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BENT EXCITED AT NEW SEASON

Aston Villa striker Darren Bent has said that he cannot wait for the new season to start. The England striker missed the large portion of last season due to a major injury, which also forced him out of the Euro 2012. Now, he is fit and ready and is taking part in the pre-season with the new manager at the helm. He has said that he is extremely looking forward to the start of the new season since it would give him with a great opportunity to prove that he is the best striker at the club. He has also said that he hopes that he is injury problems have finally disappeared.

The 28-year-old moved to Aston Villa from Sunderland in an £ 18 million deal and has scored almost a goal every other game. He made 41 appearances in his first season with the club and scored 19 goals in the process. However, he was not able to repeat the same feat as he was injured more often than not. Further, the major injury suffered in the second half of last season meant that he made only 22 appearances for the club last season. The former Spurs striker has said that he is hoping that his injury problems are behind him and cannot wait for the new season.

“I probably got the injury because I haven’t really done anything for four months. It’s just been good to be back among it after my time out injured at the end of the season. In the first session in pre-season I was absolutely buzzing. My main problem was the ankle but that’s completely healed now. That feels great and I am raring to go for the season,” said Bent in an interview given to the Sun. Bent has made 403 career appearances to date.

PETROV IS CLUB CAPTAIN

New Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has confirmed that midfielder Stilian Petrov will remain as a club captain for now, although he has confirmed that he will be looking to appoint a new captain to represent the club on the pitch. Stilian Petrov was recently diagnosed with leukaemia, which means that he is set to miss a considerable portion of the next season. Despite this, Paul Lambert has decided to offer the position of being the club captain to the former Celtic midfielder. The 32-year-old Bulgarian international has been a huge influence on Aston Villa in recent seasons, and Paul Lambert hopes that it will continue even after his arrival.

Aston Villa recently managed to bring in former Norwich city manager Paul Lambert amidst a lot of fury from the Cannaries. The former Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish was using striker Gabriel Agbonlahor as the captain on the pitch for the club. However, it is thought that Paul Lambert will be looking to make a defender or the goalkeeper as the captain. Lambert has also revealed that the club will be undergoing a major overhaul when it comes to the scouting system. Aston Villa have been on a constant downhill in the last couple of seasons, which Lambert will be hoping to avoid this season.

“Stiliyan is still club skipper, no doubt. He’s a huge influence on the club. I just need to look for a team captain. He’s such a strong lad and a terrific guy. It makes you sick, actually, when you have played with someone, seen them in their prime and are close to them, then you know he has an illness like that. Hopefully he’ll be OK and be here,” said Lambert when speaking after his official appointment on the official website of Aston Villa.

HODGSON BACKS VILLA

West Brom manager Roy Hodgson has said that he does not believe for one minute that Aston Villa will be relegated to the Championship at the end of this season. Aston Villa have long been recognised as the biggest club in Midlands having won the coveted European trophy, while they have also one of the greatest history amongst most of the English clubs. However, they are in a real danger of being relegated this season, as they are only two points about the relegation zone. Aston Villa are ever closer to the relegation zone after suffering the 2-1 demoralising defeat at the hands of Bolton in the midweek action.

The club will be facing archrivals West Brom during the weekend. West Brom, under the former Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson, have secured safety in the Premier league for next season and will be looking forward to a great afternoon against Villa. Hodgson, though, believes that the Aston Villa players are too good to go down this season. Even though this is a cliche that has been said a lot, Hodgson believes that McLeish has the experience to lead Aston Villa away from the relegation zone in the upcoming matches, in which they will be facing the likes of West Brom and Tottenham.

“I don’t ever accept true responsibility for when managers losing their job has been the direct result of a match with another team that you happen to be coaching at the time. Obviously there is going to come a moment where people’s tenure at a club comes to an end. It’s unfortunate I suppose if you happen to be the last one when the axe does fall,” he said ahead of the derby with Villa. Aston Villa have just one win in their last 13 Premier league matches, which makes for a grim reading.

