Bubble trouble

ASTON Villa players don't pop their cork for every manager they see leaving...

Despite reports that several Villa stars celebrated Martin O'Neill's departure by texting each other pictures of champagne bottles, the manager's resignation was not met with universal hollering and high-fiving by every out-of-favour footballer at Bodymoor Heath.

Make no mistake, there's a contingent of players who won't lose any sleep over O'Neill's shock decision to quit - and Curtis Davies admitted as much when he was doorstepped by a TV crew leaving the training ground yesterday.

But Villa's 'unwanteds' know that they will have to work hard to impress the new manager - whoever he may be and whenever he is appointed - just as they were striving to impress O'Neill.

A brief telephone conversation with one unnamed squad member (who has more reason than most to welcome O'Neill's demise), within half an hour of the surprise announcement, was refreshingly short of gloating from said player.

There was an element of relief, sure, but he was already preferring to concentrate on kick-starting his claret and blue career under a new gaffer rather than aiming a cheap parting shot, on or off the record, at his old adversary.

O'Neill had lost a lot of respect from a lot of players, but suggestions that O'Neill had completely lost the dressing room are as near to the truth as Blue Nun is to Cristal champagne.

And even some of those he didn't play fair with are more concerned with taking an unexpected opportunity rather than wishing the ex-boss any ill feeling.