Premier League News: How Martin O'Neill's Exit is affecting Aston Villa
After their 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Premier League new-boys, Newcastle United, Martin O'Neill's exit has been brought into sharper focus.
Football never ceases to amaze. A completely unexpected bombshell hit the Premier League just before the start of the campaign when the Aston Villa boss quit the club in sensational fashion over lack of transfer control and having too little to spend.
It had seemed all fine and dandy for the former Celtic boss who had fought tooth and nail at keeping England midfielder James Milner at Villa Park this season. Even though O'Neill had finally relented to Milner leaving, he was hopeful of spending around 25 million pounds accrued from the transfer. In addition, he was happy to receive Stephen Ireland in the deal.
Apparently all of this was a smokescreen, as O'Neill's bombshell was soon revealed. According to an Aston Villa statement: "Aston Villa can confirm that Martin O'Neill has resigned as manager of the football club with immediate effect. Kevin MacDonald, reserve team manager, has assumed the role of caretaker manager and will prepare the team for the opening Barclays Premier League game of the season against West Ham on Saturday at Villa Park."
O'Neill chose to quit at a very inopportune time, leaving the Midlands club in the lurch. One is personal reasons as O'Neill has shown in the past that he puts family before anything else. One of the more interesting pieces of rumours doing the rounds is that O'Neill had a falling out with American owner Randy Lerner. O'Neill had only just committed himself to the club before the end of the last Premier League season. Lerner had backed his manager in the past as O'Neill used relatively meagre resources to guide Aston Villa to three successive top-six finishes. This season, it had been decided (like in the transfer windows before) that O'Neill would have to sell before he can buy any more players. Even though the ex-Villa boss was loathed to losing Milner (who had repaid the faith put in him by displaying consistent flashes of brilliance last season) to top-six rivals Manchester City, O'Neill had finally given up on having his own way. It was expected that Villa might get Ireland in return and some cash which could help reinforce one of the smallest squads in the league. All this did come to fruition after O'Neill had left the club.
O'Neill's falling out with Lerner had reportedly been gradual but inevitable. It was a relationship which had grown strained in recent months, with O'Neill trying to break growing into the Champions League positions.
According to a statement by the Irish manager, "I have enjoyed my time at Aston Villa immensely. It's obviously a wrench to be leaving such a magnificent club."
He added, "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."
This shock resignation left a few questions yet unanswered. The caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald did reasonably well in the first match of the campaign, starting with a 3-0 victory, but he has been brought crashing down to earth with the drubbing handed out by Newcastle United. O'Neill's departure has also exposed at how threadbare Aston Villa's squad is and an injury to any of the key men will see them out of the European places in the league. Will MacDonald keep his job? Can Aston Villa bounce back from O'Neill's departure and the massacre at St. James' Park or will they slide into a slow, gradual decline?
So many pressing questions. Unfortunately for Aston Villa fans, they might not like the answers.
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