Martin O'Neill has launched a withering attack on Liverpool and accused them of deliberately unsettling Gareth Barry after receiving a "disrespectful" offer for his England midfielder.
The Aston Villa boss was fuming after receiving a faxed bid for Barry from the office of chief executive Rick Parry on Thursday afternoon and has hit back at the Merseysiders, insisting that Villa are not a feeder club.
In a barbed response, O'Neill questioned the prevailing ethics at Anfield, suggesting that the Liverpool of old would never have operated in a manner that was tantamount to a public tapping-up of 27-year-old Barry.
O'Neill was incensed that less than 24 hours after he received a letter from one of Parry's colleagues, a story was leaked in Liverpool suggesting that Rafael Benitez had made a £10million offer.
"To say I'm disappointed would be a massive understatement," he said. "I had a fax on Thursday afternoon. It was signed as a pp on behalf of the chief executive. I've not had time yet to answer it formally.
"There was no £10m cash offer. It was an offer of cash plus a mishmash of nameless players. I've disregarded it. However, there is the possibility of me faxing back and saying I'd consider a cash deal for Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard — although it might be the case that they don't want to leave Liverpool.
"You know, Aston Villa Football Club has ambitions. For us to break into the Champions League demands very good players.
"And letting our very best players go is not what we want to do. We don't want to be a feeder club. We don't want to let people go. Gareth Barry is one of our very, very best players.
"I've spoken to (Villa owner) Randy Lerner about it. He's disappointed. Actually, to say that he was disappointed would be an understatement, too.
"This is a deliberately unsettling tactic. Is it disrespectful? Absolutely, it's been very disruptive.
"I wanted to talk about our drive and determination tomorrow to win a game of football against Wigan Athletic. And instead I'm talking about this.
"I want to build a team. I watched Liverpool at Chelsea on Wednesday night. I have sampled some great Champions League nights with Celtic.
"That's where you want to be. Anyone worth their salt wants to be involved in that. And we have a better chance of achieving it with the likes of Gareth in the team.
"I shall be speaking to Liverpool about it. I'm disappointed in them. When I was younger they were the one club where you never got a thing out of them until it was done.
"It's not the way you want to be conducting business. It is not the way the Liverpool of old used to do business."
Liverpool boss Benitez refused to be drawn on his bid for Barry but admitted he was under greater pressure than ever to deliver players who could help mount a serious title challenge after years of under-achieving in the Barclays Premier League.
"I will not talk about a specific target," he said, after offering a choice of Jermaine Pennant, John Arne Riise and Scott Carson plus cash for Barry.
"There are so many names linked with Liverpool in the papers that it is best if I keep quiet. Otherwise people will start asking about my players and what will happen to them, just when I want them to be focused on our two remaining games.
"But when you look at all the money Manchester United and Chelsea have spent, and will continue to spend, it is clear our transfer dealings this summer will have to be virtually perfect, if we are to close the gap even more next season."
O'Neill allowed Barry to go public about his intentions two weeks ago before the derby against Birmingham.
The England international was already the subject of speculation that Benitez was primed to make a bid.
But he insisted he wanted to hear O'Neill's plans before deciding whether to take up his boss on the offer of a new contract.
He has two years left to run on his existing deal and can expect to nearly double his £2.1m-a-year salary if contract talks with Villa are successful.
O'Neill added: "We have two really important games left. And I thought Gareth had made it clear he was waiting until the end of the season.
"Come that time, I shall be sitting down with him. I would want him to stay. I've known him for two years and he doesn't strike me as the kind of man who would be breaking his contract.
"So, we have much to discuss. But I think it's maybe time to say that the chairman and I share the same ambitions.
"I know the fans do. First, we want European football. We are two games away. We have a great possibility of finishing in the top six. That would, to me, represent terrific progress.
"Then we will be in position to compete for the very best players. This is the whole idea. And Gareth Barry is one of them."
