Tony Morley Scores A Hattrick Of Comments!

I had to think twice before writing this one up because a lot of fans have said similar to the comments below from former Villa winger Tony Morley only to get shot down in flames as 'anti Villa' or 'blue noses' and sometimes it is better to TRY to be positive rather than rake up old ground.

That said, this is a former Villa hero, someone who has played at the top level AND WON major honours with and for Villa, so even if the so called negative whingy fans don't get respected for their opinions, surely Tony Morley has done enough to earn the respect for his comments?!?!

Tony spoke to the Express & Star last week and questioned Martin O'Neill's somewhat baffling policy of playing players out of position. MON said earlier in the season it does players good to be out of position as they learn a more all round game. A lot of players would argue with that and maybe if you think about your role at work, how would you feel going to your office, factory or other place of work on Monday morning to find you have a totally different role? Would you slot straight in and be up to full speed or would it take you time to get going? Hmmmm.

Morley said, specifically about Nigel Hokey-Cokey who gets slated by many Villa fans without them considering (in my opinion) that he is never played in HIS position. In fact I think all of have forgotten what his position is now haven't we? 'It would fill me with joy if I was playing against a midfielder at full-back. I would love it. We all know in the modern game you’re not allowed to tackle so if you run at defenders they just let you past.' Adding that he sympathises with Hokey-Cokey and says he is a 'good professional' who would be hurting playing out of position the way he is.

'At his age now he’s never going to be a right back. Personally, I think once you get to a certain age you can’t completely change positions.'

He also sticks up for the fans over the Gabby Agbonlahor incident when MON said that Gabby was booed whereas (to a lot of fans opinions) the substitution was jeered and cheered, a reaction aimed more at the manager for finally making the substitution rather than the player.

'What’s happened with Agbonlahor has been coming . . . Martin O’Neill might have managed that situation a little better and taken him out of the side.'

And in a hatrick of comments I agree with :o) he says the Villa fans were 'short-changed' by the manager in the UEFA Cup surrender adding: 'The club have not respected the wishes of the fans by winning a trophy. They decided the Champions League was the goal but there is no trophy at the end of that.'

Interesting comments from a former hero, surely he can't get flamed the same way some of us have been in recent weeks for expressing our heart felt - claret and blue soaked - opinions?!? On the other hand.....!

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