Carew handed heavy fine

Carew: Punished

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Martin O'Neill has revealed that John Carew has been severely punished for a recent lap-dancing jaunt.

The Aston Villa striker was spotted in a gentleman's club last week and was subsequently dropped for a Uefa Cup clash with Dutch giants Ajax on Thursday.

However, the Norwegian was restored to the fold for Villa's Premier League encounter with Wigan on Sunday, and stepped off the bench to get his name on the scoresheet during a comfortable 4-0 win.

Carew's boss has now forgiven his towering front-man, and while he can see the funny side of the incident, insists he had to make an example of the former Valencia man.

Rules

"John has been disciplined, he has breached the rules," said O'Neill.

"He thinks there were mitigating circumstances and I am always prepared to listen, but I did and made a decision that he was wrong.

"It's not a problem, he's been pretty heavily fined and that's the end of the issue.

"I've talked to him about it and about our age gap - and how I wish I was that age again myself.

"John assures me that it won't happen again. I believe him. He might be questioning the size of the fine, but the players think it should be doubled!

"I used to do it myself - not in lap-dancing clubs. They weren't called that in my day."

Popular

O'Neill was delighted by the manner of Carew's response to his punishment and expects the striker to put the matter firmly behind him.

"I expected that performance. It was just an oversight on his part," he said after the Wigan game.

"John is a hugely popular player with the supporters and he regained his popularity with me when he headed that goal."