Aston Villa v Wigan Preview: Victory the Order of the Day for Alex McLeish
by Brendan McLoughlinFiled under: Aston Villa, Wigan, Premier League, Football, Match Previews
PREMIER LEAGUE: VILLA PARK, SATURDAY OCTOBER 1, 2011, KICK-OFF: 1500 BST
It would have been Wigan manager Roberto Martinez in the home dugout at Villa Park had Aston Villa landed their first-choice replacement for Gerard Houllier.
Embarrassingly for a club of Villa's stature and size, however, the Spaniard elected to remain with the Latics and honour an agreement with chairman Dave Whelan.
Consequently, Villa controversially turned their attention to Alex McLeish and it is fair to say the Scot is yet to win over the doubters - despite his team being one of just four still unbeaten in the Premier League.
That statistic fails to tell the full story, however, with Villa having won only one of those six matches as well as exiting the Carling Cup at home to Bolton last week.
Further disappointment followed last weekend when a Richard Dunne own goal in added time denied them victory against 10-man QPR and that result has served to merely crank up the pressure heading into this clash.
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Following murmurings of discontent in their previous two home matches against Newcastle and the Trotters, victory is a must for McLeish to stay onside with the claret and blue masses.
Form guide: Villa are still to lose in the Premier League this season but, conversely, have won just once. Wigan have lost their last four matches - three of them coming in the Premier League.
Key match-up: Darren Bent v Gary Caldwell. Having questioned McLeish's tactics last week, the onus now falls on fit-again Bent to rediscover his goalscoring touch. By his own high standards it has been a poor start to the new campaign from the England forward, who has scored just once. He will, however, fancy his chances of scoring against a Wigan defence which has conceded 10 goals in their last four matches, and Caldwell can expect one of his toughest tests of the season.
Odds: Aston Villa 4-6, Draw 3-1, Wigan 5-1
ASTON VILLA: Villa manager McLeish has poured cold rumours on speculation linking miniature midfield maestro Barry Bannan with Manchester United.
The Scotland international has just been named Villa's player of the month for September and he is rumoured to be attracting the attention of the champions.
But McLeish said: "Let's not go overboard and put too much pressure on the kid with the Manchester United stuff and that.
"He will want to cement his place permanently in the Villa team before anything else.
"He did very well in the second half at QPR. Like everyone else he was afflicted with a lack of a touch and passing in the first half. All of a sudden he came alive in the second half... that is what he is capable of."
Strategy: Goals are the order of the day on Saturday - this is a match McLeish has to win - so expect the Villa manager to opt for an attack-minded line-up. The Scot is likely to be call on Bent, Emile Heskey and Jermaine Jenas for the clash and, given some lacklustre displays of late, all three could be drafted straight into the team in a 4-2-3-1 formation. It could mean, however, that Charles N'Zogbia fails to make the starting line-up against his former club.
Injury Update: Carlos Cuellar (knee) is back in training, however the game comes too soon for the Spanish defender. James Collins (ankle), Jenas (kicking strain), Bent (groin), Ciaran Clark (knee) and Heskey (hamstring) are all back in contention after injuries.
Aston Villa v Wigan Preview: Victory the Order of the Day for Alex McLeish
by Brendan McLoughlinFiled under: Aston Villa, Wigan, Premier League, Football, Match Previews
PREMIER LEAGUE: VILLA PARK, SATURDAY OCTOBER 1, 2011, KICK-OFF: 1500 BST
It would have been Wigan manager Roberto Martinez in the home dugout at Villa Park had Aston Villa landed their first-choice replacement for Gerard Houllier.
Embarrassingly for a club of Villa's stature and size, however, the Spaniard elected to remain with the Latics and honour an agreement with chairman Dave Whelan.
Consequently, Villa controversially turned their attention to Alex McLeish and it is fair to say the Scot is yet to win over the doubters - despite his team being one of just four still unbeaten in the Premier League.
That statistic fails to tell the full story, however, with Villa having won only one of those six matches as well as exiting the Carling Cup at home to Bolton last week.
Further disappointment followed last weekend when a Richard Dunne own goal in added time denied them victory against 10-man QPR and that result has served to merely crank up the pressure heading into this clash.
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Following murmurings of discontent in their previous two home matches against Newcastle and the Trotters, victory is a must for McLeish to stay onside with the claret and blue masses.
Form guide: Villa are still to lose in the Premier League this season but, conversely, have won just once. Wigan have lost their last four matches - three of them coming in the Premier League.
Key match-up: Darren Bent v Gary Caldwell. Having questioned McLeish's tactics last week, the onus now falls on fit-again Bent to rediscover his goalscoring touch. By his own high standards it has been a poor start to the new campaign from the England forward, who has scored just once. He will, however, fancy his chances of scoring against a Wigan defence which has conceded 10 goals in their last four matches, and Caldwell can expect one of his toughest tests of the season.
