Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Monday March 16 2009
Time: 8:00AM
UK time is: 21:26:48
Choose your club
Other Sites
Network Navigation
Vital Partners
'If It's Football, It's Vital'
MON Not Happy With Fans Cheering Gabby Off
Martin O'Neill was far from impressed with the Villa crowd who cheered when Gabby was brought off today.
I'm not 100% sure what the cheering was for. Was it against the player? He has been shocking recently to be fair and maybe if the manager had a thought he'd have looked to rest him and try to (shock horror) actually change things about a little? No? Silly me!
Or was the cheering just the crowd happy that a tactical change was being made? I am not sure, I don't have the answers to these things, I think that was more understandable than the stupid booing at the end of the game. Villa WILL lose games, we have before, we never used to boo, so why have we started now?
Baffling, then again so was the game and the substitutions so all in all, not a great day for anyone it would seem.
MON said about the substitution:
'Gabby has been fantastic for this football club and I am very disappointed with what happened when he was substituted. Ever since I have known him, two-and-a-half years ago, he has been brilliant. He is going through a period where his confidence is low but I have got to tell you that is no way to treat him after what he has done here.'
'I can put up with many other things but that was uncalled for and people have short memories. I've always said if you pay your money you can do what you want but that sort of thing doesn't help anybody.'
Does putting him in the firing line all the time when he is so low on confidence not add to the players problems, is it always JUST the fans who are at fault at Villa? Seems so.
Think I'm struggling with the modern game and the boo boy stuff though, that has never been my idea of being a Villa fan and God knows people of my age group and above have lived through enough lean years!
One worry is it is never a good sign when the manager starts criticising the fans, the club recently I thought was pulling together but he's had a bit of a pop a few times. Sometimes a look inward is also needed, need I mention the treatment of fans - both at home and who went - over the CSKA Moscow farce?
Maybe we can all lift our spirits for the next game, easy 3 points at Anfield... COME ON VILLA!
Seconds Out! Vital Boxing is here!
Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco
For the very latest Premier League odds
Free £15 bet when you spend £5 on The New Football Pools
Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.
Your Comments
Some good points Fear, he really should stop criticising the crowd, D'OL did and it didnt go down too well.
krisvilla
It was disgraceful, those fans should just stay at home and it`s totally pointless, does he not try ??
ASPINALL
Never confuse effort with results....
evoflash
Villa will once again shoot themselves in the foot. We have a great set up of manager and chairman. This is football, you win some, you lose some. Sometimes you win playing badly, sometimes you lose when you deserve to win (as was the case yesterday). But to boo and cheer sarcasticaly at our own players frustrates the hell out of me... What sort of idiots do this this?? I was frustrated as hell that we were beaten yesterday but you have to take it on the chin and get behind the team. Maybe the boo boys should use their energy supporting the team or F**ck and support the scum!! DISGRACE!!
Hitman
the booing is un acceptable as we have had a great season. although the fans me included find it hard to understand some of the things that happen at villa. James Milner had an off day yesterday you could tell it wasnt his day after 15mins. yet he was still on the pitch after a woeful 90mins, MON took off zat knight who hadnt done anything wrong rio was moved to centre back???!!! milner to right back luke on the left, then 5 mins later gardner was right back rio was left back luke was centre back. Rio played well but is he a better left back than Shorey? no he isnt is gardner a better right back than luke young? no he isnt so can someone explain why MON makes 1 substitution yet 4 positions on the pitch have to be changed? Im lost. But Ill still be there next game supporting not booing. come on Villa.
johnmurphy3112
Sadly, David O'Leary was right about a section of Villa fans being fickle. 100% right. The taunting of Gabby was disgraceful and the booing at the end of the game senseless. Villa were very good in the first half and poor in the second (although give Spurs credit for that). I didn't understand the substitutions either and think Gabby should have been rested before, but to try and humiliate a player who has achieved so much for us is pathetic. I hope the morons involved hang their heads in shame and try to get behind the team in future or fxxk off to watch the Blues. One bloke behind me spent the whole 90 minutes slagging Friedel off. I don't think I heard one moment of support for the team from him. In the good old days of standing you could just move away and stand with likeminded fans who wanted to support the team. I suppose it is the moaners turn to enjoy themselves now we are in a rocky patch and continue to prove DOL right.
