Platt Vs Villa: Round 2

Randy Lerner hits back at David Platt’s stupid suggestion that Barry needs to leave Villa Park to become an England great.

The David Platt School of management in English League football doesn’t take too long as it is and his record during that short period is far from spectacular. For more information regarding Platt’s time at Nottingham Forest, perhaps you should take a trip to the City Ground to watch their next home League One fixture against the mighty Oldham.

The long term effects of the former Villa players mismanagement, despite significant investment are still very much on show today as they struggle to get themselves out of the old 2nd division (the old 3rd division) as many supporters regard him as one of the most hated figures in their clubs history.

Hot on the heels of Martin O’Neill questioning Platt’s decision to move to Bari from Villa in 1991, club owner Randy Lerner believes that Aston Villa can rise to match all the ambitions its current captain holds.

The surprisingly talkative owner these days, when asked said:

'I don't agree. I don't know that I can necessarily get into a well worded debate on this subject.

'But I think Gareth has the sense that there is more to this than simply either chasing money or managing one's career so tightly that you move from club to club to do what's best for you.

'I actually think that somebody like Gareth Barry takes very seriously the fact that he's captain at Villa. He's watched Villa do well over the last year and I think he's invested emotionally in Martin.'

When asked directly about the issue of Barry perhaps leaving to further his career, Lerner was equally as confident:

'I think it's a bigger issue than he ought to leave and go somewhere else because he'll do better or his career will accelerate - I don't see it.'

Take that David Platt!

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