Former Aston Villa favourite Dion Dublin would prefer cup win to Champions League
Jan 2 2010 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail
FORMER Villa favourite Dion Dublin admits he would prefer to lift the Carling Cup than qualify for the Champions League if he were still wearing the famous claret and blue.
Villa take a break from their bid to break the top four until a week today after their productive Premier League run was ended by defeats to Arsenal and Liverpool.
Instead Martin O’Neill’s men will turn their attention to the domestic knockout competitions with back to back FA Cup and League Cup ties against Blackburn.
Dublin played in the last Villa team to make it to a major final when John Gregory’s class of 2000 suffered a limp loss to Chelsea in the last FA Cup at the old Wembley.
And given a choice between the riches of the Champions League and the glory of returning to the home of English football, Dublin would choose the latter option.
The former striker-cum-defender accepts the vast benefits of qualifying for Europe’s Premier club competition in terms of the finances and exposure it would bring.
But Dublin reckons teams are more likely to be remembered for lifting trophies and giving silverware-starved supporters a day out than for finishing fourth.
“I would take the Carling Cup,” he said. “Why wouldn’t you want to win silverware? If you get the chance to win silverware in a big competition of course you would.
“As a player, if you were asking me the question, I would like to win silverware. In my career I’d like to get to a final, win the final, enjoy the day and get a trophy.”