Odds: Aston Villa 4-6, Draw 3-1, Wigan 5-1
ASTON VILLA: Villa manager McLeish has poured cold rumours on speculation linking miniature midfield maestro Barry Bannan with Manchester United.
The Scotland international has just been named Villa's player of the month for September and he is rumoured to be attracting the attention of the champions.
But McLeish said: "Let's not go overboard and put too much pressure on the kid with the Manchester United stuff and that.
"He will want to cement his place permanently in the Villa team before anything else.
"He did very well in the second half at QPR. Like everyone else he was afflicted with a lack of a touch and passing in the first half. All of a sudden he came alive in the second half... that is what he is capable of."
Strategy: Goals are the order of the day on Saturday - this is a match McLeish has to win - so expect the Villa manager to opt for an attack-minded line-up. The Scot is likely to be call on Bent, Emile Heskey and Jermaine Jenas for the clash and, given some lacklustre displays of late, all three could be drafted straight into the team in a 4-2-3-1 formation. It could mean, however, that Charles N'Zogbia fails to make the starting line-up against his former club.
Injury Update: Carlos Cuellar (knee) is back in training, however the game comes too soon for the Spanish defender. James Collins (ankle), Jenas (kicking strain), Bent (groin), Ciaran Clark (knee) and Heskey (hamstring) are all back in contention after injuries.
Aston Villa v Wigan Preview: Victory the Order of the Day for Alex McLeish
by Brendan McLoughlinFiled under: Aston Villa, Wigan, Premier League, Football, Match Previews
PREMIER LEAGUE: VILLA PARK, SATURDAY OCTOBER 1, 2011, KICK-OFF: 1500 BST
It would have been Wigan manager Roberto Martinez in the home dugout at Villa Park had Aston Villa landed their first-choice replacement for Gerard Houllier.
Embarrassingly for a club of Villa's stature and size, however, the Spaniard elected to remain with the Latics and honour an agreement with chairman Dave Whelan.
Consequently, Villa controversially turned their attention to Alex McLeish and it is fair to say the Scot is yet to win over the doubters - despite his team being one of just four still unbeaten in the Premier League.
That statistic fails to tell the full story, however, with Villa having won only one of those six matches as well as exiting the Carling Cup at home to Bolton last week.
Further disappointment followed last weekend when a Richard Dunne own goal in added time denied them victory against 10-man QPR and that result has served to merely crank up the pressure heading into this clash.
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Following murmurings of discontent in their previous two home matches against Newcastle and the Trotters, victory is a must for McLeish to stay onside with the claret and blue masses.
Form guide: Villa are still to lose in the Premier League this season but, conversely, have won just once. Wigan have lost their last four matches - three of them coming in the Premier League.
Key match-up: Darren Bent v Gary Caldwell. Having questioned McLeish's tactics last week, the onus now falls on fit-again Bent to rediscover his goalscoring touch. By his own high standards it has been a poor start to the new campaign from the England forward, who has scored just once. He will, however, fancy his chances of scoring against a Wigan defence which has conceded 10 goals in their last four matches, and Caldwell can expect one of his toughest tests of the season.
Odds: Aston Villa 4-6, Draw 3-1, Wigan 5-1
ASTON VILLA: Villa manager McLeish has poured cold rumours on speculation linking miniature midfield maestro Barry Bannan with Manchester United.
The Scotland international has just been named Villa's player of the month for September and he is rumoured to be attracting the attention of the champions.
But McLeish said: "Let's not go overboard and put too much pressure on the kid with the Manchester United stuff and that.
"He will want to cement his place permanently in the Villa team before anything else.
"He did very well in the second half at QPR. Like everyone else he was afflicted with a lack of a touch and passing in the first half. All of a sudden he came alive in the second half... that is what he is capable of."
Strategy: Goals are the order of the day on Saturday - this is a match McLeish has to win - so expect the Villa manager to opt for an attack-minded line-up. The Scot is likely to be call on Bent, Emile Heskey and Jermaine Jenas for the clash and, given some lacklustre displays of late, all three could be drafted straight into the team in a 4-2-3-1 formation. It could mean, however, that Charles N'Zogbia fails to make the starting line-up against his former club.
Injury Update: Carlos Cuellar (knee) is back in training, however the game comes too soon for the Spanish defender. James Collins (ankle), Jenas (kicking strain), Bent (groin), Ciaran Clark (knee) and Heskey (hamstring) are all back in contention after injuries.