krfeskivilla
there was no booing that i could hear in the holte it was sarcastic cheering. the ones who cheered because it was gabby being taken of are idiots but not all of it was for that but for the fact that o'neill subbed a striker for a striker without messing with the defence. A good point made about john murphy about milner. A fine example of what to do as harry redknapp and zokora. Did he wait till half time to change him cus he was having a mare or just hold his hands up and say I got it wrong. We all know what happened and the game changed form that point on. O'neill blindly persists with certain players regardless of their form and he's just ramming square pegs into round holes to the detriment of the team.
themightyatom
This season is turning into a right old mess. It's alright though, for a minute I forgot I supported Aston Villa...these things happen only to us.
olofthegreat
I notice, for the first time, there was no chanting of Martin O'Neill from the Holte end yesterday....is reality finally kicking in?
jonah
Hitman, typical reaction of ***** off and support the scum. Some idiot always says that when villa fans, yes, the people who support the club, who live, breath and bleed claret and blue are unhappy with the manager of the day or the performance of the team. have you any idea how ridiculous you sound when you come out with ********* like that?
jonah
It was really odd to hear the Villa fans booing yesterday, despite your recent run you have put up a magnificent fight for fourth this season .... and it's far from over yet. Yes you have to face Scousers and United next, but we still have to play all of the top three. Sadly booing is all too common at football these days, with the most fickle of fickle fans residing at our stadium :(
Rocky7
We pay our money and are entitled to say and do as we wish. Gabby is *****, end of story. A Championship player at best and even then would be alot to ask
crosswesleyanchapel
We are not fickle, we just don't like O'Neill
young_jonah
The cheering, as I understood it, was ironic and aimed towards O'Neill who, at long last, had recognised that Gabby wasn't performing and decided to do something about it. Thing is, there was a short period after Knight was taken off when the back four wandered aimlessly aound trying to work out who was supposed to be playing where. It was joke and I honestly thought Spurs were about to get a third and even a fourth! The current malaise goes back to the bizzare decision to throw in the UEFA Cup towel - a decision that seems to have had an adverse effect on fans and players alike. Also I believe that Magic Mart made serious errors of judgement in his squad selection v Chelsea (a game crying out for 4-5-1) and his inability to shut up shop v Stoke. I'm not sure what went on in Dubai - a weekend on Blackpool sands might have been more beneficial! That said we're still in the mix - just - and, once we've negotiated the next three tough games, it should be plain sailing towards a top 4 finish! Finally, can anyone tell me what's happened to Sidwell ? Is he injured...or, like the rest of us, just depressed ?
pongogidman
Yes if folks were actually at the game , it was ironic cheering aimed at the manager. Nobody booed the players either they booed ONeills bizzare changes which left the team looking in disbelief at one another
Villan57
How can you question MON, he is the best Manager we have had in years, to even contemplate the man, he had brought us within a whisker of finishing in the top 4!!! I will be happy to finish 6th, we have had an excellent season and believe thing will improve, we are still rebuilding, we are NOT the finished article!!!!!
We need to get behind the players and the team, we need to support the team, I was disgusted with the boos yesterday and was embarrassed by them, after all Gabby has helped to get us to this position, he has contibuted towards this wonderful season, we should support the player, he is having a bad run, doesnt every player.
We also need to show support to what we have achieved as a team and that the the position can only get better, I am sure the good results this season have outweight the bad ones.
I for one will always support the club, Manager and Players through good and bad, I love this club and all they do for us, they deserve our support.
UTV, IN MON I TRUST, GABBY GABBY GABBY !!!!
erv2005
How ironic that the manager didn't see the irony of the ironic cheering being aimed at him, not Gabby.
jonah
Indeed the cheering (NOT BOOING ) was for MON who should have done it weeks ago even when we were winning games. It wouldn't have hurt to give the Fonz more games over the past months and would have given Gabby a rest especially if the game was already won.
Villan444
While we are on the subject, Gabby's first touch when his back is to goal is ( and has mostly always been) shocking and he rarely wins headers. Think that most other managers have worked this out and don't give him any space or a chance to turn. Maybe his rise to stardom has come too early with his England call-ups etc.
Villan444
O'Neill will be gone this time next year.
young_jonah
I am sick of everyone booing and ironicaly cheering MON. He has done a great job. I think most of the people who are doing it are not real fans, did not go thought the DOL days. We need to keep MON.
