"We knew Villa would tire after 55-60 minutes and that if we kept passing the ball, spaces would appear and chances would come.”

John Terry.

"The truth is that it doesn't stand up. In the previous game against Sunderland we were pressing. And we scored in the 82nd minute against Wolves [in the 2-2 draw the game before]. It just doesn't stack up. My own view is that it's a pretty idle comment. It's the sort of comment you can make when you have won a game pretty convincingly.

"You'd hope that sort of comment wouldn't come back to haunt him.

"I don't accept it. If people are interested in statistics – and you can prove anything you want with them – there's only one major consideration and that's the result. That's what you are judged on. If you are looking at the stats, we do them all the time. Interestingly, we are one of the fittest sides in the Premier League.

"I will lift the players [at Bolton] because that is my job. That is what I have been doing since I've been in management. Hopefully that is what I am decent at. I cannot guarantee we will win the game, but I can guarantee that the team will be very positive.”

Martin O’Neill.



“I was overwhelmed by the support of the fans.

“It was terrific and I am eternally grateful.

“I would like to continue in this job as manager because I enjoy it and think there are things to do for the club.

“Aston Villa supporters will play a part, the chairman will play a big part because he is my employer.

“And I will also play a part in proceedings because it’s my future.”

“This was an important day because we showed the people we have character and that you have to occasionally put things into perspective - maybe one wretched half-hour [at Chelsea] shouldn’t take the gloss of a brilliant season.

“If that situation did develop, [Lerner’s selling policy] that wouldn’t necessarily mean I would go and down tools and say, ‘Well, listen, we can’t go any further.’

“What you would do is see if you can come up with some other ways, maybe through the scheme here with the younger players coming through, maybe with a bit of trading here and there, maybe taking a risk with a major player to be transferred (out) to sort things out.

“You wouldn’t just down tools. It’s not been in my nature to do that. I couldn’t envisage that sort of scene - just throwing the toys out of the pram.”

Martin O’Neill.




"I've got two daughters who have grown up with this man, it's my background, it's my Catholic Irish nationalist background which feels that disaster is upon you any day that you have a good day.

”So, what I think is this: You should have this air of confidence and, while you can have it in your own demeanour, you should not be self-deprecating to the extent that what happens is people hammer the crap out of you.

"The man who will sit down and determine a lot of things will be the chairman of the football club but I wanted to say 'Well actually, I will have a part-say in that, because it's my life.' I know that there will be people who will say, 'Well, he's not committed now.' I didn't say that. I actually said I would like to stay on but I will have to evaluate things at the end to see."

"I've never had – I'm probably a typical Irishman – a long-term plan and I've ended up in this position. I do retain a great enthusiasm. Of course, there are days, like Tuesday, that make you think that, if something so small so can grow so great, I can actually use this to my advantage because with some shares I have bought I'm going to put on the blog that there's going to be an immediate takeover.

"I couldn't even spell blog and my children are incredibly embarrassed that I couldn't open... what do you call it... a computer. But I'm going to. That has got me going. I'm going to learn the computer to deal with it and I'm going to start a couple of rumours in a couple of shares that I have bought and haven't moved a muscle in two years. I'm going to put it on a blog. I've learned all that. It will probably take me a year.

"I couldn't even spell blog and my children are incredibly embarrassed that I couldn't open... what do you call it... a computer. But I'm going to. That has got me going. I'm going to learn the computer to deal with it and I'm going to start a couple of rumours in a couple of shares that I have bought and haven't moved a muscle in two years. I'm going to put it on a blog. I've learned all that. It will probably take me a year.

"That sounds big-headed but I said here in my time of trying to fight back – I have been a breath of fresh air to these people, because this club was totally disaffected four years ago.

"If that situation did develop [a decrease in transfer funds], that wouldn't necessarily mean I would go and down tools and say, 'Well, listen, we can't go any further.' What you would do is see if you can come up with some other ways, maybe through the scheme here with the younger players coming through, maybe with a bit of trading here and there, maybe taking a risk with a major player to be transferred [out] to sort things out.

"You wouldn't just down tools. It's not been in my nature to do that. I couldn't envisage that sort of scene – just throwing the toys out of the pram. I feel maybe I should have a say in my career as much as anyone else – that was the point I was trying to make. Actually I didn't make it too cleverly but it doesn't really matter.

"I will honestly have a look at it, regardless, at the end of the season and start to analyse it in a wee more detail. For instance, Gareth Barry has left and what appeared to be a gaping hole in our team has actually been very successfully filled by James Milner, who has ended up scoring double figures. That's great. Now, for James to continue to improve he will need ... more help. By that I mean we will need to improve the standard of our player.

"We have an up-and-coming young player in Nathan Delfouneso, a young centre-forward who I think is going to be a really decent player, and he can improve our side in time, but asking him to step into a man's job at this minute, to do wonders for us over that last seven games, is asking a lot. But next season he can go from peripheral into the mix and come up trumps.

"We need quality if we're going to go there. More quality, and more people than ever before to deal comfortably with the ball, and that doesn't just mean midfield players and a centre-forward, that means defenders. That's where I've been impressed this season. Richard Dunne and James Collins as central defenders are able to deal with the ball, they're comfortable with it at their feet and that's been an improvement.

"The kind of quality Tottenham possess in their overall squad. Well done, Harry [Redknapp, the Spurs manager]. Well done for being able to get those things in. I know he got one or two players from Portsmouth, and Portsmouth owed money, but well done. Manchester City, regardless of how the season ends, are going to go stronger again, so for us to compete we need a bit more quality.

"It would make me laugh, make me smile, if some manager came in and said he had a five-year plan for a football club. Fine, if you actually own the football club at the same time.

"I took a long time as a player to get over things. A long time. I was always the last one to get changed. If I thought I was bad as a player, to quote my father, I'm 10 worses now – that old Irish phrase."

Martin O’Neill has a wobble.