Barry: Looks set to face Liverpool on Sunday
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Barry plotting Liverpool downfall
Gareth Barry says he is "strong enough mentally" to cope with his collapsed move to Liverpool ahead of Aston Villa's clash against the Reds.
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And the England player is adamant he will now give "100 per cent" to Villa and that there is no ill feeling between himself and manager Martin O'Neill whose £18million valuation of the 27-year-old could not be met by the Reds.
Now Barry is concentrating on regaining full sharpness and fitness after missing a sizeable chunk of Villa's pre-season programme while the on-off transfer saga dragged on.
Barry, speaking for the first time since the move to Anfield fell through, said: "Will Sunday be strange? I am 100 per cent for Villa. That's all I'll be doing. That won't be strange at all.
"I've spoken to the manager and I've no problem giving 100 per cent for Aston Villa - and that will be starting against Liverpool on Sunday.
"Will the fans all be behind me? All I can do is give 100 per cent for the club. That is all the fans will want to see anyway. I am sure that will be enough."
Barry, who has two years left of his current Villa contract, admitted: "It has been a long summer. There was continuous speculation but I feel I am strong enough mentally and I'll be fine with it all now.
"Am I here for the long haul? I always take things a season at a time. This speculation happened at the end of last season and it has been decided I'll be staying at Villa.
"I'll take this season now, concentrate on that and hopefully we can improve on last season.
"Do I feel hung out to dry over what has happened? That is what the football business is all about. I am contracted to Villa. They set a fee and it wasn't matched. Rules are rules."
O'Neill disciplined Barry after he launched an attack on him in a Sunday newspaper article but the player is adamant there is no bad feeling between the pair.
He said: "Is there any ill feeling with Martin O'Neill? Not at all. The manager knows I will be giving 100 per cent for himself and the club and that will be fine for everyone.
"It's also nice hearing your team-mates wanting you to stay. We have got a great dressing room. You want everyone to stay really but I would have been disappointed if they wanted me to leave!"
Barry's desire to leave looks to have cost him the Villa captaincy, with Martin Laursen leading the side in the opening two league games with Manchester City and Stoke.
Barry said: "The manager has decided to change the captaincy and I've got no problem with that. Nigel Reo-Coker has done it and Martin Laursen has done it.
"I enjoyed being captain but it won't affect my performances."
Barry played 90 minutes at left-back against Icelandic part-timers FH Hafnarfjordur to help bolster his fitness before facing Rafael Benitez's side.
He said: "I feel I am getting back to my best. It is going to take a while. It wasn't the ideal pre-season for me so I guess the games are always the best thing.
"It was a nice run-out even if it was at left-back.
"How far am I away from my peak? I don't know. I suppose everyone will wait for top performances and then say I'm fit so I suppose I'll have to start producing some of those."
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Your Comments
sugarray (Liverpool fan)
"Everyone knows MOM is a clever manager, coming with great credentials since his Leicester days. Perhaps there's a secret agenda behind Rafa's move for Barry, that is, to disrupt Villa's plans for a
Top 4 place. Given Rafa's shrewd tactics on the field, it wouldn't surprise me that Rafa can be just as shrewd off the field. Motive: take out Barry, arguably Villa's most influential player, and thereby making Villa's efforts into Top 4 more difficult. Even if he fails to land Barry, by unsettling Barry & the team morale, objective would have been met. While most Pool fans would agree that Barry is undoubtedly an excellent addition, the complaint is on his valuation, not the player. While it is unlikely Barry will ever don a Red shirt (given that he wd be 29 by the time his contract ends with Villa), Pool fans wd still wish him the best in his career."
oswin (Liverpool fan)
"What do you expect Barry to say now? MON has price him out of any deal. He has no choice but to stay and say something nice before he get fine by MON again. Judge him only when MON and BG negoiate for a new contract. "
Hebleedsred (Liverpool fan)
"AK47...he's still gonna join us in the long run. Enjoy while you can."
comedypaul (Aston Villa fan)
"Do you think he'll be giving 100%?? hehe Nice to hear but still sounds like hes off at the end of the season so we need to have a real push this season and we've not exactly had the best of starts. But as the back four grow used to each other and now with Milner I think its looking good for us. Question is will Rafa still be with Liver next season? Im not so sure but would love to hear what Liverpool fans think about that. Plus the middle isnt their weakness- i think they lack height or anyone to hold the ball up front and they have no width (which maybe this new lad will provide) But no one can doubt Barrys commitment in the games- compare him to Spurs Berba and see the diff in attitude. Plus i think deep down Barry is a little hhurt by the fact he wasnt considered Livers no.1 target like was reported (whether it was true or not). "
2suave (Tottenham Hotspur fan)
"barry shd knw by now that Benitez was never serious abt him and rafa is only out to ruin his career. go out there and teach those reds who are still living in the 80s on what ethics and manners in approcahing players is all abt! beat those red menses team!"
timopool
".. "Do I know whether there was a reporter in the room or did Barry conduct his own intervied??.. No" lazy ass reporting! "
Hitcho (Liverpool fan)
"Barry's comments here are thinly veiled - after this season he'll look to move again, and with only one year left on his contract the club won't be able to stop him by demanding 18m for him. This is his final season for Villa, without a doubt. No way will he re-sign at the end of the season if Liverpool are still after him (big "if" there though). If he was 100% committed to Villa as he says, he'd open contract talks now. MON should have sold him for whatever Rafa was offering, because he'll offer a lot less next Summer!
Quite funny how this entire piece consists of Barry opening his statement with a question!"
OooAaaPaulMcgra (Aston Villa fan)
"Gaaawd he asks a lot of questions"
ak47 (Aston Villa fan)
"Liverpool are just broke jokes........watch Barry stuff your lot on Sunday and hopefully Young and Milner will be supplying the chances for our Carew!"
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