Reo-Coker happy at Villa

Midfielder quashes reports linking him with a capital return

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 7th October 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Reo-Coker happy at Villa

Reo-Coker: Going nowhere

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Nigel Reo-Coker has played down reports that he is pining for a return to his London roots.

Speculation has suggested that the Aston Villa midfielder will head south next summer, with the former England U21 international set to snub a new contract in the Midlands.

However, the 24-year-old, who still has three years left to run on his current deal at Villa Park, insists no discussions have been held in regards to him prolonging his stay with the club.

He has also made it clear that he is more than happy with life at Villa and is keen to remain an integral part of a developing side.

Disrupting

"I'm happy, I'm enjoying myself, I'm playing football week in, week out," Reo-Coker told the Birmingham Mail.

"I'm hitting form and that's all there is to say. If I wasn't happy I wouldn't be playing the way I have.

"I owe a lot to the fans since I've been here. I'm so grateful for that but I know what they could read into this now.

"Of all the times it could have appeared, it was right before the Chelsea game (a 2-0 defeat on Sunday) to disrupt Villa and to disrupt me.

"London is an hour-and-a-half from the Midlands. From a young age, I knew what it took to become a professional footballer.

''You have to live with it, going up and down the country. It is something you have to be open to do. If I didn't want to leave I wouldn't have left West Ham (last summer). I'm not stupid."

Compliment

Reo-Coker went on to admit that he would welcome talks over a new contract, should Martin O'Neill wish to keep him.

"I'm not throwing this away, I believe we can achieve something so this has been frustrating when we've been in the top four," he added.

"I've got three years left, so there's no reason for the manager to give me a new contract. Other players have signed but that's down to them, some of them only have two years left.

"It's up to the manager if he wants to offer me a new deal, we haven't spoken about a contract. It's something I would welcome and it would be a big compliment, but I'm happy."