Fab six put Villa in the spotlight

Feb 10 2009 By Paul McGrath

VILLA can forget about creeping up the Premier League quietly now that they have had six players selected for England duty.

I am delighted Gareth Barry, Ashley Young, Emile Heskey, Gabby Agbonlahor, Luke Young and James Milner have been picked by Fabio Capello.

But Martin O’Neill’s hopes of diverting attention away from his Champions League-chasing squad have been dashed by the call-ups.

The nation’s eyes will be focused on Villa now that they are potentially supplying the core of next year’s World Cup squad.

So, sorry Martin, English football’s worst kept secret is finally out of the bag.

Martin quipped that he doesn’t want any of his Three Lions to play in tomorrow’s friendly against Spain in Seville – and he was only half joking.

While the Villa manager will be ecstatic that his English players have been given the recognition they deserve, he will not want anything to knock them out of their stride.

To take their run of successive away victories to a record seven at Blackburn on Saturday was magnificent.

And Martin will not take kindly to any injuries picked up on England duty ruining their momentum.

But it is a wonderful achievement and a sign of the progress Villa have made in the past two-and-a-half years to have half-a-dozen claret and blues in the same senior Three Lions squad.

I don’t think the selections of Barry, Ashley Young, Agbonlahor or Heskey came as any great shock.

And I am chuffed that Milner has finally got his first senior call-up because he is such a hard-working, talented player, who has patiently waited and benefited from the experience.

Luke Young, too, is an example of how a very good player can instantly become even better, simply by working under the managerial genius that is Martin.

It is great having so many players from your club together on the international scene because it helps you take over the dressing room.

When I was at Villa we dominated the Ireland squad, with me, skipper Andy Townsend, Steve Staunton, Ray Houghton, Tony Cascarino and Gareth Farrelly pulling on the claret and blue and the emerald green together.

Such a large Villa contingent should help the lads make the same impact on the world stage as they have done in the Premier League.