Aston Villa boss discusses Gareth Barry's move to Man City

Oct 1 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail

Gareth Barry

MARTIN O’Neill admits he can empathise with Gareth Barry’s decision to quit Villa for Manchester City after kicking off the countdown to the fallen hero’s Villa Park return.

Barry will be the centre of attention on Monday when he makes his first return to the club where he made his name just months after ending his decade long spell with Villa.

Lisa Smith will be live online at 1pm today for a Q&A with Villa fans - ask her a question - www.birminghammail.net/live

O’Neill was determined to hold on to the England midfielder and chairman Randy Lerner was ready to allow Barry to run down his contract and leave for free next summer.

But O’Neill knows from personal experience the fresh challenge Barry was craving having undergone similar emotions during his own playing career at Nottingham Forest.

“He’s a very good footballer,” said O’Neill. “He’s strong, he’s at Manchester City where competition for places is strong.

“When he signed for City Mark Hughes said he was going to be signing an awful lot of players and true to his word they’ve arrived at the football club.