Even Cloughie couldn't advise me!

Aug 18 2006

MARTIN O'Neill insists he will do things his way at Villa Park.

O'Neill leads Villa out for the first time tomorrow at the Emirates Stadium having only taken charge of the club just 14 days ago.

Three friendlies later and O'Neill will face the most daunting of tests at Arsenal.

But O'Neill has not shirked one inch from the huge challenges ahead.

And he has not turned to any other manager, or for that matter any former Villa manager, for guidance as he sets about the task of moulding Villa into a force again.

"It's not that I know it all, far from it. What would be the point in asking?" he said.

"With the best will in the world they would probably give you a piece of advice that you may not agree with.

"People see things differently and that's how I've always done management.

"I don't phone people for advice. Despite having the upmost regard for him, I never phoned Brian Clough once at any stage as a manager to ask advice.

"I know what he would have said 'You can't do it like me son'.

"It wouldnt have made any difference. "So there's no point in asking people advice on players that I have got to get to know."