Quiet McCann Needs To Get Tough

Gavin McCann, in an interview with Janine Self of the Sun, has admitted that the senior Villa players, including himself, need to take on more responsibility

Villa are currently 17th in the league with just two victories, (one home and one away) to their name. Their 9 point tally for the season reflects their worst league start in 35 years. With pressure mounting on the manager and players, Villa face Sunderland away at 3pm today and only a win will really be acceptable. However, with their awful away form, which spans back several seasons, the confidence in the dressing room might not be all it should be!

McCann, goalkeeper Thomas Sorenson and hot shot Kevin Phillips all return to their former club; but there can be no space for sentiments, the points are all that matters. The 27 year old midfielder said:

“In some ways I’m surprised by our position but, in other ways, I’m not. We are there because we haven’t been doing it. Now it’s up to us. We can either mess about at the bottom of the league or knuckle down and start putting a few points on the board. If you look at the bookies we are not even in the relegation odds and that’s a bit weird. No one is talking about us going down.'

However he thinks the team have enough to climb out of trouble: “I think we’ll be all right. But everyone has looked at the league table, seen that we’re down there and is thinking about how to get out of it. There are a lot of good lads in the dressing room but the senior lads need to take a bit more responsibility — and I include myself in that. I am quiet but, if something needs saying, then I will say it. What you see is what you get from me.”

Hard talking in the dressing room then, but more importantly, lets hope they start doing their main talking on the pitch.

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