Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill will not turn Gareth Barry's future into a 'soap opera'

Apr 23 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

MARTIN O’Neill has promised there will be no repeat of the soap opera which surrounded Liverpool’s pursuit of Gareth Barry last summer.

Barry may well call time on his Villa career at the end of the season but only after discussions with the Villa boss have examined all possibilities.

The 28-year-old England midfielder was at the centre of an unseemly war of words between Rafa Benitez and O’Neill a year ago with the Reds ultimately unsuccessful in a £15million push.

Villa boss O’Neill was initially angered that Liverpool leaked a story of an alleged £10million bid as early as last May and he accused Benitez of being disrespectful.

Barry was disciplined and barred from the training ground after criticising the Villa boss by intimating he was more interested in being a TV pundit for the Euro 2008 finals than speaking to him over his future.

There was hardly a day when the saga was not off the back pages but nine months on, things have changed.

Barry’s long-time agent Alex Black has departed the scene with Barry now leaning on best pal Michael Standing as an advisor.

Standing has already held a series of productive talks with O’Neill over the last few months.