Gareth's on form again

I jokingly asked Gareth Barry if he fancied doing our interview in the pub down the road instead of him having to curtail it in ten or so minutes in order to avoid the fine for being late for training.

"You mean in the Dog and Doublet?", he asked, looking reasonably keen although just for that one micro-second.

"We've not been up there since the days of Dion Dublin".

I was impressed. It may only be a cough and a sputter away from the Bodymoor Heath training HQ, but Gareth has always had that common touch about him.

I just doubt that Olof Mellberg ever went to the local pub. I doubt that Martin Laursen ever did.

I'm not advocating footballers take up drinking again before or after training, although it never did Paul McGrath any harm. They can have a cola if they want- although I personally think that leads to unnecessary glass washing.

My point about Gareth is that he is at the heart of everything Villa. He has a feel for the place and iots surroundings.

He even reads the local paper.

Which makes it such terrific news that Barry is back on song both on the pitch and off it.

The twinkle is back in his eyes.

He's back talking with a real passion about the game he loves, the club he loves, the past (including being booed by his own fans at Walsall) and the future.

Ahhhhh........ the future!!!

Will he sign a new deal at Villa?

I really would not rule that out, regardless of whether Villa really can pip Arsenal to fourth in the table.

I think Villa could still finish fifth or even sixth and then Martin O'Neill and Randy Lerner will offer an incredible contract to try to tempt him to stay.

The good news appears to be that there are no longer any barriers to communication between O'Neill and Barry.

My guess is that Barry may well move on. Probably to Liverpool, possibly to Arsenal or Tottenham or Chelsea... who knows?

They'll all be keen to sign a 28-year-old for £10 million or thereabouts.

I really can't see Barry even contemplating buying out his contract next summer. That would erase him from all good-will at Villa Park.

The point is that I can now see O'Neill and his former skipper working together to map out the future.

With one year left on his contract he won't be able to go anywhere unless O'Neill and Randy Lerner give the say-so.

But I cannot see a repeat of the mess of last summer. Come next March, April, May...whenever it is... all the talk will be done behind closed doors and not on the back pages.

And that surely is a good thing?

As for the "Dog and Doublet"?

They serve an excellent pub lunch. In warm weather you can sit right next to the canal, and they serve an pretty fine pint of chilled mild.