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Behind
Enemy Lines - Post Match Chat With A Villa Fan |
April 5th 2005
Newcastle-Online.com caught up with John Atkin again,
the Editor of an Aston Villa supporters website - The
Villa - to get his post match views on his side's lucky 3-0 win
over Newcastle on Saturday, the talking points of the match, Villa,
NUFC, the game and more. This is what John had to say...
Q: Well that was a surprise, where do you think the game was
won and lost?
The early goal was crucial for us. Jermain Jenas failed to clear the
cross and Juan Pablo Angel finished with unusual aplomb. Jenas was
also culpable at the other end on the cusp of half time and that and
the denial of a legitimate penalty when Jlloyd Samuel inadvertently
handled Mary Poppins' knockdown were crucial. Villa were also lucky
to be awarded a second spot-kick when Steven Carr clumsily checked
Darius Vassell but they were the better side throughout and Vassell
could also feel aggrieved at some refereeing decisions.
Q: Villa were well worth the 3 points although Newcastle were
awful, what will this win do to your season do you feel?
It's hard to say. We are very much a Jeckyll and Hyde side. This season
has been mostly, Mr Hyde unfortunately, but Saturday brought a rare
glimpse of the doctor.
Q: What will the defeat do to Newcastle's season, in your
opinion?
I think you are out of the European reckoning as you have a glut of
away games coming up and like Villa, the side travel about as well
as Mr T - reluctantly and ostensibly sedated. But you still have great
opportunities in two Cup competitions and although the FA Cup could
be beyond you, the side have been excellent in the UEFA Cup and only
Sporting and Villarreal proffer a stern challenge.
Q: What were your initial thoughts on the Bowyer/Dyer-punch
up?
I am not a big Graeme Souness fan but there can be no better person
to bring the likes of these two to task, though his failure to do
so - which appeared to visibly shake him - is further proof of the
old adage about polishing turds. It is difficult to know what to do
with either of them. You can sort of except Dyer for not responding
immediately before striking to stop himself from being pummeled but
as for Bowyer, I cannot say. It has clearly been bubbling for a while
though.
Q: Would you like either of them at your club?
Dyer seems malleable and although it no longer seems to matter, he
was your best player on Saturday. But I would not take Bowyer if you
paid his wages.
Q: Ill-discipline has blighted Newcastle for a number of seasons
now, is this a club thing? An individual thing? Or is football in
some way to blame for the disgraceful behaviour of players?
I think it is a club thing. The likes of Newcastle and Leeds have
been blighted by ill discipline and there seems to be a sort of domino
effect. But other than fostering continued education and better community
links when the players are young, the clubs cannot be held accountable.
And football definitely can't. The argument that the players' lack
of discipline arises from their surfeit of money is nonsense. I have
heard a lot of arguments against the Iraq War in the last couple of
years but 'Yeah, it's because George Bush and Dick Cheney are both
loaded,' is not one.
Q: Is the Premiership overrated?
Yes and no. In Chelsea we have one of the best two sides in the world,
while in Arsenal we surely have one of the most attractive. But there
is also a lot of guff and a large gap between the top three and the
rest. There is certainly not the same strength in depth as in Italy
and Spain although both those leagues have two sides dominating the
title race.
Q: It seems Villa have a £20m transfer kitty in the
summer. Who would you like to see brought in and which players do
you think O'Leary will go for?
I'll believe it when I see it. Date of announcement: 1 April. But
we can start with Scott Parker and see how we go.
Q: Andy O'Brien had yet another great game, do you want him?
Nope.
Q: Which Newcastle player impressed you the most?
Dyer - you will surely miss him if he receives a lengthy ban.
Q: And the least?
Jenas had a terrible game and Jean-Alain Boumsong was not as good
as I had expected.
Q: Where will Villa finish at the end of the season?
Eighth unless we enjoy a similar run to the one at the end of the
last campaign - in which case fifth.
Q: Where will Newcastle finish at the end of the season?
Ninth, but with the exception of Liverpool, the sides lying from fourth
to 20th are all incredibly inconsistent, so it is impossible to predict.
Q: Will Nobby Solano be a Villa player next season?
Yes.
Q: What are your thoughts, if you have any, on Newcastle's
Chairman Freddy Shepherd?
Pros: He has supplied the club with a steady stream of cash. Cons:
He oversaw the club taking its own fans on in the Save Our Seats campaign
to court, and with Douglas Hall derided fans for their gullibility
when it comes to buying the club's merchandise and described the women
of the city as 'dogs'. He has also sacked your last three managers
at the beginning of a season. Conclusion: Not great but then there
are not many that are.
Q: Does the disparity at the top, where the rich get richer,
worry you as football fan?
Yes but English football has always been dominated by a choice few
sides who take it in turns in the limelight. The cash wrought by the
UEFA Champions League is the biggest worry, however, and in lieu of
this, the FA should look at a way of distributing the Premiership
cash.
Q: Would you welcome a buy-out of Villa from a Russian billionaire?
Hard to say. It is like seeing the girl you quite like at the local
with another bloke. You say ‘sod it, he's welcome to her. She's ugly
anyway' but the moment she dumps him and starts making eyes at you,
you soon change your tune. From a personal point of view, I come from
a family of north-west trade unionists, so with my socialist upbringing
I think I would say 'da'. It is about time we had our share of the
pot.
Q: Can Newcastle end that 36-year wait for a trophy this season?
Would you like to see Newcastle win a trophy?
I am not sure if Newcastle are still everyone's favourite second team
as they were in the Keegan era but I am still fond of them. But Arsenal,
Manure and Villarreal are three classy sides. Sporting are beatable,
however. |
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