Villa players in drunken bust up

[pauliewalnuts]

Richard Dunne was only trumped by James Milner playing the season of his life to being our player of the season.  He was outstanding last season.  This season he's been unfit.  Is that O Neills fault too? 

In fairness, he was fat and unfit after a pre-season with Martin, too.

[spangley1812]

well wot next?? we are a shambles ......bout time these footballers realised how privilldged they are.....oh and yes thanks o irish wanker you bought these players and then you fucked off.... Dunne cost us a cup final and semi final

Good grief.

O' Neill left last August.  Since then we've won a handful of games and lost a shit load.  How people can carry on  blaming him for us being in the shite in March is truly strange. 

Richard Dunne was only trumped by James Milner playing the season of his life to being our player of the season.  He was outstanding last season.  This season he's been unfit.  Is that O Neills fault too? 

Rigadon I agree with you totally but there are loads of people on here who will still be blaming him in 3/4 years time at the end of the day he left in the middle of Aug 2010 (approx) so his responsibility to Aston Villa FC ended when he left

[Rigadon]

That he was Paulie. 

I'm just getting tired of the apparent blind eye some turn to the input of our current manager.  He's overseeing the worse season and overall vibe at the club we've had since O' Leary and yet to some he is afforded acess to a a kind of bullet proof vest that MON wasn't.  I'm just a bit puzzled as to why unless it's a blind faith that 'anything is better than that nasty Martin O Neill'.

[TheSandman]

I wouldn't say Martin is entirely to blame. I hope that nobody is stupid enough to think that.

In truth the manner of his departure is partly to blame but it is only one small contributing factor. The time taken to replace him, the attitude of the players, the injuries and Houllier's failings have all played as big and bigger parts.

[spangley1812]

I would agree the timing was very poor but I personally do not think he left "Villa in the shit" on purpose and something must have happened to make him leave and once this tribunal is out of the way we may here why........

[Chris Smith]

club in turmoil, get a grip chris, get a grip. What would you be saying if 2 players got into a punch up and the manager decked them both I wonder.

I said it gives that impression, the steady drip of negative stories coupled with a less than impressive set of results makes us appear to be in disarray.

[TimTheVillain]

I've heard that the argument resulting in fusty cuffs was about clothes !

One was taking the piss out of the other and the other reacted .

There's not the best of atmospheres at VP these days, on or off the pitch.

[The Left Side]

I agree, the atmosphere isn't the best, I just hope we get through this to the summer and we are still in the prem and then we can sort out the in house problems.

[KevinGage]

Sounds like the shoe/ aftershave/ other bi winning threads that did the rounds in off topic a few weeks back.

[eastie]

Ttv the reports in the papers say collins and dunne were arguing with the coaching staff and not each other - ged and gary mac were at the spurs game, and there was a free bar.

There were no punches thrown  by all accounts but people hear collins and dunne were involved and assume it was against each other - seems a non story to me , but there are people with an agenda against ged who will use it as a stick to beat him with.

[SoccerHQ]

I really am fed up of stories like this, there have been far too many this season. On its own it isn't that big a deal but on top of everything else it just adds to the impression of a club in turmoil.

Same of me really. This season has been a car crash ever since MON ran off.

I'd get rid of Dunney tbh now. We had a good first season out of him but he's 30 + now so I can't see him getting back to that level of form.

Keep Collins as a squad player but not a first choice.

[Dan England]

I really am fed up of stories like this, there have been far too many this season. On its own it isn't that big a deal but on top of everything else it just adds to the impression of a club in turmoil.

Same of me really. This season has been a car crash ever since MON ran off.

I'd get rid of Dunney tbh now. We had a good first season out of him but he's 30 + now so I can't see him getting back to that level of form.

Keep Collins as a squad player but not a first choice.

Agree entirely with both of you. Can't wait for the close season and see how the team is rebuilt.

[eastie]

Dunne got very drunk and insulted villa staff and Fabian delph- facing huge fine and will be gone in summer - full story on mirror website tonight.Dunne and Collins face massive club fines, wasn't dunne accused of bullying a yung player at city under keegan and given  a final warning years ago?

[Pete3206]

I'm disappointed that Aston Villa players drink alcohol during the season. It's their life of course, but I would have though professional footballers would be committed to their profession. It would certainly go some way to explaining Dunne's appalling performances this season.

 

[adrenachrome]

Mirror

Drunken Villains facing unprecedented fine

Published   23:01 13/03/11    By James Nursey

Aston Villa boozers Richard Dunne and James Collins are facing fines   of £300,000 in a club crackdown. Villa have initiated disciplinary   proceedings to punish Dunne and Collins after the defensive duo staged a   rowdy alcohol bender on a club trip.

Irish defender Dunne, 31, got drunk before insulting Villa staff and team-mates, including teenager Fabian Delph.

Dunne,   who earns £53,000-a-week, was so drunk that the next day he claimed not   to have remembered what he said and is now facing a battle to save his   Villa career.
The pair yesterday apologised but it will not spare them from severe punishment after infuriating Villa’s top brass.

PFA rules state players can only be fined a maximum of two-weeks’ wages.But angry Villa officials hope to fine the shamed duo between four-six weeks’ worth of their salary for gross misconduct.
With   Villa battling for Premier League survival, the scandal is a huge   embarrassment to the club and the latest crisis this term.
Dunne   is set to escape the sack but is poised to be offloaded this summer   after also clashing with coach Gary McAllister in December.

His   latest scrape occurred when boss Gerard Houllier took Villa’s squad on a   bonding trip to Champneys spa in Leicestershire for an overnight stay   last Wednesday.

But while team-mates took part in paint-balling,   defensive partners Dunne and Collins did not participate as they recover   from injuries.
And by the end of the evening team meal in the hotel restaurant, the pair were both drunk.

Houllier and assistant McAllister took a trip to Spurs v AC Milan in London that night.

Most   players watched Spurs on TV before going to bed but Dunne and Collins   stayed up criticising staff and team-mates with Villa just two points   above the drop zone.

Midfielder Delph, 19, was among the players singled out for face-to-face abuse from Dunne.

Villa insiders have been worried about Dunne’s lifestyle for some time after his startling loss of form this season.

The   defender was named in the PFA team of the year and was Villa’s players’   player of the year last season following a £5million transfer from Man   City.

Now Villa intend to hit Dunne and Collins,27, hard in the pocket.

A Villa source said: “We’ve got to do a standard disciplinary process. If you stray off it then everything can be null and void.
“The end result is likely to be a fine between four-six weeks’ worth of salary. Anything worse would be very extreme.”

A pal of Collins’ added: “James knows the situation is very serious.”

Dunne   is recovering from a dislocated shoulder while Collins has a calf   injury and the pair spent the weekend rehabilitating their injuries.

Houllier   may still have to select either if fit to partner Ciaran Clark for   Saturday’s crunch clash at home to Wolves at Villa Park.

Leeds-target Dunne was poised for a January exit after his previous bust-up but owner Randy Lerner intervened.
Now   a summer move, probably to a Championship club, appears inevitable with   Villa likely to subsidise Dunne’s massive salary to get him off the  pay-roll.