Tallaght Villan
OMG.... Those people who support MON despite whatever decision he makes are the "Idots". MON is human and makes mistakes, as we all do in business, but it takes a strong man to admit to his mistakes - something that Redknapp did yesterday with his substitutions. Gabby has not performed well for months now but still plays every 90 mins. The ironic cheers will ring around Villa Park if MON keeps flogging the same players (really wanted to write donkey's but can't be that derogatory to our players). Please MON don't treat us like "idiots" . make the changes when they are needed, rather that wait too long and receive the ironic cheers. Admit you messed up in the UEFA cup decision and gambled with our season , a bet that at the moment looks lost.
HolteEnder43
YJ - if MON won't be manager next season who will be? If we finish top 4 next season will you still be banging on about how we should of won the league!! You really think we should be challenging the top four, look at our squad compared to chelsea, liverpoo, the arse & manure - we are miles away yet. Get a grip!!
Mutley73
Mutley, don't you think the size of our squad might just, in some small way, be linked to the manager?
jonah
I didn't come on here yesterday as I just wanted to forget about it. Thank god for the St Patricks Day celebrations in Digbeth. Having read this morning's Mail I was itching to get on here and have my 2penneth. As has already been said the "ironic cheering" was an instinctive reaction to the fact that MON had finally noticed that Gabby wasn't doing the business. No one planned it. No one passed flyers around before the macth. This was not premeditated. It was an honest reaction to a situation. I cheered. I'm not afraid to admit it and from where I was sat (K7) it sounded like the majority of the ground cheered. There was an attempt by some to sing Gabby's name afterwards which I didn't neccesarily agree with at the time although maybe it wasn't such a bad idea in hindsight. I support every player. I don't always like the constant singing for Carew when he's a sub as I can't think that helps the players that are on the pitch despite the fact that I do agree that Carew should be starting. Gabby did nothing yesterday and it was clear he needed to come off long before it happened. Carew and Nathan need to start the next game. I am a big supporter of MON and I still have faith. It is however not blind faith.
Adam Deuce
AARRRGGGHHHH - thats all i can say. AAARRGGHHHHi am not in the mood to slag of anyone, but i am terribly disappointed.
Pablo1978
YJ - Yes, wanting to bring in players who can cut the mustard! we need to finish consistently in the league to attract these players. even if we don't qualify for CL this year we have certainly raised our profile.
Mutley73
Let's face it - in 5 years time Agbonlahor will be sat on a bench somewhere just like Darius Vassell is now. The boy is LAZY and arrogant, and is simply not as good a player as he seems to think he is. He can control a ball further than I can pass one, he fails to pass the ball to a claret and blue shirt, and needs to realise that the only thing he is actually good at is running, FAST. Every time he stops and thinks about what to do with the ball, he loses it. How many good games has he had this season - 4? 5? That would be the maximum and is simply not good enough. We are not good enough to carry LAZY players.
lee9679
I dont agree with the Gabby "SCAPEGOATING". Some people are forgetting who our top goalscorer is. He doesnt work with Heskey, simple as that. Last season gabby and Carew were on fire. Mon needs to swallow his pride and either drop Heskey for Carew or go back to 4-5-1 with Gabby on the wing and big John up top. Heskey was a waste of Money. We'll be shagged when Barry goes....
medzy
I just hope to god that MON and Gabby realise that the booing was from a minority, and that the majority of Villa fans appreciate what we have. If they don't feel appreciated they will leave and we will be much worse off for it.
For the record I think Heskey is rubbish and has had a real negative impact on the way we play. No goal threat, doesn't run or contribute, and is nowhere near as good as Carew. I worry that MON is cutting off his nose to spite his face.
However MON is a legend and I hope he stays at the club for many years to come!
Thank you MON and Randy for all you have done for the club! You have my backing.
el_rooneyo
Maybe the disgruntled, boo boys that call themselves fans should have their own break in Dubai! We should support the team and MON in helping the club move forward. Is the season over yet? er no! Do we have a chance or sniff of CL? er yes! So all together now, my old man says be a city fan and I said...........! C'mon guys lets stay positive and hope that by our chanting and support of the team has the right impact in lifting the players confidence. Afterall, we are supposed to be a better team away from home so there is hope yet. Also, I agree MON has made some mistakes which is why he is not our mesiah but indeed a human being like us all so lets hope he and us as fans, learn from this game and from this season. Please please please be positive as fans!
holte ender 1969
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 | 1084 |
| 2. | The Fear | 815 |
| 3. | BodyButter | 533 |
| 4. | kefkat | 441 |
| 5. | CDX_EIRE | 368 |
| 6. | ClivetheVillan | 368 |
| 7. | holtelower | 260 |
| 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.