Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has urged the club's out-of-favour players to be patient.
Villa boss urges the club's out-of-favour players to remain patient
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has urged the club's out-of-favour players to be patient as he believes 'situations can quickly change'.
The Villa boss has used the example of Tottenham's once out-of-favour full-back Gareth Bale, who was famous for having never started a Premier League game on the winning team at Spurs until January.
Bale ended up winning the club's Young Player of the Year award after scoring valuable winners against Arsenal and Chelsea which helped the White Hart Lane outfit secure a UEFA Champions League qualifying spot for next season.
The likes of Steve Sidwell, Nigel Reo-Coker, Habib Beye, Nicky Shorey, Luke Young and Curtis Davies could be available to move if the price is right but O'Neill points to the Wales international Bale, who re-established himself under Harry Redknapp last season, as an example of how quickly situations can change.
He said: "Look at how Redknapp has gone and re-entrusted players again like Bale. He was out of the picture at Tottenham, then came back into the side and did brilliantly.
"That sort of thing happens at every club and I keep saying this to some of our players who have obviously been disappointed at not playing.
"It changes so quickly. You play really well in a game, you might get unlucky to be left out next time. But then, the second time, there's no reason to be left out and it just goes on from there."
Consideration
O'Neill admits any player who makes an impression will come under consideration despite the success of last season when Villa finished sixth in the Premier League and reached the final of the Carling Cup and semi-finals of the FA Cup.
O'Neill said: "I think the players here last season did remarkably well. Let's take the example of James Milner. He went straight into the midfield and had a season never to forget.
"But that doesn't mean if another player steps in and does really well in the team, that he can't cement his place."
