin MacDonald, caretaker manager at Villa Park following Martin O'Neill's resignation. "Within five minutes the crowd realised James is still James. He's an Aston Villa player and wants to do the best he can do. The ovation at the end of the game was rightly deserved. James is a tough lad, he gets on with the game and tries to improve himself, football-wise and physically." Milner's expected move to Eastlands has seen tortuous negotiations, with the Irish midfielder Stephen Ireland reportedly asking for a £2million payment from City to move south as part of the move. "Milner is held in very high esteem throughout the country and that's why other clubs are trying to buy him," added MacDonald. "The latest I heard, there was still a stalemate with Man City. But that could change within hours." Rander Lerner, Villa's owner, criticised City's pursuit of the midfielder. "Big, bad Manchester City came along and asked for Milner and we said, 'No, he is not for sale'. And under the rules you have to respect that," he told the Mail on Sunday. "Manchester City respected that for two whole days. And then they violated the rules and came in for him again. "We are not a selling club. A selling club is when you let it be known that you want to sell a player, through an agent or whatever. That didn't happen with Gareth Barry and it didn't happen with James Milner either. As for Ashley Young, he was never going."
