Play it cool, O'Neill tells Villa's Reo-Coker

Feb 12 2008 By Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

MARTIN O‘Neill has told Nigel Reo-Coker to keep a cool head between now and the end of the season.

Reo-Coker was booked against Newcastle on Saturday in a tussle involving Emre and Steven Taylor.

It was the former West Ham skipper’s eighth caution of the season and O’Neill knows he cannot afford too many suspensions this term.

Reo-Coker says that O’Neill is trying to help him control his aggression in the right way.

But the tenacious midfielder says that sometimes, the nature of the game can make that difficult.

“The manager is helping me develop as a player,” said Reo-Coker.

“He’s making me think a lot more about my game. He wants me to develop my discipline, so I’m working on that.

”I’m used to getting bookings – it happens in games when you play where I play in the middle and I won’t be changing my overall approach to the game. But I try to take on board what the manager is saying.

“I’ll continue to be very passionate and committed, but I think there are a lot more theatrical falls in the game now and that’s killing the game. Players are getting booked for nothing.

“It’s not even a man’s game at times. You can’t really get physical any more. I thought football was a physical game, but now if you slightly touch a player, they go down and do 20 rolls and a back-flip to get you cautioned.”

O’Neill confirmed that he needs Reo-Coker to channel his energies in the right direction.

And the Villa boss says there is distinction between being hard and playing your way into the referee’s book.

“I’m not sure what happened when Nigel clashed with Emre and I haven’t spoken to him properly about it,” said O’Neill.

“But as well as being able to play, we need some controlled aggression in the team.

“I wouldn’t want any players involved in serious foul play or anything like that.

“There’s a difference between keeping control and losing your head."