• ‘He’d have the strength to deal with it if the crowd is hostile’
• Kevin MacDonald leaves door open over permanent Villa role
Kevin MacDonald, Aston Villa’s caretaker manager, tonight insisted he would have no reservations about selecting James Milner against West Ham United tomorrow and urged the club’s supporters to get behind a player who will almost certainly join Manchester City next week.
MacDonald, who has intimated that he would be interested in replacing Martin O’Neill on a permanent basis if the opportunity arises, is confident Milner is in the right frame of mind to play despite the distraction of his protracted transfer to City and the prospect of a hostile reception from Villa supporters tomorrow afternoon.
The caretaker manager said his only thinking when selecting the team was to pick the best side available, adding that the board had given him no reason to believe Milner should not feature. “The only instruction I have had from the board is to try to get a team on the pitch against West Ham to win,” said MacDonald, who has been waking up at 4am picking dozens of different sides in his head. “And from there, you have got to try and pick your best team. James Milner is one of our best players.
“James would also have the mental strength to deal with it if the crowd reaction is hostile. He is a tough man. He’s a talented footballer, but he’s a very tough boy mentally. I hope that, if he does play, the Aston Villa supporters get behind him and appreciate what he has done at this club for the past couple of years.
“I don’t think James would be thinking of it as a farewell match. I think James thinks of it as a football match. That’s the way he is. He’s not had a lot of game time [pre-season] but he is one of the fittest lads that I have ever come across. And the way he has been training suggests to me that he’s in pretty good condition.”
MacDonald said he had no concerns about how the other players would react should Milner be picked ahead of them, despite his imminent departure. “If it does affect them, then they need to toughen up and become even better.
“But James is very friendly with all the players and they would appreciate having him alongside them on the pitch. If it had been the other way round and the deal had gone through, Stephen Ireland would probably have played so they would have missed out that way as well.”
Asked whether he saw himself as a candidate for the Villa job, MacDonald left the door open. “I just don’t see myself as a candidate or a big enough name at the moment. A few good results probably would change my thought process of whether I want to be a manager or not. But that will also depend on whether I wake up on Sunday morning and, win, lose or draw, I’ve actually enjoyed myself.”
Whatever happens tomorrow, MacDonald seems certain to be in charge for the Europa League play-off tie against Rapid Vienna on Thursday. There were suggestions today that Bob Bradley, the USA coach, was going to be unveiled next week, but Villa have dismissed those reports.
Aston VillaTransfer windowPremier LeagueStuart Jamesguardian.co.uk
