O'Neill plays down Collymore link

[Mac 10 †]

O'Neill plays down Collymore link

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has played down Stan Collymore's hopes of a comeback after a five-year absence.
 
O'Neill took the former England striker to Leicester in a cut-price deal six years ago and Collymore is reported to be keen on a reunion at Villa.

But O'Neill said: "He would need a lot of willpower and self determination to get fit for the Premier League.

"At 35 you need a great desire and I just don't know what Stan has been doing in the last couple of years."

Collymore claimed this week that he was ready to make a bid to return to the Premiership after five years out of football.

The 35-year-old has not played since walking out on Spanish side Real Oviedo in March 2001.

"I don't know whether that desire has returned," added O'Neill.

"He did terrifically well for me in a short period of time at Leicester. But if you're asking me whether I could make an assessment that would be a difficult call."

Collymore joined Villa for £7m in 1997 from Liverpool and made 50 appearances for the club before moving to Leicester three years later.

Surely this can't be true.  O'Neill has made a great start, signings like this could potentially ruin Villa's amazing progress under MON.

[KURUPTION-81]

collymore is living in dream land if he thinks after 5 years he can return as a top premiership player.