O'Neill rubbishes Cup theory
Martin O’Neill has dismissed the theory Aston Villa’s name is already on the Carling Cup after Gabriel Agbonlahor’s goal in the last minute of extra-time disposed of his former club Leicester at the Walkers Stadium.
O’Neill reached the final of the League Cup three times with the Foxes, winning it twice in 1997 and 2000, and unbeaten Villa are threatening to emulate that achievement in 2006-2007 after reaching the last 16 via a 3-2 success.
But the Irishman is too streetwise to make idle boasts about what Villa might be capable of in the much-maligned competition.
O’Neill said: “Someone said to me after the game ’your name is on the cup’ and I’ve heard that so often before.
“I remember playing for Nottingham Forest when we beat Man City in a big round and everyone said ’your name is on the cup’ and then we got beaten in the next round!
“That’s what happens. I am delighted to be in the competition still and we will see what develops. But we could get dumped out in the next round, dead easily.”
Agbonlahor broke Leicester’s hearts with his stunning strike from a narrow angle in the 119th minute of a pulsating game in which Leicester twice came from behind to level matters.
They produced a performance of guts and passion not dissimilar to what was regularly served up during O’Neill’s five years in charge of the club.
O’Neill said: “I’m delighted we have won the game. I thought Leicester were magnificent. We started very brightly indeed, got the goal, played some flowing football.
“I thought if we could get a second goal, it might be a decent evening for us. It was never to be and I should have realised you don’t get things too easy in this game.
“Leicester came roaring back and over the 90 minutes of normal time, I would have said they deserved to be level.
“I didn’t want it to go to penalties because that is a lottery and we strived and strived to get the goal and eventually we did through Gabby so I’m delighted to have won but it was a long evening.”
Villa were awarded two more penalties by referee Mark Clattenburg to bring their season’s tally to six but Paul Henderson saved the second one from Villa skipper Gareth Barry to take the game into extra-time.
O’Neill said: “At this minute, it looks as if generous penalties are favouring us but that can change. In two months time, the next three could go against us.”
Leicester counterpart Rob Kelly was unhappy with the two spot kicks and his assistant, Mike Stowell, was banished from the dugout after protesting too strongly when the second one was awarded in injury time at the end of normal time.
Kelly said: “We had an excellent referee in charge. He just had a bad night. Was I upset with both penalty decisions? Yes.
“But I’m extremely proud to be part of a team that performed the way they did. You ask people to give everything they have got and I could not have asked any more.
“We have got a group of players who care about the club and want to do well for the club. We have performed like that against a top-six Premiership side and it shows people we are heading in the right direction at Leicester City.”
