Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Friday December 1 2006
Time: 5:42PM
UK time is: 00:28:01
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Gareth Barry - Heart & Soul At Villa
Harry Redknapp has admitted he'd have liked to have signed Stiliyan Petrov and Gareth Barry for Portsmouth.
'Appy 'Arry said: 'They are both top players - players that I wanted - but in the end they became a bit too expensive for us. Then Barry decided to stay and, when Martin was appointed Villa manager, I knew Petrov would go there.' 'Arry bid £4.5million for Barry, wonder what he'd be worth now?
Thank God Barry did stay, I guess if the former manager, what was his name again, had stayed a good few would have been off last summer.
Martin O'Neill has said that Villa would have 'been in a lot of trouble if he had left'.
'Gareth was definitely pondering his future at the time I arrived here and I think he was quite close to leaving. I can only say I am delighted he stayed on and he has proved himself this season. He is playing at the top of his form and he has been fantastic here. He has been fantastic for Villa for a long time but he certainly seems to have stepped up a gear again. I am pleased he stayed on because we would have been in a lot of trouble had he left.'
'I wouldn't have been able to have found a replacement like him at all in the time given. I am not so sure I would have been able to find a replacement if we had three or four months to try and do it. He is really top class. He is a talented boy and has got a big appetite to do the work. His heart and soul is in the football club.'
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Your Comments
Barry ought to command a fee of around £7m. We at Spurs would have loved him as well. Why is it that only the donkeys at the FA not appreciate his quality? A number of comments are suggesting the Villans want Defoe or Keane. I'd only be happy if Barry came the other way which I guess is a complement.
Sir_Harry
Fair comment Sir-Harry, but you can't have him, he's ours and will stay at Villa until he retires (unless what's his name comes back as manager and the last few months has just been some strange and wonderfull dream)
Villain Of The North
Captain Fantastic. The only way to describe him. His heart and soul is in the club. The guy bleeds claret and blue.
glensider
Sir Harry, nice comments. Barry has been inspired this season and will only get better when more quality is added in January. How the guy is not playing for England is beyond me.
mackaavfc
Good comments sir harry, as you say, a fair few teams probably want him, only the England set up are stupid enough to miss him out. I wouldn't swap him for either Keane or Defoe although I'd quite like to see either of them at Villa. That said, we need a 20 goal a season striker, not sure Keano is quite that, more a playmaker behind the front two?
The Fear
in response to Mr Fear, the front 2 would have to be gabby/sutton and........who? (cue VOTH coming in with his standard 'luca toni'!!!!!) its not going to Angel, who'll never be a 20 a season man and baros looks like he's waiting for the transfer window (so are we milan, pack up your collection of headbands and go) Luke Moore, maybe in a few seasons he'll be a consistent goalscorer, he is class though. Back to the subject though. So glad Barry stayed, problem is though, the FA picked the wrong man. Randy got it right.
bobbyfett
Villa's best player this year. Should be in the England squad. So glad that he has stayed. In my eyes worth £8m plus.
Tierney
Gutted we didn't get one or both to Pompey. Let's hope we don't regret it tomorrow?
storagematt
Storagematt - Better comments, cheers. Can't believe what a decent job Harry doing down your place. Kanu is a joke (what do I know) Cambell past his best and James is crap. But somehow he's knitted them together and doing a good job. Glad you're doing well (not tommorrow though). One thing. Can't stand the fat bloke with the bell. Drives me mad even on the telly.
Gazvilla
He's about 10 feet from me, but he gets the singing going & our noise & passion has made the difference on staying up. Ask your brum friends.
storagematt
Cheer's for a helping hand relegating them scumbags.
chris the villan
It's a frightening though to know that if O'Dreary and Ellis had stayed, the club would virtually be in ruins by now. What a mess the pair of them made. That's some of our most senior players (Barry, Angel, Mellberg and Sorensen) that have come out and said they wouldn't be here now if things had stayed the same. I'm just glad Randy came and saved us when he did
Geordie_Villa
I just thank god he stayed, as he is now showing the form of his career.
DeanoVilla
£7M or £8M for Barry? (figures quoted above. If Michael Carrick cost £18M, you need to think again fellas!!
jonah
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