Aston Villa consider fine for Nigel Reo-Coker after training bust up

Sep 19 2009 by Lisa Smith, Birmingham Mail

NIGEL Reo-Coker was sent home in disgrace after his training ground bust-up with manager Martin O’Neill and has now been frozen out of this afternoon’s Barclays Premier League clash with Portsmouth at Villa Park, the Villa boss confirmed last night.

The Villa midfielder did report back for training yesterday, 24 hours after what onlookers have described as a “heated exchange” between manager and player on the club’s Bodymoor Heath training ground on Thursday, but was immediately sent away.

O’Neill said Reo-Coker had been ordered to take the weekend off following a “contretemps” between the pair but intimated it would “all be forgotten” by Monday.

He has not ruled out fining the player for the incident, however, which came during preparations for the visit of struggling Pompey.

O’Neill said: “There was a bit of a contretemps between myself and Nigel. It was a verbal exchange. It usually happens between players and it is the manager who separates them but this time it was between myself and Nigel. There were no fisticuffs and there was no wrestling to the ground.

“But there was enough for me to treat the incident seriously enough. Nigel will not play against Portsmouth but come Monday it will all be forgotten about.”

The row could not have come at a worse time for the player who has had an unsettled time at Villa over the last two seasons since joining his £8 million move from West Ham.

O’Neill said: “I make the rules. I am the manager and the custodian of the club and my rules aply. Players have to get used to it – simple as that.”

The Villa manager denied Reo-Coker’s future at Villa was now in doubt.

“I see no reason why,” he said. “He will be in contention like everyone else for the Carling Cup game against Cardiff City on Wednesday evening.