Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Friday February 9 2007
Time: 11:47AM
UK time is: 06:38:41
Choose your club
Other Sites
Network Navigation
Vital Partners
'If It's Football, It's Vital'
O'Neill In It For The Long Haul
Aston Villa chairman and owner Randy Lerner says he will do everything he can to make sure Martin O'Neill never wants to leave Villa.
His comments appear to be prompted by the fact England could once again be looking for a new manager in the not too distant future - having turned Martin O'Neill down once (happily for us) - and he admits he wouldn't stand in O'Neill's way if the call came but that he wants to make it so good at Villa that he won't want to depart.
Lerner said: 'I could not think of better fortune than working with Martin O'Neill and I think that you never get in anyone's way. Martin and I talked this morning. He called and asked if I was okay. I said 'yeah'. He asked if I had any questions. I said 'yeah, just one'. Basically, in answer to my question (about his future) he said that he is managing Aston Villa for the long haul. He said that we have got a job to do and we are going to see it through.'
'Did England make a mistake in not appointing Martin O'Neill? I am not qualified to answer that question. But I have to rely on my relationship with Martin. I don't think, in Martin's way of thinking, that contracts are terribly important. I think he is going to be where he feels is right for him. The way to keep Martin O'Neill is to be respectful, to support him, and to let him do his thing - and he will do it.'
Adding if England did approach: 'I would acknowledge, I wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Perhaps jump on him and put my arms around him. I don't think, when you're talking about Martin O'Neill and these celebrated jobs, it should involve me. I just want to create a compelling opportunity at Villa, otherwise I would create obstacles, which would not be good business.'
'I want to create an environment where Martin O'Neill would never want to leave Aston Villa.'
'He wants to win the Premier League and the European Cup. He has done it before as a player with a great manager (Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest) and wants to do the same as a manager.'
Seconds Out! Vital Boxing is here!
Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco
Your Comments
randy you are an absolute god already in my eyes,what a man you are! UTV
Belfast Villain
Love that guy.
505anthony
Well so far RL has done what it said on the tin. No one can have a single complaint about the way the management at Aston Villa conduct their business.
col8
I think I'm filling up....... gotta go, got something in my eye.....
Gazvilla
such religious ferver is quite disturbing according to some, next thing you know we will suffer from blind faith and actualy start believing in our team, sod it, count me in. nice one Randy you're a star.
steff_the_villan
Comments that its safe to say, we all wanted to hear. We are actually told things by the clubs hierarchy nowadays, and the tendency is to believe it, and take it at face value. Such a refreshing change from the past twenty-five years or so.
glensider
Get use to MO'N being linked with Man United and England - the media will always perceive the Big 4 as the “be all and end all” and will assume that MO'N is priming himself for a bigger job. However, they fail to see that it doesn't get much bigger than to manage Aston Villa!.... it's the toughest challenge for a football manager - just ask all of Ron Saunders' (bar Tony Barton of course) predecessors! Randy knows he's got "The Special One" at the helm to manage team affairs, and expects papers reports such as the one's we've heard since England's shambolic display on Weds night. But the way Randy dismisses the speculation, with irony and wit, intellectually and with grace; is just absolutely majestic! Randy my lord, keep creating the environment where Martin will never want to leave the Villa, make us flock to the Trinity, we bow down to you in the Holte, make Villa Park a Mecca and lead us to the promised land of the Premiership crown and Champions League glory!! Amen…….
bazzah
There is no bigger challenge than the Villa. Ferguson, Wenger and Moanarinihio have created environments that will be an absolute nightmare for anybody following their footsteps. Liverpool have recently won the Champions League so there is no challenge there. England will always require a manager and M'ON can do that as his final swansong. He knows that putting Villa back amongst the elite is the real challenge.
utv-sotc
These two guys are the best thing that's happened to Villa since we won the European Supercup. Here'sm hoping for a good result today :o)
ExpatVillaShirt
Lot of work still to be done though we looked a bit raw against a well organised Reading team. McCann & Cahill need dropped they offer nothing.
