Aston Villa Boss Quits
Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill has resigned from his post effective immediately. The news comes just five days before the start of the new English Premier League (EPL) season.
No reason has been given for O’Neill’s departure. However, with midfielder James Milner set to be on his way to Manchester City, and a policy of having to offload players before O’Neill can buy any more put in place by club owner Randy Lerner, it has been reported that the Irishman was unhappy at having his hands tied as he aimed to improve the squad and build on three successive sixth-place league finishes.
Paying tribute
O’Neill said in a statement published on the club’s official website that: "I have enjoyed my time at Aston Villa immensely. It's obviously a wrench to be leaving such a magnificent club. I would like to pay tribute to the Villa players, my coaching staff and the Villa supporters for all the support and encouragement they have given both the club and me personally during my time as manager. I wish them all the best for the future. I will obviously be assisting the club in the immediate short-term with regard to the handover of my duties.”
As well as improving Aston Villa’s league standing, O’Neill had been the mastermind behind the team’s journey to the Carling Cup final last season - the club’s first major cup final in a decade.
Aston Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner said: "The club would like to thank Martin for the great work he has done at Aston Villa over the past four years. He has helped to establish the club in the upper echelons of the Premier League, has taken us to Wembley and we have also qualified for European competition for the past three seasons under his management. We wish him the best in the future."
Kevin MacDonald, who has led Aston Villa’s reserve team to three FA Premier Reserve League South titles in a row and captured the 2008-09 reserve league championship, has been named as caretaker manager and will ready the first team for their opening EPL match against West Ham United on Saturday.
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