BOTHAM BACKS PETROV

Cricketer Sir Ian Botham has said that Aston Villa captain Stilian Petrov can successfully recover from the leukaemia he has been recently diagnosed with due to the fact that he is an extremely strong person, and due to the fact that he has fitness of his side.

Stilian Petrov was recently diagnosed with leukaemia and it has brought together the entire football world in support of the Bulgarian. Even those from other walks of the professional game have also expressed their sadness at the Bulgarian being diagnosed with leukaemia. Sir Ian Botham has been one of them. The former England cricketer has said that even though it is a sad news, he remains hopeful that Petrov can successfully fight the cancer.

Petrov was identified with leukaemia only three weeks ago and he has begun intensive treatment. Sir Ian Botham has been one of the regular supporters for people diagnosed with leukaemia, and he has been doing the same since 1985. He has said that he has seen many people successfully fight this cancer, and says that Petrov is probably one of the best equipped to deal with this problem. This is because Petrov has an amazing attitude and is one of the fittest players in the game today.

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IRELAND WANTS TO STAY

Aston Villa midfielder Stephen Ireland has said that he is hoping to remain as a Aston Villa player next season. Stephen Ireland has been criticised by current boss Alex McLeish for not being professional enough. The midfielder arrived in a swap deal involving James Milner from Manchester City a few seasons ago. However, he has not been able to stake a claim in the first-team due to his regular problems off the pitch. He recently dismissed suggestions that he is looking for a move to the United States to play with former Aston Villa striker Robbie Keane, who is currently with MLS side LA Galaxy.

Robbie Keane made the great impact with Aston Villa during his short term loan spell from LA Galaxy. He has also seem to have affected the future plans of Stephen Ireland after that have been recent speculation that the Ireland midfielder is looking for a move to the United States in order to escape the constant attention from the media over his private life. Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish recently said that watching Ireland play is a great pleasure, and he hopes that the midfielder will soon become a regular part of the first team.

“My objective now is to be the best I can and to keep entertaining the fans. Things are going brilliantly for me at the moment and that’s a massive relief. I’ve put 100 per cent into my game, tried to express myself and work hard for the team. It makes it even more satisfying when you feel you’ve ‘earned’ your shirt,” said Ireland ahead of the match with Arsenal during the weekend. Aston Villa will be taking on one of the inform teams in the Premier league in the form of Arsenal. They can put their relegation worries to the bed with a win at the Emirates.

MCLAISH CONFIRMS CLEAR-OUT

Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has confirmed that the club will be having significant transfer funds in the summer in order to overhaul the squad, which has become stale in recent seasons. Ever since the departure of Martin O’Neill a few seasons ago, Aston Villa have been struggling in the table.

They have not only been able to get into the top half of the table, but they have been struggling with relegation since then. The arrival of Alex McLeish was not expected to change things a lot, and it certainly has not done anything. Hence, Alex McLeish has said that a significant portion of the profits made by transfers will be reinvested in the squad in the summer.

A number of players including the likes of Stewart Downing and Ashley Young have been sold for a combined profit of around £ 40 million. James Milner has also recently left the club for around £ 24 million, but so far, Aston Villa’s best investment came in the summer when they signed Wigan winger Charles N’Zogbia for around £ 10 million. As a result, Alex McLeish has confirmed that Aston Villa will have significant transfer funds in the summer in order to refresh the squad.

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MCLEISH TO LEARN US WAY

Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has been asked by club owner Randy Lerner to spend time with the head coach for Cleveland Browns, another sporting team that Lerner owns, in order to receive some tips from a coach of a team from overseas which Lerner hopes will provide McLeish with some inspiration and new, fresh ideas.

McLeish’s tenure so far at Villa Park has been fairly unsuccessful, with the side sitting at the wrong end of the table and being far too close to the relegation zone for a team with Villa’s quality and history. McLeish’s decision to sign Irish striker Robbie Keane on loan proved to be a masterstroke, with the player hitting sensational form for a team that was relatively short on goals.