Dressing Room Inquest Confirms Honeymoon Period Over for McLeish
by Brendan McLoughlinFiled under: Aston Villa, Carling Cup, Premier League, Football
With one defeat from his first seven games you might expect Alex McLeish to be pleased with his start to life at Aston Villa, however that statistic fails to tell the whole story.
While those Villa fans with their glass half full will point to that record, those with their half empty will focus on the fact Villa have won just two of those matches - against Hereford and Blackburn.
McLeish kicked off Tuesday night's Carling Cup match already somewhat in limbo and, having won that trophy with Birmingham last season, he will have been mindful of the comparisons the doubters would make should his Villa team fail to make a decent fist of it in that competition this season.
Villa's wait for silverware might not be anywhere near as long as Birmingham's - theirs dates back 15 years as opposed to Blues' being 48 - but the claret and blue fans' frustration at their recent drought is every bit as great given their status as the Midlands' biggest club.
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A 2-0 defeat was not on the menu, then, and not only did Villa lose, it was the manner of their defeat which was a cause for concern. One thing McLeish's teams have never lacked is guts and yet there appeared to be an absence of passion from many of his players on Tuesday night.
It took him an hour to emerge from the dressing room to complete his post-match media duties - a necessary and hardly extraordinary event yet one which still confirmed all is not well.
McLeish said: "There were a few words but it wasn't a shouting match and I wanted to hear the views of a couple of the more experienced players. It was constructive.
"It's a learning process for a lot of the younger players. Hopefully the disappointment will fire them to better things. It's getting that bit of belief back in their game, they've done it before, the evidence is there.
"I told them not to be frightened, I said go and express yourself, and there were one or two moments we did.
"It would be crazy to dwell on it. I know what winning a cup can bring but sometimes it doesn't go for you and on Tuesday night we didn't deserve it and weren't good enough.
"We know we're not Manchester United but we're blooding young players and trying to fast-track them to do well in the league and cups."
Crisis? Not by any means. After all, this is a side unbeaten in the Premier League this season, which regardless of the opposition in their opening five matches is no mean feat.
This last fortnight has, however, revealed the true extent of the job facing McLeish and those Villa fans who viewed last season's struggles under Gerard Houllier as a temporary blip and expected a return to the top-six days enjoyed under Martin O'Neill may soon be revising those opinions.
Aston Villa v Newcastle Preview: Stiliyan Petrov Claims to Have Silenced Critics
by Brendan McLoughlinFiled under: Aston Villa, Newcastle, Premier League, Football, Match Previews, Team Previews
PREMIER LEAGUE: VILLA PARK, SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2011. KICK-OFF: 1500 BST
After such a traumatic 2011 thus far for both these proud clubs, not even their own supporters would have expected them to meet at this stage of the season both unbeaten and looking ahead with cautious optimism.
But Alex McLeish's controversial defection across the Second City already appears an afterthought after an impressive start to the campaign.
McLeish has released the shackles on his squad and blown away the negativity that afflicted them during the end of Gerard Houllier's tortured reign.
Villa also possess a spirit that was sadly lacking under the Frenchman's bewildering regime and McLeish's honeymoon period is still intact.
Newcastle also remain unbeaten and are among this season's surprise packages so far, their eight point tally pushing them up to fourth after their best start to a season for 15 years.
The North-East club were tipped to struggle after a summer lacking any significant signings, while several high profile players left. Despite that, they have silenced their doubters, largely due to an impressive defensive record which has seen them keep three clean sheets from four games.
Something has to give here, surely, as both clubs attempt to continue confounding expectations.
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Key Match-Up: Darren Bent v Steven Taylor. The onus is even more on Bent to deliver goals after the injury to Emile Heskey and his pace is certain to create problems for Taylor, who has impressed in a rock-solid Newcastle defence so far this term.
Form Guide: Villa have not lost a home game since the nightmare afternoon endured by Houllier in March when Wolves completed a 1-0 smash and grab. Newcastle fought out a brave 0-0 draw at QPR on Monday night but have not won at Villa Park since February 2006.
Odds: Villa 10/11 Newcastle 16/5 Draw 12/5
ASTON VILLA
Stiliyan Petrov produced a stunning strike at Goodison Park last weekend but is still on a mission to score more goals for McLeish.
The Bulgaria international only scored twice last term and is already halfway towards equalling that tally after his long-range effort against Everton.
Petrov was widely expected to be facing the axe under new boss McLeish but has impressed with his drive and commitment so far this season in a relatively new role.
But he wants to silence the critics who bemoan his lack of goals and ensure he is a mainstay in the Villa engine room.
He said: "I was delighted with the goal. I am criticised for not getting enough goals and against Everton I scored a good goal.
"There were a lot of people in front of me when I hit the shot so I wasn't sure it had even gone in.
