Villa Players Starvation Diet

Aston Villa are reportedly looking at the legality of starving their players through the summer. Doug is looking at the prospect as a way to save some money but David O’Leary has said he only wants hungry players!

OH COME ON, you don’t get reporting like this anywhere else! ;-))

The manager, who many hope won’t be in charge come the new season, is quoted on the official site as saying to the players: ‘If you’re not hungry to bounce back, get out!’

I’m not convinced it is the lack of hunger from the players, more down to the lack of passion from the manager and lack of ambition from the chairman.

He added: ‘I want hungry players who are going to be consistent week in, week out to put us back in that top half again. They have to share my hunger or they will be out because I’m not hanging around. If the players here don’t want it, then they can clear out. I want what the fans want, which is a team in the top section of the league. I’ve probably been lucky – this is the first time in my life that I’ve been in this situation and I don’t like it, don’t accept it and don’t want it.’

And in more self congratulatory back slapping: ‘The reason I’ve been so successful as a player and a manager is because I’ve had that hunger, year in, year out. I’m hurt and wounded at where we are and I don’t want this happening to me. If the players don’t share that hunger when we come back for pre-season training on July 10, then I’ll get them out the door.’

He also speaks of what some (well, me anyway!) have called ‘d-day’.

‘There’s a board meeting on Monday which is when a lot of things will be brought up. It’s just a regular end of season board meeting. I don’t anticipate anything out of the ordinary because we talk all the time – there’s nothing different planned.’

Adding he hopes to get the green light from the board to bring in ‘hungry people’ and says the wheeling and dealing will depend on whether other clubs bid for our current players.

Lets hope at the very least the board clarify the issue on Monday and make it clear whether any money will be invested (cough cough) and whether David O’Leary will be kept on as manager. The uncertainty over a non existent Comer takeover is enough to take, we don’t need any more issues hanging over Villa Park.