Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Saturday August 12 2006
Time: 10:42AM
UK time is: 22:26:30
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Difficult To Achieve New Villa Dawn
Martin O'Neill says it could take him several weeks of competitive Premiership football before he gets to understand the squad and decides what the best team for the season is adding: 'I'm loathe to say this a new dawn. It's easy to say, a bit more difficult to achieve.'
O'Neill, who is still being strongly linked with Stilian Petrov and possibly another signing, said
'By tomorrow morning (after the match last night) I should have a fair idea of what the squad consists of. But I won't know that for certain until they have all played some sort of competitive football, and by that I mean the Premiership.'
'I'm loathe to say this a new dawn. It's easy to say, a bit more difficult to achieve. Players who had had a gripe with previous managers might think they now have a chance, but it doesn't guarantee anything. I will have a period here where I don't know precisely what a player can do. I'm an okay judge of that, and I will pick that up quickly. But the game against Arsenal will be totally different from the three pre-season friendlies I've seen so far. I would like to pick this side on its merits, but I might not know the merits of this side for some weeks.'
He also says 'It won't do anyone any harm to play in a position they're unaccustomed to as they might have to be there at some stage. I have tried to get the players physically prepared, now it's a case of them being mentally prepared. I want the players to have more edge about pre-season.'
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Your Comments
That article suggests MON will go with a very similar line up to DOL's first XI against the Arse, until he figures out who is more deserving of a staring place.
deanovilla
Hopefully we may have Petrov and A N Other in the squad by next Saturday that should help to make competition for places a bit more urgent for the existing players.
I am a bit concerned to hear Barry wont commit to the cause unless it just paper talk.
Donzarra
It seems all the Villa players are very happy to work with O'Neill, but let's face it, after the horrors of last season they are not exactly in demand by other clubs. Barry is an exception, if he is still a Spurs boy at heart, Jol is an excellent manager too, and unlike us at the moment they have a forward-looking, ambitious and generous Board. It must be a difficult choice for Barry. He is probably waiting to see what happens with the takeover and sussing out if he and O'Neill will hit it off.
Saurat
I think it's important that we don't expect too much from Villa in the first 1-2 months and I think that this is what O'Neill is getting at. O'Neill has only been in the job for 1 week, he has had no time to get in new players and no time for player developement. I expect Villa to be better organised and motivated at the start of the season but I don't expect ant real player development and anyone that does is using those claret and blue tinted spectacles again. That said, better organisation against some of the leagues lesser opposition should get us wins where last year we we getting draws and losses.
Villain Of The North
I think this will give a much needed kick in the bum. It'l take time but i know O'neal will get the right balance in the end.
Burnsy
Lets not fool ourselves, MON has inherited a mess, and he isnt going to turn things around overnight. Hopefully he'll convince the want away's that Villa Park is the place to be, and then with a couple of quality new arrivals we can certainly approach the season with a lot more confidence than was in evidence a mere three or four weeks back.
glensider
Am I missing the point? We all know MON has a great deal of work to do to get this team right, but will he ever achieve it with Ellis still in control? Frankly, no matter how good MON is, I believe that with the spectre of Ellis behind him he will never succeed and within twelve months MON will be off to more fruitful pastures.
Things have gone horribly quiet on the sales front, except for a few favourable to Ellis rumours. If MON is to achieve anything he must have a sizable warchest and a new and vigourous Board behind him.
Please keep the pressure on Ellis, he must go soonest.
DoogieTyBrenin
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