"People have been on my back about it but it is normal to get people on your back if you don't score goals.
"But that is the way it goes and I hope this season I am able to prove them wrong. I have been moved into a position which is a bit more advanced and I've been given license to get forward."
Strategy: Heskey's injury is certain to force McLeish into a tactical reshuffle. A rigid 4-4-2 is certain to be removed, perhaps in favour of Bent playing in a lone striker role with Charles N'Zogbia and Marc Albrighton on the wings with Gabby Agbonlahor playing in the "hole" behind Bent.
Barry Bannan, so impressive against Liechtenstein for Scotland, might also get his first start of the season.
Injury Update: McLeish will aim to continue his unbeaten start without former England international Heskey, who is facing three weeks out with a hamstring injury. Jermaine Jenas, signed on loan from Tottenham, will miss out with a thigh injury and is pencilled in for a debut in the Carling Cup against Bolton on Tuesday. Carlos Cuellar is still weeks away from a return after a knee injury.
Richard Dunne is Reborn After His Nightmare Under Gerard Houllier
by John PercyFiled under: Aston Villa, Premier League, Football
When managers leave a football club there are always one or two disgruntled players who emerge from the wilderness to offer a critique of the old regime.
Those players are usually the ones harbouring personal grudges that were bombed out and forced to train with the kids by the previous incumbent.
But when a player has gone from inclusion in the PFA team of the season to persona non grata within the space of less than 12 months, it is clear something is badly wrong.
Richard Dunne will not have shed any tears over the exit of Gerard Houllier late last term, despite the undoubtedly sad end to the Frenchman's time at Villa Park.
Dunne suffered the most excruciating season of his career under Houllier and clashes with Gary McAllister on the training ground - initially denied by the club - ensured an alarming slump in form.
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The Republic of Ireland international was not the only one to suffer a personal crisis, with James Collins, Gabby Agbonlahor and Stephen Warnock a few of the other Villa players to struggle under Houllier's bewildering regime.
Dunne has gone public by revealing how difficult things had become under Houllier last season, while admitting that Alex McLeish's arrival has given him a new lease of life.
Villa are unbeaten this season, Dunne is reborn and the poisonous atmosphere under Houllier has now been removed. Who would have thought it, after McLeish's controversial defection across the Second City earlier in the summer?
Dunne said: "Last season wasn't a good one. I didn't enjoy the season and I didn't enjoy coming into the place. I didn't enjoy the atmosphere around the whole club and I think it showed on the weekends.
"Coming back and working with a new manager and a different atmosphere has given some people a new lease of life. There is an enthusiasm around the place. What happened last year is in the past and we can all grow from it as a team.
"I think you can see already that we are not the soft touch that maybe we were last year."
Dunne has played a major role in Villa's stirring start to the campaign and the defensive solidity that became a hallmark in Martin O'Neill's last season has returned.
His colossal performance for Ireland in the Euro 2012 qualifier against Russia was further proof that he still has many years left in the tank.
Everton v Aston Villa Preview: Pressure Builds on Toffees Owner Bill Kenwright
by John PercyFiled under: Aston Villa, Everton, Premier League, Football, Match Previews
PREMIER LEAGUE, GOODISON PARK, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011. KICK-OFF: 1500 BST
Everton will welcome Aston Villa to Goodison Park yet all eyes will be on what happens off the pitch.
Fans' group The Blue Union are planning a protest march ahead of the encounter to underline to Everton owner Bill Kewnright just how unhappy they are with the status quo.
£485 million was spent in the summer transfer window - but not one penny of that was spent by David Moyes after another barren and unproductive close season.
Everton's fans have had enough of the situation and are planning an uncomfortable afternoon for Kenwright while Alex McLeish will be planning something similar.
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However, Everton won a fortnight ago against Blackburn Rovers to show that although there is precious little optimism surrounding the club, Moyes can still get the best out of his squad of players.
Key Match-Up: Phil Jagielka v Darren Bent. These England colleagues will produce some serious fireworks on Saturday. Jagielka is one of the best defenders in the Premier League while Bent was red-hot last season. Expect a titanic tussle.
Form Guide: Everton have won one and lost one this season while Villa have won one and drawn their other two games.
Odds: Everton 9/4, Villa 3/1, Draw 6/1
EVERTON:
Everton's chief executive Robert Elstone has felt compelled to go public on Everton's desire to find new owners in a bid to down the growing unrest among the club's fans.
Kenwright has gone from a local-boy-done-good to a pariah with an increasing number of the club's supporters and the stand-off between the two groups could become more fractious unless resolved quickly.
And Elstone has done his best to dampen down the discontent by again repeating that Everton is for sale - it is simply that no one wishes to buy it.
