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Villa Urged To Fight For Barry
Former Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis has urged the club to fight off the overtures of Liverpool and keep captain Gareth Barry at Villa Park.
Ellis, who acquired the nickname 'Deadly Doug’ during his two spells at the club, sanctioned Villa’s purchase of a young Barry from Brighton and Hove Albion eleven years ago for just £500,000.
After a fine season for Martin O’Neill’s side in which he helped guide the club to a possible UEFA Cup spot via the Intertoto Cup, Barry’s head has been turned by the lure of Champions League football at Anfield.
And while Ellis feels O’Neill and owner Randy Lerner will be loathe to lose their man, he highlighted the player’s on-field aspirations as the determining reason for him ending his spell in the Midlands.
"If Gareth goes, and I fear he will as Steven Gerrard has been begging him to do so - then right now I wouldn't sell him for less than £15million,” he said.
"I am proud of the fact that we took a bit of a gamble and paid £500,000 for him and Michael Standing 10 years ago.
"On the financial side at least, paying half a million for Barry and selling him for £20million - hopefully if that is the sale price - is not a bad deal.
"If I was advising Liverpool, I would say 'dig deep' because he is such a good asset. It will be a big loss to Villa and I would fight like hell to keep him - but of course I am no longer there."
Despite admitting that he would battle to keep the player at the club regardless of Liverpool’s interest, Ellis feels the role of England team-mate Gerrard will be influential in Barry’s decision.
"He sees the Champions League football as something that he should be in. His friend is Steven Gerrard, they room together for the internationals and as such he is being persuaded to go there,” the 84-year old added.
"But, like I said, it will be a big loss to Villa should he go."
While O’Neill and Lerner remain publicly adamant that they will not sell, the manager has earmarked Chelsea’s Steve Sidwell, Fulham’s Jimmy Bullard and Tottenham Hotspur’s Tom Huddlestone as possible replacements.
goal.com
Former Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis has urged the club to fight off the overtures of Liverpool and keep captain Gareth Barry at Villa Park.
Ellis, who acquired the nickname 'Deadly Doug’ during his two spells at the club, sanctioned Villa’s purchase of a young Barry from Brighton and Hove Albion eleven years ago for just £500,000.
After a fine season for Martin O’Neill’s side in which he helped guide the club to a possible UEFA Cup spot via the Intertoto Cup, Barry’s head has been turned by the lure of Champions League football at Anfield.
And while Ellis feels O’Neill and owner Randy Lerner will be loathe to lose their man, he highlighted the player’s on-field aspirations as the determining reason for him ending his spell in the Midlands.
"If Gareth goes, and I fear he will as Steven Gerrard has been begging him to do so - then right now I wouldn't sell him for less than £15million,” he said.
"I am proud of the fact that we took a bit of a gamble and paid £500,000 for him and Michael Standing 10 years ago.
"On the financial side at least, paying half a million for Barry and selling him for £20million - hopefully if that is the sale price - is not a bad deal.
"If I was advising Liverpool, I would say 'dig deep' because he is such a good asset. It will be a big loss to Villa and I would fight like hell to keep him - but of course I am no longer there."
Despite admitting that he would battle to keep the player at the club regardless of Liverpool’s interest, Ellis feels the role of England team-mate Gerrard will be influential in Barry’s decision.
"He sees the Champions League football as something that he should be in. His friend is Steven Gerrard, they room together for the internationals and as such he is being persuaded to go there,” the 84-year old added.
"But, like I said, it will be a big loss to Villa should he go."
While O’Neill and Lerner remain publicly adamant that they will not sell, the manager has earmarked Chelsea’s Steve Sidwell, Fulham’s Jimmy Bullard and Tottenham Hotspur’s Tom Huddlestone as possible replacements.
goal.com
I hope we will see Alonso play more this Euro, to see how good he is. 
Btw, Modric rocked in the match against Germany. He dominates and was so aggressive. Maybe, bad performances by Germans attribute to his performance too.
Btw, Modric rocked in the match against Germany. He dominates and was so aggressive. Maybe, bad performances by Germans attribute to his performance too.
LATEST NEWS:
Juve: c'è l'accordo col Liverpool, Xabi Alonso verso al firma
Gli inglesi hanno abbassato il prezzo a 17 milioni, nei primi giorni della prossima settimana la firma, Xabi sarà bianconero per cinque anni. Gli inglesi hanno abbassato il prezzo a 17 milioni, uno in più di quanto inizialmente proposto da Blanc. Nei primi giorni della prossima settimana la firma, Xabi sarà bianconero per cinque anni.
2 hours ago on Virgilio Sport, http://sport.alice.it/. 10:14'.
I know a little Italian but it seems it says that Liverpool has accepted 17M offer and Xabi will be Juventino for 5 years!
Juve: c'è l'accordo col Liverpool, Xabi Alonso verso al firma
Gli inglesi hanno abbassato il prezzo a 17 milioni, nei primi giorni della prossima settimana la firma, Xabi sarà bianconero per cinque anni. Gli inglesi hanno abbassato il prezzo a 17 milioni, uno in più di quanto inizialmente proposto da Blanc. Nei primi giorni della prossima settimana la firma, Xabi sarà bianconero per cinque anni.
2 hours ago on Virgilio Sport, http://sport.alice.it/. 10:14'.
I know a little Italian but it seems it says that Liverpool has accepted 17M offer and Xabi will be Juventino for 5 years!
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