The only downside of the deal is that he returns to LA Galaxy for pre-season next week, which will mean one of McLeish’s most important players will leave for the rest of the season. With strikers of the quality of Darren Bent and Gabby Agbonlahor, Villa should be pushing for Europa League places, but sadly ever since Martin O’Neill resigned, the villains have been in a steady decline.

Lerner has come across as a fairly good owner, by allowing his manager’s time and space to settle into their role, but McLeish will know the side’s form will need to pick up towards the back end of the season if he wants to be in the Villa hot seat this time next year.

With Villa only having won one of their last 6, their game against Wigan after the break for the FA Cup is a game that will be seen by McLeish as a must win to provide a catalyst for his team’s poor season so far.

N’ZOGBIA MUST WORK HARDER

Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has said that his midfielder Charles N’Zogbia must work much harder in order to be successful.

N’Zogbia arrived at Aston Villa in a £ 10 million deal in the summer, and was signed as a replacement for wingers Ashley Young and Stewart Downing, who left to Manchester United and Liverpool respectively. N’Zogbia was one of the most promising wingers in the previous season for Wigan Athletic, and was responsible for helping Wigan stay in the Premier League.

As a result of it, a lot was expected of him from Aston Villa. However, N’Zogbia has been disappointing of late. Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has said that one of the reasons for Charles N’Zogbia struggling at Aston Villa is due to the lack of high work rate.

Alex McLeish, being a defensive minded manager, has said that Charles N’Zogbia should first develop his work rate in order to become successful at Aston Villa. The French winger made his first great performance in the match against Newcastle United during the weekend. Even though Aston Villa lost the match 2-1, Charles N’Zogbia provided the crucial assist for Robbie Keane to score.

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VILLA GET KEANE ON LOAN

Aston Villa have completed the loan signing of former Tottenham striker Robbie Keane from MLS side LA Galaxy. Darren Bent has praised the management at Aston Villa by saying that it is one of the best deals for the club over the short-term.

Robbie Keane has been one of the prolific scorers in the Premier League, but found opportunities very limited at Tottenham. He has since moved on to MLS side LA Galaxy where David Beckham also plays. Landon Donovan is also part of the LA Galaxy set up and the American International recently signed a loan deal with Everton.

Aston Villa has snapped up Robbie Keane on a similar deal, which will see the Republic of Ireland striker spend the next two months on loan at Villa Park. This comes as a major boost for the club, which has been suffering from a number of issues of late most importantly the amount of injuries. One of their most important strikers – Darren Bent – has missed the a lot of the season due to the hamstring problem. He returned to the first-team action by scoring the final goal against Chelsea recently, but Alex McLeish does not want to depend on one striker alone. Hence, the arrival of Robbie Keane has been praised by Darren Bent.

“He will bring experience which will aid a few of the younger lads who are breaking through into the team and the other youngsters in and around the place. He also brings that competition to the striking department. And he will bring goals too, hopefully,” Bent said when asked about the importance of signing Robbie Keane. Even though Aston Villa have a number of strikers like Gabriel Agbonlahor, they have not been able to score the required number of goals to take them into the top half of the table.

Citizenship Setback for Donacien

There was sad news for Janoi Donacien of Aston Villa last week, after his application to become a UK citizen was rejected by the courts. This has come as quite a shock as this 18 year old star will not be allowed to play any of the Premier League matches he had been anticipating, and he can’t afford to leave Birmingham for European games because it’s unlikely he would ever get back into the UK! It’s a cataclysmic blow to the young strikers career.

The result of this decision has affected not only the young kid, but also the other members of the Aston Villa club including the director Bryan Jones who was heard saying that if these matters are not sorted out at the earliest possible opportunity (in the court of appeal), there are very limited chances for Janoi to play football in this country. Jones has gone on record to say that the authorities should examine the case once again and grant permission so that the Janoi’s football career is not put on hold any longer.

The biggest surprise of all is the fact that Janoi has been staying with his family for the last 10 years in Britain and he still has to face such problems.

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