He said: "Everton Football Club is for sale, despite accusations to the contrary.
"This has been the case for three years and it will remain the case until such time as someone is found with the finances capable of ensuring we can compete at the very highest level of the game both at home and in Europe.
"Whilst the club is for sale, we have also overseen substantial and tangible progress in the last five years both on and off the pitch. We have signed record sponsorship deals, and hugely increased our income alongside achieving an average league position of sixth.
"In terms of the number of games played, it has also been the most prolific period of European football in the club's history and we have invested in building our best squad of players since the mid-1980s."
Strategy: With Mikel Arteta now a distant memory, Moyes will need Jack Rodwell and Tim Cahill to come to the fore while new boys Royston Drenthe and Denis Stracqualursi are both likely to start and will be eager to make a good impression.
Injury Update: Seamus Coleman (ankle) and Leighton Baines (hamstring) are both major doubts.
Aston Villa v Wolves Preview: Roger Johnson Faces Mentor Alex McLeish
by Brendan McLoughlinFiled under: Aston Villa, Wolverhampton, Premier League, Football, Match Previews
PREMIER
LEAGUE: VILLA PARK, SATURDAY AUGUST 27, 2011. KICK-OFF: 1205 BST
The new term might be just two weeks old, yet both of these sides can be content with their starts to the new season, which were sufficient to see them temporarily top the table for brief periods last weekend.
Aston Villa's return of a victory and a draw from their first two matches will have come as a particular relief to new manager Alex McLeish as he bids to win over the doubters following his controversial arrival from rivals Birmingham.
The visit of Wolverhampton should provide more of a test, however, as on early evidence Mick McCarthy's team are much-improved from last season, when they escaped on the final day.
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Victories over Blackburn and Fulham mean they are one of just three team who have gained maximum points from their first two matches, putting them in esteemed company alongside Manchester United and Manchester City.
Villa, meanwhile, have played the same teams - adding a victory over Blackburn to their opening-day draw against the Cottagers - to leave them a place behind Wolves in fourth position.
Wanderers skipper Roger Johnson is sure to be the centre of attention as he comes up against former manager at Birmingham, McLeish, at Villa Park.
Key Match-Up: Darren Bent v Roger Johnson: Both of these players have started the new campaign in excellent form with Bent picking up where he left off last season by quickly getting off the mark, scoring his first of the season against Blackburn last weekend. Johnson, meanwhile, has slotted seamlessly into the heart of the Wolverhampton defence and looks to be relishing the responsibility of being made captain by his new manager. Bent has the edge in the pace department and his movement is certain to cause Johnson problems, however the centre-back relishes a physical battle and few read the game better. Should be a fascinating battle.
Form Guide: Both teams are brimming with belief after unbeaten starts which see them kick-off the weekend inside the top four.
Odds: Aston Villa 11/10, Wolverhampton 3/1, Draw 12/5
ASTON VILLA:
Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov has shrugged off criticism from 1982 European Cup-winning skipper Dennis Mortimer that he is a "Steady Eddie".
Mortimer claimed the Bulgarian takes too long to pass the ball and does not warrant a place in the Villa team, however the 32-year-old remains defiant.
"It wasn't the best thing, but everybody's got an opinion," he said. "It does hurt, but it's even better when you prove them wrong. It happens all around football, but it is up to us as players to stand up and show people that they're wrong. That's what I'm trying to do.
"I've been through a lot in my career. People have tried to write me off. People have tried to say this and that, but I'm still standing and trying to stay strong and I hope I can keep going for the next couple of years.
"When you get to 32 people start doubting you and asking about your fitness, but I feel really good. I haven't missed a pre-season yet in my career so I must be doing something right.
"You always know that young players coming in will be good, so if you want to keep your place you have to keep yourself fit and play well. It's not about your age. If you can keep fit and play well you will be in the team."
Strategy: It would be a surprise if McLeish named anything but an unchanged line-up from the one which swept aside Blackburn so easily last weekend. Particularly effective was the three he played behind Bent with the pace of Charles N'Zogbia and Gabriel Agbonlahor down the flanks complemented by Emile Heskey's ability to hold up the ball and bring others into play. They might lack the guile of last season which came with Stewart Downing and Ashley Young, however Villa still have a potent and now more direct attacking threat which will cause problems for a Wolverhampton defence hardly blessed with pace.
Injury Update: Carlos Cuellar (knee) misses out again, however Agbonlahor (hamstring) and Heskey (knock) are expected to recover. Luke Young is in talks with QPR so is unlikely to feature.
Aston Villa Look Set to Make the Most of the Stewart Downing Cash
by Brendan McLoughlinFiled under: Aston Villa, Liverpool, Premier League, Football
It has become customary for Aston Villa to cash in on one of their star names each summer - the only difference is this year there have been two high-profile departures.
