Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Thursday January 11 2007
Time: 2:57PM
UK time is: 15:25:14
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If Anyone Can, McCann Can
Villa boss Martin O'Neill has said Gavin McCann is far more than the 'bread and butter' player that David O'Leary labelled him as and says he has been 'terrific' this season.
'He's been absolutely terrific. Other than the occasional game, he's been really good since the start of the season. I don't think it's fair to say he's just a 'bread and butter' type of player. I think that McCann has got much more than that. If 'bread and butter' means underrated, fair enough. Some people can go around and be more showy, but he's there all the time.'
Adding, on the official site: 'If he was just doing a holding role for us, getting it and giving it to someone, I could understand saying he was a 'bread and butter' player. But he's actually trying to do more for us. He's actually trying to get us on the attack. He's doing a lot and he's been terrific.'
'He's like a Neil Lennon type. I think he's got the ability like Lennon to attract the ball. He doesn't have to worry about going looking for it, he's one of those players that will attract it and he can use it. That's the great thing about him. He's wanting to do everything for us at the moment, whereas if we can get a bit more help in, he might have a wee bit less to do.
'What I'm trying to do is help players like McCann. These are the players who deserve it. They've been here a while now and need help. It's not just for the players. I want it for us and for the football club.'
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Your Comments
right folks i'm gonna put the cat amongst the pigeons here. I know McCann is playing well this season but is he really that good? My OPINION is that he is an excellent back up player but not much more than that, my thinking is, if he was put up for sale tomorrow he would not be joining any of the top clubs.
mackaavfc
you have a point Mack, however, the flip side of this is that maybe were now seeing the kind of player he should have been now that he's with a decent manager?. regardless though, and as you have said, we should acknowledge the effort he has put in. we miss him when he's not there !!
bobbyfett
McCann is a digger Mr O'Neill !!! He looks good because the rest are so poor . He wouldn't get near a place in a top six team.
That's why we are bottom half!
I worry sometimes he thinks Petrov is a world beater and now McCann is a footballer? Too much time in the SPL Martin!
Villan57
Not going to knock him and not going to fault him. He's playing the best football of his VP career right now, doing the business week in week out.
glensider
I never knock his effort . He wins lots of the ball but unfortunately gives it back to the opposition! Then wins it back again!
That's why we don't score 4 midfielders who battle but couldn't pass wind! IMHO
Villan57
Give the guy a break - It's not his fault tha he hasn't got the quality arounded him that is needed to take advantage of his ball winning ability - Remember Des Bremmer - By himself he was just ordinary - with Mortimer, Cowans and, Morley he was the guy that supplied the bullets. Thats what is lacking at the mo.
myleftfoot
how can anyone knock McCann!! he always gives 100% and is one of the very few players who loves a good old fashioned crunching tackle.
samtozer
Is it not time the senior players started to lead the team, Barry cant do it all and players like McCann must start leading from the front.
col8
Good shout Villan57.He's just an average midfiled clogger in a poor side.his passing has always been woeful and he panics in possession. we need a grafter who can pick a pass once he's broken up play a la andy townsend.
Dee1
Sometimes wonder what some people want at times, the bloke has been working his balls off for the team all season. best 2 mil the club ever paid in my opinion!!
jonah
Agree he shouldn't be knocked, but he is hardly and Andy Townsend is he?
mackaavfc
No he isn't but FFS we all know, and if anybody doesn't they bloody well ought to by now, that if we are ever going to be up there with the 'big boys' 80% of our current squad isn't good enough!!
jonah
Well said, Jonah. We are suffering from the complete lack of investment in our squad by Ellis. And we will continue to suffer for some time to come. Good squads do NOT happen over night, or even over the course of one season. It took Ferguson AGES to put together his Manure side, and that was with a lot of investment and backing. MON/Randy have had a week or so with an open transfer window - and January isn't the best time to go a-shopping-oh! :o)
As for Gavin McCann, he and a few others have a great attitude and give 110% every week, but we still have a number of weak spots, which makes it very hard to keep the ball and play 'good' football. We should only really criticise players who aren't performing in a fully-formed team - not one that is playing almost purely on guts.
You might be surprised how well 'bread and butter' players can suddenly do amongst other players of quality. Let's wait and see what happens over the next year or so!!
BobTheBuilder
All I can say is buy the dvd with the 4 league cup wins that is available now and watch Dennis Mortimer, then tell me McCann is a footballer!
He's a grafter and a ball winner but not good enough to take us to the next level.
Neither are most of the squad if we are honest.
Villan57
Villan57: Agreed. one of the strong points of that Villa team was their speed of movement especially when counter-attacking. I sometimes think that the current team think they are playing 'statues' half the time. In the game against Chelsea for instance, McCann would win the ball time after time only to lose it again because nobody was making themselves available for the pass.
jonah
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