Martin O'Neill is thrilled with Aston Villa's team spirit - even if it means he gets compared to David Brent

By James Nursey in Mirror Football Blog

Published 22:59 23/10/09

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By James Nursey

Martin O'Neill is thrilled with Aston Villa’s team spirit but admits the downside is he gets compared to David Bent.

Villa are sixth in the Premier League after beating Chelsea last weekend with their best display of the season.

Boss O’Neill is delighted after rebuilding his side in the summer following the sale of Gareth Barry and retirement of Martin Laursen.

New-boy Richard Dunne has attributed Villa’s success to a team ethos “money can’t buy”.

O’Neill admits cultivating a bond among his players is something he consciously works on - despite the risk of being seen as “corporate”.

And it has also sparked cheeky comparisons between himself and Ricky Gervais’ cringe-worthy David Brent character in The Office.

“I actually believe that the team is the most important issue,” said O’Neill, who played under Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest.

“I am into team-building but it seems a bit corporate.

“I suppose people might compare it to David Brent at our place!

“Team building has all become a bit corporate, so you laugh at it, but it is really what you are trying to do.

“Going back, Brian Clough didn’t really make a major point of telling us that the ethos of the team was important but the very nature of the way he ran his business would suggest that is exactly what he meant to do.

“He didn’t tell us to go out together, we just did.

“The whole group happened to go out together and these players are a bit like that.

“I want them to have the team spirit within themselves.

“And you will always find a fine dressing room if you are winning a few games.”

Villa’s attitude has helped new boys Dunne, Stephen Warnock and James Collins settle in immediately to the side.

They all made their debuts in the derby win at Birmingham just days after signing and are aiming for another victory today at West Midlands rivals Wolves.

O’Neill added: “I thought that the risk of putting them all in together was minimised by the fact that they have all played in the Premiership.

“And while they have not played together, they knew their positions.”

Villa’s defence record is the best in the top-flight after conceding just seven goals in eight games this term.

And O’Neill believes the team spirit has again been a factor.

He said: “I think that the defensive players, including the goalkeeper, would be the first ones to admit that the help that they get from players in front of them has been fantastic.

“James Milner tracking back, for example, has been fantastic and Ashley Young works hard for the team too.

“But then the boys at the back have been able to turn around and say they have contributed at set pieces with a few goals that wouldn’t have been scored normally.”

Today promises to be O’Neill’s first taste of a Villa versus Wolves derby since he arrived in the Midlands in August 2006.

But the Villa manager insists his players will be prepared for the challenge at Molineux.

“We will be right up for the game,” said O’Neill.

“The players have got a lot of confidence from the Manchester City and Chelsea games and points on the board to prove it.

“The players do their own homework and we will be as ready for the game as we possibly can be.

“That might not be good enough on the day but we will be ready.

“It is a new experience for me and for a lot of the players playing.

“Nobody will have experienced Villa versus Wolves in recent times.

“I expect it to be hostile but I’m looking forward to it as much as you can look forward to a derby game, which is not greatly.”

Villa have climbed to sixth after drawing with Man City and beating Chelsea at home.

And full-back Warnock believes securing a Champions League spot is not beyond Villa.

Warnock said: “I think everyone is looking at the top four.

“You’ve got to be as ambitious as you can be and feel rightly that you can get into the top four positions.

“Manchester City have spent a lot of money and everyone is talking about them getting into the top four but there is no reason why we can’t.

“We spent a lot of money ourselves and bought a lot of quality into the squad.”

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