In 2009 it was Gareth Barry, then 12 months ago it was James Milner and this year Ashley Young departed to Manchester United.
So, imagine the dismay of Villa supporters when the club decided to cash in on another of their other crown jewels, Stewart Downing, who joined Liverpool for £20million last week despite having previously claimed the player was not for sale.
The heady days enjoyed under Martin O'Neill when Villa twice challenged for the top four and a Champions League spot already looked a distant memory last year, when they instead flirted with relegation before eventually finishing ninth.
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And now without their two most creative weapons, both of whom established themselves as key members of Fabio Capello's England squad last season, the chances of Alex McLeish steering the claret and blues back in that direction look even more remote.
The days of mass spending enjoyed under O'Neill are over with owner Randy Lerner determined to push through his plan to cut the wage bill and run a tighter ship.
Big earners like Steve Sidwell, Nigel Reo-Coker and John Carew have recently departed while Emile Heskey is another likely to soon follow out of the exit door.
It means, then, that McLeish must play a shrewder game in the transfer market than that of O'Neill, his former Old Firm counterpart.
That is why the likes of Stephen Warnock and Stephen Ireland will be given a fresh chance to stake a claim having been frozen out by Gerard Houllier.
And it is for that reason too that the sale of Downing actually makes perfect sense.
Already, Villa have a ready-made replacement down the right flank which Downing played in the hugeley talented if still a little raw Marc Albrighton.
But the fact McLeish could bring in Shay Given, Charles N'Zogbia and possibly Scott Parker for fractionally over the £20million Villa fetched for Downing would be nothing short of a masterstroke.
Upbeat Wigan Hopeful N’Zogbia Can Add to Their Encouraging Summer
by Neil JohnstonFiled under: Wigan, Premier League, Football
Ali Al Habsi's decision to commit the next four years of his life to Wigan is hardly a surprise.
After all, talk of the Oman international keeper making his loan move from neighbours Bolton permanent has been ongoing since he helped Roberto Martinez's side to a clean sheet win at Tottenham on his Premier League debut for Wigan last August.
Nevertheless the £3.5 million transfer, which makes Al Habsi the most expensive keeper in Wigan's history, has added to the feel good factor sweeping the DW Stadium one month after Martinez rejected the chance to become Aston Villa's new manager.
Al Habsi, too, was wanted by Villa according to the player's brother and manager.
"There was interest from Villa and a bit of contact, but it died down after Gerard Houllier left and picked up a bit once Alex McLeish joined," said Ahmad Al Habsi in the Gulf News.
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"It was a personal decision of Ali's to join Wigan.
"He would have had to move his young family down to Birmingham from Bolton. He didn't want to do that and at Wigan he felt at home and felt he could do the job."
With the futures of Martinez and Al Habsi secure, attention now turns to Charles N'Zogbia, the £10 million-rated French winger who continues to be linked with a number of clubs.
McLeish was manager of Birmingham when N'Zogbia's proposed transfer to St Andrew's 11 months ago collapsed at the last minute because of personal terms.
So it is no surprise that Villa are after N'Zogbia as a replacement for Stewart Downing, who looks to be on his way to Liverpool.
Villa have rejected Liverpool's initial £15 million bid for Downing but the Merseyside club is expected to come back with an increased offer.
Yet there is a growing sense of belief from Wigan's hierarchy that N'Zogbia could add to the club's upbeat summer by deciding to stay and see out the remaining year of his contract.
Martinez does not want to cash in on the former Newcastle man even though Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has told the Spaniard that he must sell players if he wants to make significant signings during the current window.
Stewart Downing – the Latest Sorry Saga for Aston Villa Fans to Swallow
by Ian EdwardsFiled under: Aston Villa, Premier League, Football
Aston Villa fans have had plenty to stomach over the last few months and very little has been palatable.
They had their fill of Gerard Houllier. They are still trying to come to terms with Alex McLeish, fresh out of his Birmingham City tracksuit, becoming his replacement as manager.
Ashley Young departing for Manchester United and refusing to sign a new contract at Villa Park was probably the easiest to swallow.
Especially given the fact it has been one of the worst kept secrets in football and Villa have made a healty profit on the £9 million they paid Watford four seasons ago.
Just when Villa supporters thought they could settle down and hope for something approaching encouraging news - perhaps new signings and reasons to be optimistic - along comes Stewart Downing.
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Downing was only recently crowned Player of the Year at Villa Park for last season, which is not that much of an accolade when you consider the miserable campaign fought under Houllier.
Some might consider him lucky to have won it at all, with Darren Bent's performances from January onwards the key reason the club stayed in the Premier League.
