Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill: I'm not laid-back – I stayed up until 4.30 in the morning watching West Ham defeat
Published 21:00 06/11/09 By By James Nursey
Martin O'Neill has revealed he sometimes stays up until almost dawn watching replays of Aston Villa’s defeats.
Villa boss O’Neill, 57, has this week been declared the most relaxed Premier League boss.
Fosters beer concluded O’Neill is the most chilled out manager in the top-flight after analysing post-match interviews.
O’Neill finished top ahead of Chelsea’s Carlo Ancelotti but he has scoffed at suggestions he is laid-back.
And O’Neill admits to hardly sleeping this week after Villa lost 2-1 at West Ham on Wednesday as they conceded an injury-time goal.
“Was it an alcoholic who gave it to me?“ said O’Neill ahead of Bolton’s visit today.
“Can I go down to Australia to collect the award? Relaxed is not one of the descriptions I would use.
“If you are still watching the West Ham game at 4.30 in the morning - particularly the last two minutes - I don’t think that is the way to relax and go to sleep.
“I always get uptight about games beforehand. It is my job and it depends on the results.
“I’d be very surprised if many managers are relaxed. The best time is about 4.5 seconds after the final whistle when we have won.
“The worst time is 4.5 seconds after the final whistle when you have got beat.
“It is really great when you win, there is nothing like it. If we have won, I sometimes don’t watch the game again until the next day but if we have lost I want to see it soon after.
“I’d be watching it to analyse it and watching it just to put myself through the mincer again.”
