Aston Villa: Aston Villa

David O'Leary insists he will return to the game a better manager after signing a three-year deal as Aston Villa boss this week.

O'Leary believes he has learned the lessons of many mistakes which were made during his often tempestuous period in charge of Leeds.

While he is adamant he left the Elland Road club flying high when his contract was terminated last June, he admitted he could have done certain things differently.

The "new" O'Leary was certainly on show in his first public outing as a Villa employee on Thursday, as he remained tight-lipped about his personnel plans for the club and over how much money he would have to spend.

O'Leary said: "We all make mistakes and I learnt a great deal.

"I had four years of intense pressure at Leeds and particularly in the last two years. I had 24-hour round the clock surveillance and security guards at my home.

"Everything we had to go through off the field was really tough - that's why I felt that to keep Leeds in Europe under those ridiculous pressures was a great achievement.

"But I have been in the papers too much and I had too many opinions on too many things. I believe I will come back stronger for it."

O'Leary is the 13th manager hired by 79-year-old chairman Doug Ellis in his controversial 21-year period at Villa's helm.

I think o'leary will do well at villa as he has a good squad of players he just needs to get them playing together as a unit..

Aston Villa are to hold a fresh round of talks with striker Darius Vassell aimed at persuading him to finally sign a new long-term contract.

Vassell has only 12 months left of his current deal with the midlands club and the England striker could then leave on a Bosman free in the Summer of 2004.

Previous Villa manager Graham Taylor wanted Vassell to commit himself to the club as early as April 2002.

But his advisors SFX were against such a move but now more talks are now planned between both parties.

New Villa boss David O'Leary has already indicated that he wants to secure the services of the Vassell who gave another impressive performance as a substitute for England against Slovakia on Wednesday.

O'Leary said: "Darius is highly prized asset and it is an asset we want to keep at Villa Park. He is a wonderful player with great potential."

Vassell is currently on only around �5,000 a week but he could expect to at least triple his weekly wage should he agree to a new deal.

The player has already intimated that he would be more than willing to stay at Villa but the contract has been a constant stumbling block.

Last season Vassell struggled to reproduce the form of 2001-2002 although he still ended up with 11 goals for Villa.

Norway international Oyvind Leonhardsen is leaving Aston Villa after he had an offer of a one-year contract withdrawn.

The 32-year-old, a free transfer signing from Tottenham last September, was given a 7 June deadline to sign the deal, which he refused to do.

A spokesman told the club's official website: "We made the offer at the end of the season and under Premiership rules the player has one month to respond. Oyvind did not respond to the offer and it is no longer on the table."

Leonhardsen, who also lists Liverpool and Wimbledon amongst his former teams will now swell the list of players searching for a new club after being granted Bosman free transfers this summer.

Villa would be mad to let Vassell go, he is raw talent that could be molded into a dangerous striker, he creates alot when he plays for England.

yep vassell is a very good player the way he has played for england in the last couple of games he has turned them around for us...Your right they would be mad to let him go,i wonder why no team has tried to sign him??

I guess that for the fee you would have to pay, you would want the player to deliver straight away and as I said he does need some work done to his game. Apparantly he is the lowest paid first team regular in the premiership!

Originally posted by TeflonDon
I guess that for the fee you would have to pay, you would want the player to deliver straight away and as I said he does need some work done to his game. Apparantly he is the lowest paid first team regular in the premiership!

No wonder he wants to go if he is on a low wage,he should be given a good run in the side and see how he does..He has the capabilities to become a very good player...

Aston Villa manager David O'Leary spoke of his delight after his club agreed a fee, believed to be around �3.25m for Leeds' goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

But Leeds chairman Professor John McKenzie claimed he was "personally very disappointed" by the England custodian's desire to leave Elland Road.

The young England prospect - who rose to prominence when O'Leary was manager at Elland Road - is now set to discuss terms at Villa Park.

Coincidentally O'Leary was on a coaching course with his Leeds' counterpart Peter Reid when news of the arrangement came through.

O'Leary said: "From what I can gather - as I've been on a coaching course - the clubs have agreed a fee

"As far as I'm aware the figure is around �3million. That shows just how much the market has dropped off.

Aston Villa's bid to sign Paul Robinson has stalled after the Leeds goalkeeper's representatives announced talks with the midlands club "have broken down at a very early stage".

Robinson had earlier launched an outspoken attack on new Leeds chairman Professor John McKenzie after the Yorkshire club accepted a bid of around �3million for the 23-year-old.

McKenzie had claimed the fee was only agreed after it became clear Robinson had set his heart on quitting Leeds but the player responded by saying: "He (McKenzie) is just trying to make himself look popular at my expense."

And a statement from the SEM Group, who represent Robinson, said: "Talks between Aston Villa Football Club and SEM on behalf of Paul Robinson, which officially began with the permission of Leeds United AFC, have broken down at a very early stage."

In the statement, Robinson, who is currently out of the country on holiday, said: "I am looking forward to returning to pre-season training at Leeds United."

Aston Villa manager David O'Leary has revealed that he would welcome any move that led to cash being injected into the club.

Villa fans are awaiting further developments following a week on intense speculation that the club is being primed for a takeover.

Villa's share price has rocketed this week following the reports last weekend that a mystery South American billionaire was showing an interest in buying almost all of chairman Doug Ellis'

33.6% stake in the club. While any change in the hierarchy at Villa Park would not have a great deal of effect on O'Leary, the Villa chief has admitted that if change led to him having more money to spend on new players it would be one that could be positive for Villa.