It was Downing's first full season of action - after spending the first half of the previous year recuperating from a broken metatarsal.
Cast your minds back and you will remember that Villa paid £12 million for him while he was injured and placed no pressure on him to return before the start of 2010. That was the amount of faith Martin O'Neill, the former manager, had in the England international, who had lost his place with the Three Lions.
Downing had every reason to be grateful to Villa for taking such a bold step - especially as things were starting to go into meltdown at The Riverside.
The move has helped him win back that international place under Fabio Capello. He has become a regular member of the squad again on the back of one reasonable, full season of work, after signing a four-year contract.
Most reasonable people in the game would believe Downing has some kind of debt of gratitude to pay Randy Lerner. Everyone it seems but the player himself would look at it that way.
Downing clearly has a completely different take on the whole issue and is considering paying back Lerner by handing in a transfer request to engineer a move to Liverpool.
No one is crazy enough to believe there is any loyalty left in the tawdry game these days, but this is just one of the most crass examples of its absence.
Downing will argue it is all about ambition and wanting to play for his country. He can play for his country from his position at Villa. He does not need to move to achieve that.
With two years remaining on his existing contract, Villa have every right to play hardball and drive the biggest fee they can get.
If they ask for such a ridiculous amount that Liverpool bail out and Downing has to remain where he is, there would be some kind of poetic justice in it all.
Alex McLeish Needs to Convince Aston Villa Fans That He Is the Right Man for the Job
by Brian GlanvilleFiled under: Aston Villa, Premier League, Football
We can all, I think, be pretty sure of where the torrid and tedious affair of Alex McLeish, Aston Villa and Birmingham City will end. City forced for all their threats of legal revenge, to accept the fait accompli of McLeish moving across the city to Villa, will accept a substantial payment in compensation, though it will probably be a good deal less than the $5.4 million they have demanded. Overall, it is plainly too clear that Villa, under the aegis of their American millionaire Randy Lerner, have made an embarrassing dogs dinner of their managerial situation.
In the first place, they were clearly taking a substantial risk by appointing Gerard Houllier, however sophisticated, educated and experienced the Frenchman is. That heart attack at Anfield loomed over him and his football future, however well he seemed to have recovered. Stress is stress, especially in such a role. Villa were quick and unsentimental in terminating his employment, but who next?
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Steve McClaren, aliasthe "Wally with the Brolly", who should never in a hundred years or more, have been appointed by England, who, all too predictably, failed embarrassingly, only to rebuild his tarnished career at Twente , but to fail again in Germany. The Villa fans wouldn't have him at any price, and the Villa hierarchy cringed to their demands. The fans didn't want McLeish, either, but, this time Villa screwed their courage to the sticking place and appointed him anyway.
McLeish is a man and a manager whom I like and respect, but he's going to have a tough task - which will doubtless and chiefly depend on results, in wooing the embattled fans over. Nor will he be helped by having to sell the jewel in Villa's crown, the excellent attacker Ashley Young, whose £9 million price when he arrived from Watford now seems a bargain, rather than an exaggeration. Villa, in uneasy self defence, burble about McLeish having been subject to "constructive dismissal," which may have convinced the League Managers Association, but hardly convinces me.
Meanwhile there are rumours that Chairman Carson Yeung of Birmingham may have his financial problems. City well deserved to beat Arsenal in that surprising League Cup Final but until they at long last modernise their slum of a stadium, not going there for top division matches will be something of a relief.
I sincerely hope Spurs can hang on to the splendid little Luka Modric, the reincarnation of the classical, creative inside forward, who, alas, wants to join Chelsea. The club which, with Manchester City, has poisoned the wells with its billions. Harry Redknapp knows that Modric, that however much he fetched, would be irreplaceable.
How Alex McLeish’s Appointment is Still Dividing Aston Villa Supporters
by Brendan McLoughlinFiled under: Aston Villa, Birmingham, Championship, Premier League, Football
Even by the time Alex McLeish carried out his first media duties as manager on Monday, signs still remain that the vitriol is failing to subside among Aston Villa supporters over his appointment.
The Scot, named as Gerard Houllier's replacement at Villa Park on Friday just six days after quitting as manager of bitter rivals Birmingham, is dividing fans of the Midlands club.
Fresh graffiti was scrawled on property at Villa's Bodymoor Heath headquarters, where McLeish's unveiling press conference was held, while extra security was employed around the entrance to the training ground.
And, while aware of the icy reception his arrival has prompted from some sections of the Villa faithful, McLeish insists his time managing Rangers will ensure he is tough enough to handle the boo boys.
He said: "I've got to have thick skin. I managed Rangers. I got it in the neck from those fans up there at times and I came through that and I'll come through this.
