O'Leary swipe at O'Neill

Former Villa boss says successor has not taken club to next level

By Richard Bailey   Last updated: 30th June 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

O'Leary swipe at O'Neill

O'Leary: Criticises successor

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David O'Leary has hit out at his successor as Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill by declaring that he has not improved the club's standing despite spending millions.

Irish coach O'Leary was in charge at Villa Park between 2003-06 and guided the club to sixth in the Premier League in his first season.

Although things went downhill from there, the former Leeds boss believes he was not given the time or the money afforded to O'Neill.

Villa looked odds on at one stage to beat Arsenal to the final UEFA Champions League spot last season but a dismal end to the campaign saw them finish sixth for a second successive term.

"He says he's dealing with a young, small, squad. Yet when I said that it was 'he's making excuses'," O'Leary told the Daily Mirror.

"Martin, for all the money he has spent over three years, hasn't finished higher than I finished. Those are the facts."