Injured Curtis Davies has urged Aston Villa to sign Richard Dunne to ease defensive crisis
Aug 28 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail
“You just have to weigh up the pros and cons really because obviously I want to play as many games as I can this year. I need a big year.
“But I’d rather be playing 100 per cent strength than 50 per cent strength because it’s no good playing with one arm every game.
“I think it’s about three to four months.”
Villa must complete the capture of Dunne, for a fee believed to be in the region of £6 million, by midday today to clear the Irish defender for Sunday’s home match with Fulham.
But O’Neill urged caution over the Dunne deal by insisting “nothing is remotely close at all” with the defender still to resolve personal issues with City after nine years’ service.
“I’m surprised that City are edging him out of the door,” said Davies.
“After Stephen Ireland, Richard Dunne must be up there as one of their best players over the last few years, he’s been a stalwart for them.
“He’s played with a lot of different centre halves, younger and older and I think he’s always looked good.
“It would be strange for them to let them go but it would be a good addition here. Their loss is our gain.
“His experience is untold but he’s still got enough in the tank that he can play for a good few years.
“There will probably be a long way to go because I hear there’s other clubs in for him as well so we’ll just have to wait and see.”
O’Neill could not hide his disgruntlement after Villa beat Rapid 2-1 but were eliminated on the away goals rule when the tie finished 2-2 on aggregate.
“I am desperately disappointed that we are not through,” he said.
“It would have been great experience again, particularly for the younger players, and last season, despite the way it ended for us in the UEFA Cup, we had some splendid nights at Villa Park.
“I will miss those but we have to get on with it now and we will come again.”
New signing Stephen Warnock, who arrived on a four-year deal yesterday for a reported £7 million fee, was paraded at half-time last night.