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"That experience doesn't make me absolutely totally used to it. No one can ever get used to it. But I am thick-skinned, I've had experience of it and that should stand me in good stead.
"I won't say it won't ever happen again but I've got to show the fans I can turn it around and hopefully the fans chanting against me coming here, will be chanting my name."
Charlie Adam an Aston Villa Target as Alex McLeish Prepares to Spend
by John PercyFiled under: Aston Villa, Birmingham, Blackpool, Liverpool, Championship, Premier League, Football, Transfer News
Alex McLeish was shopping in the bargain basement at Birmingham City before his controversial move across the second city divide to take charge at Aston Villa.
But he will now be in the unusual position of having substantial transfer funds at his disposal and is already targeting a raft of quality recruitments.
Charlie Adam is the latest name to be linked with a move to Villa Park, with the Sun reporting that McLeish is preparing a £9 million bid for the Blackpool playmaker.
The paper suggests that McLeish is ready to take on a string of bigger Premier League rivals, including Liverpool and Spurs, to fight for the Scotland international's signature.
Adam is well known to McLeish. He made his debut under him at previous club Rangers and also won his first international cap when McLeish was in charge.
Villa, of course, have had previous interest in Adam and Gerard Houllier's advances were enough to infuriate Ian Holloway in January.
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At least two bids were made by Villa in the New Year but it will take more than double the £4 million they last offered to prise him out of Blackpool, despite the Tangerines's relegation to the Championship.
The report also says McLeish will be returning to St. Andrew's to sign goalkeeper Ben Foster, who will cost around £10 million of the £40 million that Randy Lerner is understood to have put aside for the new manager.
The Daily Mirror goes even further, reporting that Birmingham defender Scott Dann will be another target together with Foster.
Dann is also being eyed by Liverpool and Stoke but both clubs have been scared off by an "astronomical" price tag, which is believed to be anywhere between £12 and £15 million.
McLeish will undoubtedly hold an advantage after signing Dann - but can you imagine Birmingham's acting chairman Peter Pannu wanting to do any business with McLeish after the bitterness and bile of last week?
Randy Lerner Has Handed Alex McLeish a Piping Hot Potato
by Ian RidleyFiled under: Aston Villa, Premier League, Football
For four years, the Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner got it all right. He looked like a benign, but strong, leader willing to put his money where his mouth was and to back his manager. Martin O'Neill duly delivered him three creditable sixth-place finishes.
When it came to taking the next step into the Champions League, O'Neill believed big new signings would be needed. Lerner suddenly seemed not so sure the Ulsterman was the man to make them and amid the confusion just 10 months ago, O'Neill walked out.
In came Gerard Houllier, though Lerner was taken aback that the Villa fans did not seem exactly overwhelmed by the appointment, despite Houllier's successful track record with Liverpool and Lyon. The Frenchman's illness in April offered an opportune reason to replace him, even though he could have returned to work at the end of the summer, possibly with a few good new signings who were willing to come to the club for him.
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Now Lerner and Villa have got themselves into a pickle. Alex McLeish will be their new manager in the face of huge fan antagonism after the Scotsman's tenure of neighbours and rivals Birmingham City. It promises to be simmering summer of discontent in the Second City.
Lerner has vacillated. After Houllier he seemed to want an unreservedly popular appointment. Mark Hughes fitted that bill. But then Hughes walked out on Fulham in controversial circumstances that Lerner was reported not to approve of.
A dalliance with Wigan's Roberto Martinez having ended before it began, Lerner was surprised anew by fan hostility towards another target in Steve McClaren and reconsidered. This week, Lerner has acted defiantly as if fed up with being told whom he should hire by appointing McLeish. He has also compromised his principles since McLeish walked out of St Andrews in much the same way as Hughes left Fulham.
For fans, hiring a manager associated with rivals is anathema. It happened with less publicity but similar resentment when Sheffield United recruited former Sheffield Wednesday figure Danny Wilson last month. It is hard for supporters to understand that for professionals, this is largely a job rather than a tribal mission.
Owners and boards of directors clearly need to be sensitive to their support. Liverpool's, for example, may have been in the appointment of Kenny Dalglish but have now made a gaffe by including the colour blue - more associated with their rivals Everton - in the club's new third shirt.
Pandering to the whims of the mob is another matter altogether and Lerner made a rod for his own back over McClaren. The former England manager might well have been a good appointment given his good record in club management with Middlesbrough and Twente Enschede.
Now McLeish has been handed a piping hot potato. He is a good man, and a tough man, and will ride the wave of initial unpopularity. Time might even pacify Villa's more rabid element. Winning the first three games of next season certainly would. What would help that process along is if Lerner makes an expensive, marquee signing but that is a high price to pay to keep the peace.