The Aston Villa boss was fuming after receiving a faxed bid for Barry from the office of chief executive Rick Parry on Thursday afternoon and has hit back at the Merseysiders, insisting that Villa are not a feeder club.
In a barbed response, O'Neill questioned the prevailing ethics at Anfield, suggesting that the Liverpool of old would never have operated in a manner that was tantamount to a public tapping-up of 27-year-old Barry.
O'Neill was incensed that less than 24 hours after he received a letter from one of Parry's colleagues, a story was leaked in Liverpool suggesting that Rafael Benitez had made a £10million offer.
"To say I'm disappointed would be a massive understatement," he said. "I had a fax on Thursday afternoon. It was signed as a pp on behalf of the chief executive. I've not had time yet to answer it formally.
"There was no £10m cash offer. It was an offer of cash plus a mishmash of nameless players. I've disregarded it. However, there is the possibility of me faxing back and saying I'd consider a cash deal for Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard — although it might be the case that they don't want to leave Liverpool.
"You know, Aston Villa Football Club has ambitions. For us to break into the Champions League demands very good players.
"And letting our very best players go is not what we want to do. We don't want to be a feeder club. We don't want to let people go. Gareth Barry is one of our very, very best players.
"I've spoken to (Villa owner) Randy Lerner about it. He's disappointed. Actually, to say that he was disappointed would be an understatement, too.
"This is a deliberately unsettling tactic. Is it disrespectful? Absolutely, it's been very disruptive.
"I wanted to talk about our drive and determination tomorrow to win a game of football against Wigan Athletic. And instead I'm talking about this.
"I want to build a team. I watched Liverpool at Chelsea on Wednesday night. I have sampled some great Champions League nights with Celtic.
"That's where you want to be. Anyone worth their salt wants to be involved in that. And we have a better chance of achieving it with the likes of Gareth in the team.
"I shall be speaking to Liverpool about it. I'm disappointed in them. When I was younger they were the one club where you never got a thing out of them until it was done.
"It's not the way you want to be conducting business. It is not the way the Liverpool of old used to do business."
Liverpool boss Benitez refused to be drawn on his bid for Barry but admitted he was under greater pressure than ever to deliver players who could help mount a serious title challenge after years of under-achieving in the Barclays Premier League.
"I will not talk about a specific target," he said, after offering a choice of Jermaine Pennant, John Arne Riise and Scott Carson plus cash for Barry.
"There are so many names linked with Liverpool in the papers that it is best if I keep quiet. Otherwise people will start asking about my players and what will happen to them, just when I want them to be focused on our two remaining games.
"But when you look at all the money Manchester United and Chelsea have spent, and will continue to spend, it is clear our transfer dealings this summer will have to be virtually perfect, if we are to close the gap even more next season."
O'Neill allowed Barry to go public about his intentions two weeks ago before the derby against Birmingham.
The England international was already the subject of speculation that Benitez was primed to make a bid.
But he insisted he wanted to hear O'Neill's plans before deciding whether to take up his boss on the offer of a new contract.
He has two years left to run on his existing deal and can expect to nearly double his £2.1m-a-year salary if contract talks with Villa are successful.
O'Neill added: "We have two really important games left. And I thought Gareth had made it clear he was waiting until the end of the season.
"Come that time, I shall be sitting down with him. I would want him to stay. I've known him for two years and he doesn't strike me as the kind of man who would be breaking his contract.
"So, we have much to discuss. But I think it's maybe time to say that the chairman and I share the same ambitions.
"I know the fans do. First, we want European football. We are two games away. We have a great possibility of finishing in the top six. That would, to me, represent terrific progress.
"Then we will be in position to compete for the very best players. This is the whole idea. And Gareth Barry is one of them."
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utusanLFC :
hey if LFC didn't do this kind of a bold step... we might lost out Barry to other teams. who care's what you thing O'nile
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