Villa captain Barry told to sign for Liverpool - by his own team-mate

[dave u]

I reckon we're totally in the wrong here. Villa had two games left to clinch a UEA Cup spot, and could really have done without all this. We bid for their captain (and star player) and leak it to the Echo so the whole world knows.

If someone came in and bid for Gerrard whilst we were battling for a CL spot, we'd be fucking livid.

We should have waited til their last game was over, and then sent the bid immediately. All we've done now is pissed O'Neil off and made him determined not to give in to us.

[Owen]

Dave knows.

[philyburkhill]

You're right, we are in the wrong and its not right. At least thats what I think, I'm just keeping quiet. Many people were out raged when Terry / Lampard were telling Gerrard to come join them during the European Championships, and Chelsea were leaking it out.

[aws]

Originally Posted by dave u

I reckon we're totally in the wrong here. Villa had two games left to clinch a UEA Cup spot, and could really have done without all this. We bid for their captain (and star player) and leak it to the Echo so the whole world knows.

If someone came in and bid for Gerrard whilst we were battling for a CL spot, we'd be fucking livid.

We should have waited til their last game was over, and then sent the bid immediately. All we've done now is pissed O'Neil off and made him determined not to give in to us.

Basically agree with that but it was O'Neill who made it a big story playing to the crowd. He should have told us to fuck off privately and just shrugged it off publicly.

[dirty_sanchez]

Originally Posted by dave u

I reckon we're totally in the wrong here. Villa had two games left to clinch a UEA Cup spot, and could really have done without all this. We bid for their captain (and star player) and leak it to the Echo so the whole world knows.

If someone came in and bid for Gerrard whilst we were battling for a CL spot, we'd be fucking livid.

What, like Chelsea do every time we play them?

[lifetime fan]

To be fair though Dave, Rafa has said himself he was talking to O'Neil and following these discussions was asked to make a formal offer for the lad. Thats what we did and now their complaining.

Thats my take on it anyway.

[Randy Marsh]

Originally Posted by dave u

I reckon we're totally in the wrong here. Villa had two games left to clinch a UEA Cup spot, and could really have done without all this. We bid for their captain (and star player) and leak it to the Echo so the whole world knows.

If someone came in and bid for Gerrard whilst we were battling for a CL spot, we'd be fucking livid.

We should have waited til their last game was over, and then sent the bid immediately. All we've done now is pissed O'Neil off and made him determined not to give in to us.

Spot on. There are some seriously naive and deluded opinions on this thread. "MON has treated Liverpool disgracefully", Jesus Christ! Do people expect him to roll over and give us his captain for whatever we chose to offer? He's looking out for his own. And lets face it, we are not exactly 100% honest and straight up in how we conduct some of our dealings are we? Its hit the papers to force Villas hand, and generate pressure from Barry to accept our low valuation. Exactly as we done for Benayoun last year. If i was MON id be fuckin pissed with us aswell

[dave u]

Bidding for him whilst they had important games coming up was wrong. It could have waited until the final whistle on Sunday. Nothing will convince me what we did was right, and if someone had done it to us we'd be up in arms.

I don't care if Rafa and O'Neill had spoken about it or not, making a bid when they were trying to get a UEFA Cup spot was poor form for me. And it probably helped the blueshite, which is another reason we shouldn't have done it!

[TK421]

He's just a funny little man who likes jumping around on the touchline a lot, isn't it? Football.

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Aston Villa | O'Neill furious at Benitez claims

[moxter]

Martin O'Neill's loyalties are (and should be) to Villa's players, fans and board. Why should he care about upsetting anyone at Liverpool? I can't see that Rafa has done anything particularly out of order in making a phone call - leaking the story to the press is a bit off - but should we expect O'Neill to simply lie down and take it? Let's not be silly here.

[theRedHorse]

I'm sorry but now he's being a cunt.

I went from feeling sorry for him because we shouldn't have leaked it to the echo.

Then to mild confusion because he didn't want to unsettle his side before a couple of "big" games but came out with new comments every fucking day...

And now to complete and utter contempt for the cunt. Fuck off.

[Thants]

Originally Posted by dave u

Bidding for him whilst they had important games coming up was wrong. It could have waited until the final whistle on Sunday. Nothing will convince me what we did was right, and if someone had done it to us we'd be up in arms.

I don't care if Rafa and O'Neill had spoken about it or not, making a bid when they were trying to get a UEFA Cup spot was poor form for me. And it probably helped the blueshite, which is another reason we shouldn't have done it!

That's my view too.

[dave u]

Originally Posted by Paul14

Where are your loyalties?

Loyalty doesn't come into it. What we did was wrong as far as I'm concerned. I'm not going to defend it just because it's Rafa. I read those comments on BBC from O'Neill today, and I can't have a go at him because I think he's right.

If anyone had done to us what we did to Villa, every single person on this forum would be going apeshit.

[Red Nick]

Originally Posted by dave u

Loyalty doesn't come into it. What we did was wrong as far as I'm concerned. I'm not going to defend it just because it's Rafa. I read those comments on BBC from O'Neill today, and I can't have a go at him because I think he's right.

If anyone had done to us what we did to Villa, every single person on this forum would be going apeshit.

Got to agree with you not good by our standards but there again there´s nothing left of the old Liverpool way maybe Sammy will bring some of it back with him

[cotter]

if we're using the media to unsettle him it's fair that o'neil's a little pissed off, although it's nothing new. and ultimately he's been as guilty of making this bigger news than it might have been as anyone at liverpool has.

i don't accept that the only time you should be negotiating for players is once the seasons over though. i think you need to act early, which is exactly what parry has been criticised for not doing on countless occasions, not only by rafa but by fans too.

united were tapping up tevez last season, and it wasn't as though west ham had nothing to play for, or as if it affected their form. berbatov's another. as is bentley.

[theRedHorse]

Originally Posted by cotter

if we're using the media to unsettle him it's fair that o'neil's a little pissed off, although it's nothing new. and ultimately he's been as guilty of making this bigger news than it might have been as anyone at liverpool has.

i don't accept that the only time you should be negotiating for players is once the seasons over though. i think you need to act early, which is exactly what parry has been criticised for not doing on countless occasions, not only by rafa but by fans too.

united were tapping up tevez last season, and it wasn't as though west ham had nothing to play for, or as if it affected their form. berbatov's another. as is bentley.

There's nothing wrong with making a bid before the seasons over but we shouldn't have made it public through the Echo.

However, that article had no official quotes and Had O neill not run his mouth EVERY SINGLE DAY since then, this whole thing would be a lot smaller story.

[aws]

It was a non-story fit for debate only on football forums until he (quite deliberately) made it a big story and has stoked it regularly ever since.

[cotter]

Originally Posted by theRedHorse

However, that article had no official quotes and Had O neill not run his mouth EVERY SINGLE DAY since then, this whole thing would be a lot smaller story.

exactly. there's speculation and planted stories in the locals and nationals every day of the week. whatever you think about the correct way to do business it's a bit weird to start going off on one in the way he has.

[zigackly]

He's just trying to up the price.