O'Leary stresses need to spend - TalkSoccer

**andy villa** · 28-04-2004, 01:54 PM

David O'Leary has warned that Aston Villa could face a relegation battle next season if he is not given money to spend this summer.

O'Leary believes that Villa have been punching above their weight this season and he said: "We have been lucky with injuries as we have hardly had any.

"We have moved up another level but the teams around us like Middlesbrough and Charlton are going to invest heavily during the summer.

"Spurs invested £30m last summer and they are expected to make several more big buys.

"But we are in danger of hitting the buffers. Twelve players have gone and in the present squad of 16 there are several players coming to the end of their contracts and some are 35 and 36 years of age.

"If I am told by the new chief executive that there is no money to spend I will just have to get on with the situation that exists.

"What we will be facing again is a survival season. If we over achieve that will be great but we could easily have a situation whereby we could be lower down the division.

"If you do want to improve you have got to by a couple of quality players in strategic positions and then add another two quality players the following season in your long term plan.

"If you go on the side of free-transfers all you are doing is just ticking over. It is not going to improve the side.

"From what I have read of their comments the chief executive and the chairman are not going to put me under pressure to sell a quality player to bring in another quality player

TWA · 28-04-2004, 02:48 PM

Be afraid! Be very, very afraid! ::weird::

Danny · 28-04-2004, 02:50 PM

What he did with Leeds money was a joke. You moan about Ellis andy but you will thank him one day for not giving O'Leary the budget he wants!

TWA · 28-04-2004, 02:55 PM

To be fair, there is a difference between being frugal/prudent and being down-right tight though.

**andy villa** · 28-04-2004, 03:11 PM

wot he did with leeds was spend the money he was given by the board.... he spent 90 million but sold 60 millions worth so technically only spent 30 million...... houllier spends that every season practically, ferguson spends that on one player and so does ranieri.... its not o'leary's fault that ridsdale gambled the clubs future by giving him wot he didnt hav....... and i cant see how spending 30 million over 3 or 4 seasons he was there and takin them into europe every year, including champions league, was a bad turnaround.... wot o'leary has done with villa this year is nothing short of a miracle and proves that o'leary is a quality manager wether he has money or not.... cos hes had fuck all this year and likely to hav fuck all in the future.......