O'Leary said: "It would be a great acquisition if he wants to put money in and he wants to believe in the manager and trust his judgement and let him get on with the football side of things."

O'Leary, who saw a move for Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson collapse after Villa were unable to agree personal terms with the England international, has yet to make a major signing since his arrival at the club.

But the former Leeds chief remains firmly on the trail of the �5m rated Sunderland duo of England international midfielder Gavin McCann and Danish international goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen.

Mark Delaney has vowed to put last season's injury problems behind him and secure a place in the side for the opening game at Portsmouth.

The Villa right-back endured a wretched time last season picking up injury problems while playing for both Villa and Wales. He spent more time on the sidelines than on the pitch.

But after a hard summer of work he has been able to return to training alongside his team-mates and hopes that his injury nightmare is now behind him.

Delaney, who like all of the Villa players is keen to make an instant impression on new manager David O'Leary, said: "He has got his own ways and he has brought in a new fitness expert, in who seems to be very good, and Roy Aitken as well.

"We are all thoroughly enjoying it so far and long may it continue. With a new manager having come in, everyone wants to stake their claim and give a good impression.

Last year is definitely behind us and we are all looking forward to the start of next season. I want to make sure that I stay fit next season.

"But the main thing at the moment is to get into the starting XI for the opening game at Portsmouth. That is what every player who is here wants to do."

Assistant boss Roy Aitken has pledged that Aston Villa will have a positive approach in a bid to improve on last season's dismal away form.

It was the poor record on their travels last season that almost cost Villa their place in the Premiership last term. While their home form was on a par with the teams in the top half of the table, their away form was dismal.

They won just one of their 19 away games - 5-2 at Middlesbrough in January. From the 57 points that were available to Villa on the road they picked up just 10 having won one, drawn seven and lost 11 of the away games. It is a statistic that boss David O'Leary and his right-hand man Aitken are determined to improve upon next season as they bid to try to get Villa back into the shake-up for a place in the top six.

O'Leary has pledged a high-tempo style of play at Villa Park and he will not be changing the tactics when Villa hit the road. Aitken, who followed O'Leary to Villa Park after being his reserve team coach at Elland Road, said: "Away from home there will not be much difference in our approach. We understand that going to places like Old Trafford and Highbury you are going to be up against it and that you will have to play really well to pick up something from those games. But there is nothing to say that you can't.

"We won't set any specific targets. All we are doing is looking to progress forward and hopefully the fans will see an attitude from the players that they are going to take the game to the opposition and hopefully also play some good football."

Former Aston Villa defender Alan Wright has been told the door is still open for a move to Scottish champions Rangers.

The 31-year-old former Blackburn full-back, released by Villa at the end of the season, cited personal reasons for leaving the Rangers training camp in Germany on Wednesday.

Gers boss Alex McLeish had offered him the chance of a trial but despite the setback the Ibrox boss suggested he could revive his interest.

He said: "We could look at it again when we get back to Scotland. We spoke to his agent and he cited personal reasons for Alan's departure. I didn't want to pry too much so I just left things as they were.

"It's highly unlikely the player will return to Germany to meet up with us and we'll need to see what happens.

"I don't know if we'll bring him back and, at the moment, the whole thing is put aside. We will just need to watch this space."

Gavin McCann will discuss personal terms with Aston Villa after the midlands club agreed a �2.25million fee with Sunderland.

The 25-year-old could now be set for a quick return to the Barclaycard Premiership after suffering relegation with the Black Cats last season.

McCann, who joined Sunderland in 1998 in a �500,000 deal from Everton, has one England cap to his name, awarded at Villa Park in Sven-Goran Eriksson's first match in charge against Spain more than two years ago.

David O'Leary's chances of signing Thomas Sorensen improved significantly when the Danish goalkeeper admitted his desire to move to Villa Park.

Villa's representatives are back in talks with their Sunderland counterparts over the future of Sorensen less than 24 hours after Gavin McCann left the north east to become O'Leary's first major signing.

Sorensen, who has been left in no doubt that he does not have a future at the Stadium of Light, is yet to open his own negotiations over personal terms.

Former Sunderland duo Thomas Sorensen and Gavin McCann are poised to make their Aston Villa debuts in tomorrow's Barclaycard Premiership clash at Portsmouth.

Sorensen and McCann represent new manager David O'Leary's only summer signings as he looks to improve upon last season's disappointing position of 16th.

But he will be without the services of unsettled striker Darius Vassell who has been ruled out with an ankle injury.

O'Leary has also dismissed reports linking him with a move for Leeds United striker Alan Smith and it is likely to be club record signing Juan Pablo Angel and Marcus Allback leading the attack.

Aston Villa have announced that defender Steve Staunton has moved to First Division Coventry on a free transfer.

The Republic of Ireland international has signed a two-year deal at Highfield Road.

Capped 102 times by his country, Staunton's arrival at City comes at a time when Richard Shaw and Dean Gordon are missing for Gary McAllister's side.

The 34-year-old made 350 appearances for Villa - the majority coming in his first spell between 1991 and 1998

Middlesbrough have completed their move for former Aston Villa full-back Alan Wright.

Ahh yes a place to vent my love and hatred and villa. It would be all love , but they keep losing

What do you think of O'Leary then?

My verdict is still dubious after the job he did at Leeds..