iomvilla
Would the England job still be of interest to MON now? He seems settled at VP, determined to lead the club back into the big-time, and has a great working relationship with Mr Lerner. Why swop that for being the national flavour of the month for five minutes, then face the wrath of the nation when results dont go as we perceive they should?
glensider
Have Your Say
Recent Articles
Something For The Weekend (425) (Friday May 24 2013)
And Still More On Benteke, This Time Agent Denials (Friday May 24 2013)
Villa Hospitality Scoop The Main Awards - Again (Friday May 24 2013)
Last Season Was A Necessary Evil (Friday May 24 2013)
Eric Lichaj To Be Released? (Friday May 24 2013)
Lambert Answers Benteke. Another Undeserved Saga? (Friday May 24 2013)
The Villa Times - 23/05/2013 (Thursday May 23 2013)
The Vital Villa Player Of The Season Is... (Thursday May 23 2013)
Bumper Transfer News - SOME Inward! (Thursday May 23 2013)
New Contracts? Better Deals? It's Only Money!! (Thursday May 23 2013)
Archived Articles
Vital Members League (view all)
| 1. | Pride of Lions | 1096 |
| 2. | The Fear | 815 |
| 3. | BodyButter | 533 |
| 4. | kefkat | 441 |
| 5. | ClivetheVillan | 378 |
| 6. | CDX_EIRE | 368 |
| 7. | holtelower | 264 |
| 8. | DeanoVilla | 252 |
| 9. | Villan57 | 249 |
| 10. | thefacehead | 242 |
League Results (view all)
| Latest Results | ||||
| Wigan | 2 | - | 2 | Aston Villa |
| Aston Villa | 1 | - | 2 | Chelsea |
| Norwich | 1 | - | 2 | Aston Villa |
| Aston Villa | 6 | - | 1 | Sunderland |
| Man Utd | 3 | - | 0 | Aston Villa |
| Aston Villa | 1 | - | 1 | Fulham |
League Table (view table)
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 12. Fulham | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | -10 | 43 |
| 13. Stoke | 38 | 9 | 15 | 14 | -11 | 42 |
| 14. Southampton | 38 | 9 | 14 | 15 | -11 | 41 |
| 15. Aston Villa | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | -22 | 41 |
| 16. Newcastle | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | -23 | 41 |
| 17. Sunderland | 38 | 9 | 12 | 17 | -13 | 39 |
| 18. Wigan | 38 | 9 | 9 | 20 | -26 | 36 |
Breaking League News
| Bent Rumours Resurface (Again)
» Fulham : 25/05/2013 18:35:00
|
| A New Regime?
» Man Utd : 25/05/2013 17:27:00
|
| Maiga to Leave
» West Ham : 25/05/2013 17:21:00
|
| Champions League Final - Match Day Moments
» Chelsea : 25/05/2013 17:13:00
|
| Biggest Mourinho Comeback Hint Yet!
» Chelsea : 25/05/2013 17:08:00
|
| Two Future First Team Coaches?
» Chelsea : 25/05/2013 16:56:00
|
| It Might Well Be Isco
» Chelsea : 25/05/2013 16:55:00
|
Current Site Poll (view all polls)
|
|
1 © - All content copyright Vital Network Ltd, not to be reproduced without explicit permission Copyright Issues
Cookie Policy
At Vital Football, we along with most other modern websites use small files called 'cookies' to create the most secure, effective and functional website possible for our users. Without these files our business model, based on advertising, breaks down and we would be unable to continue to provide the services that you are here to utilise. By continuing to use this website after seeing this message, you consent to our use of cookies on this device unless you have disabled them. For full details please read our Cookie Policy which can be found here. However, if you would like to disable cookies on this device, please view our Cookie Policy which contains an opt-out tool for disabling advertising cookies. Please also visit our information pages on 'How to manage cookies' if you would also like to block all other types of cookies. Please be aware that parts of this site will not function correctly if you disable cookies.