Scottish Mag 3 Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Martin O'Neill completed the £3.5 million signing of Emile Heskey from Wigan, then refused to rule out a move for Michael Owen. Aston Villa's boss was delighted to have been re-united with his former charge after the striker snubbed Liverpool to agree a three-and-a-half-year deal, as exclusively predicted by Sportsmail on Thursday. Then, when asked about re-uniting Heskey with his former Liverpool and England team-mate, O'Neill said: 'We would see. Like everything else, football is evolving all the time. I don't know. That's not to say Michael Owen is not a terrific footballer. 'Gabby Agbonlahor has been incredible for us this season. He's been fantastic. What happens in the future, I don't know.' O'Neill is not slow to dismiss speculation if it is wide of the mark and, with Owen's deal running down at Newcastle, he is an attractive proposition if Villa do not have to pay a fee. The Villa boss would have to avoid breaking the club's wage structure, but Owen is likely to be enticed by the prospect of Champions League football next season and the chance to win back his England place in time for next year'sWorld Cup finals. O'Neill's obvious relief showed after joining up with Heskey for the first time in a decade since both went their separate ways from Leicester. 'He will give us an enormous lift,' he said, 'I've no doubts that Emile will improve us, Gabby and everyone around him. 'I'm delighted he's come. He would have had a number of suitors in the summer. He will thrive in this environment and help our young lads along. 'I spoke to Steve Bruce and he felt the Liverpool thing was on. But I realised then that he hadn't actually agreed anything with them as you can't sign a precontract with anyone from your League. I knew the rules on that and decided it would be worth pursuing. I couldn't be more delighted. 'I think Emile has a chance to be on that plane to South Africa. If he'd gone to Liverpool, where they are not playing a £20m striker at the moment, he might not play the requisite number of games to enhance his England chances.' Heskey said: 'I have to do what I feel is best for me and my family. The chance to play in Europe, and hopefully in the Champions League again, is a huge thing for me at this time of my career, and the chance to rejoin Martin, the man who did so much for me in my early years, was too big to resist.' The one blight on a good day for O'Neill was the news that his Denmark defender Martin Laursen will be out for two months after knee surgery yesterday. Gareth Barry has been appointed captain in Laursen's absence; he lost the armband when linked with Liverpool last summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asprilla 96 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 What are Villa up to? The whole club is so amateurish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 What are Villa up to? The whole club is so amateurish! Idiots frankly, building a good team and squad, supporting their manager and maybe breaking into the top 4, what are they thinking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friendly Villan 0 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 What are Villa up to? The whole club is so amateurish! So Martin O'Neill doesn't rule out the possibility of being interested in the best goal scorer the country has, and that is amateurish? I think you perhaps need to look past the media spin, and view things more objectively. O'Neill has actually just said 'I wouldn't rule anything out', has simply responded to a question from the media which has now been blown out of proportion. And what are Villa up to? We're having a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 13804 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I think he's only joking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitman 2188 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 What are Villa up to? The whole club is so amateurish! So Martin O'Neill doesn't rule out the possibility of being interested in the best goal scorer the country has, and that is amateurish? I think you perhaps need to look past the media spin, and view things more objectively. O'Neill has actually just said 'I wouldn't rule anything out', has simply responded to a question from the media which has now been blown out of proportion. And what are Villa up to? We're having a go. I think he was being tongue in cheek mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manc-mag 1 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I think he's only joking It's even funnier when you imagine him posting that response in an aggrieved brummie accent. What a plank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friendly Villan 0 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I'm not a brummie and neither was I aggrieved. Guess I got the wrong end of the stick to be honest. Put it this way, I doubt O'Neill is particulary interested in Owen at this time and Villa fans know it isnt going to happen. I suspect you're used to opposition fans coming on here and taking the micky? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manc-mag 1 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 What are Villa upto? Were 'avin a gow!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 13804 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friendly Villan 0 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Weer ganna win tha leeege pet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manc-mag 1 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 chomp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friendly Villan 0 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I apologise, my geordie isn't very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manc-mag 1 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Just joshing mate. Welcome to our relegation binwagon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manc-mag 1 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Martin O'neil went to my school ya knowgood manager and quite like villa, quietly getting on with things and building on what they had. we'll trade ya owen for ashley young sure fair swap i think I've worked with one of his brothers (Shane) to be sure, to be sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 5881 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Surpised manc-mag hasnt picked Fop up on his wooshing either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandman02uk 0 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I was always gutted we didnt bring O'neil to SJP - not that we would of supported him, he would of been sacked at the first sign of trouble like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GafferTape 0 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I was always gutted we didnt bring O'neil to SJP - not that we would of supported him, he would of been sacked at the first sign of trouble like Shepherd interviewed him, but he turned us down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asprilla 96 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 What are Villa up to? The whole club is so amateurish! So Martin O'Neill doesn't rule out the possibility of being interested in the best goal scorer the country has, and that is amateurish? I think you perhaps need to look past the media spin, and view things more objectively. O'Neill has actually just said 'I wouldn't rule anything out', has simply responded to a question from the media which has now been blown out of proportion. And what are Villa up to? We're having a go. The others are correct! I was joking. For the first time in a very long time we're looking at you and thinking "that's how it should be done". I do realise that O'Neill's been there a little while now just getting on with things and building steadily. I guess if we can be patient it could happen to us but I don't trust our owner at the moment. Well done on breaking into the top 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manc-mag 1 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 (edited) Surpised manc-mag hasnt picked Fop up on his wooshing either I've concluded he's probably mentally ill in some way though. It's hard to know what's fair criticism/justified lampooning of him anymore tbh. Edited January 24, 2009 by manc-mag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asprilla 96 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 What are Villa upto? Were 'avin a gow!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Manc-foplite has found another friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Surpised manc-foplite hasnt picked Fop up on his wooshing either Er, even he isn't that daft, but seemingly you are. Surpised manc-mag hasnt picked Fop up on his wooshing either I've concluded he's probably mentally ill in some way though. It's hard to know what's fair criticism/justified lampooning of him anymore tbh. Ah... Fop spoke to soon, he is that daft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manc-mag 1 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 It's just starting to feel a bit unethical tbh, Fop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 It's starting to feel bit unethical tbh Fop. If you are daft enough to think Fop was being serious, then I wouldn't worry about unethical, tying your shoelaces must be challenging enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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