DJEMBA DENIES O'LEARY COMMENTS

By Ryan Ghee
February 12 2006

Eric Djemba-Djemba has insisted that all reports of a fall-out between himself and David O'Leary are total fabrication. Many of today's papers claimed that the Cameroon international openly criticised O'Leary's negative tactics but the midfielder claimed his comments were taken out of context.

After being questioned by O'Leary over the alleged comments, Djemba insisted, "Nobody is going to drive a wedge between me and the boss."

Many of today's national papers claimed that Djemba-Djemba blamed Villa's lowly league position on O'Leary, saying, "Whose fault is it? It is the manager's because sometimes he needs to change the team. When we lose every week he needs to see what is not working and try to change the team."

The newspapers also claimed that the Cameroon international said it was "unbelievable" that he wasn't in the manager's first eleven and claimed that if the tactics aren't changed "Villa will probably go down."

However, after being called into a meeting with O'Leary this morning, the ex-Manchester United player said, "I did not say the manager needed to change anything, because that's not good for me. I wouldn't say that. I wouldn't question his tactics.

"The manager called me in this morning. He showed me the papers and when I saw them I was shocked...I think what I said was interpreted wrongly."

He continued, "I haven't apologised to the gaffer because there is nothing to apologise for and he accepts that. I would not talk about this to the players because that would make it look like I had something to say sorry for."

When questioned about the issue, David O'Leary showed full support towards Djemba-Djemba. "It surprised me with Eric," he said, "because it was totally out of character. He likes the club, likes the fans and likes myself. So he wouldn't come out with that.

"I had to speak to him about that because you do get these stories when players are out of the side. But I was surprised because he's not the sort of lad to come out with that rubbish."