Martin O'Neil refuses to talk to Rafael Benitez over Barry row

By James Nursey 13/06/2008
Daily Mirror UK

Martin O'Neill has angrily broken off all contact with Liverpool after becoming infuriated by their dogged pursuit of Aston Villa skipper Gareth Barry.
The Villa boss is refusing to acknowledge attempts by Reds manager Rafa Benitez and chief executive Rick Parry to enter into any dialogue over Barry.
Liverpool only learned their third bid of £13m for the midfielder had been rejected yesterday through a curt fax.
O'Neill, usually so hands-on, has instructed Villa owner Randy Lerner's PA Paul Faulkner to field all communications from Anfield.
His stubborn tactics have left Liverpool officials exasperated as they hoped to finally buy Barry, 27, this week. And the star himself is getting increasingly despondent at the failure of the two clubs to resolve his future after he made it clear to O'Neill he wanted to go.
Liverpool are now reluctant to table a new bid for Barry while they have no insight into what O'Neill will accept for the versatile left-sided player.
And the ill-feeling at Villa - sparked by Benitez making public Liverpool's initial £10m offer for Barry on the eve of the penultimate game of the season - has only increased.
O'Neill has since slammed the Reds' Spanish manager in a tirade and even dropped Villa's former Liverpool midfielder Patrik Berger for recommending that Barry moves to his old club.
O'Neill is now trying to concentrate his energies on strengthening his squad as they kick-off their InterToto Cup campaign in five weeks.
Brazilian midfielder Paulo Assuncao, 28, who has bought out the final year of his contract at Porto, is a target.
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utusanLFC :
my question to you remains : Is Gareth Barry that good? Is he that good to be the epicentre of a serious blowout between the two clubs? hmmm... I wouldn't mind if the war is about taking David Villa to LFC... he is a well known commodity. Gareth?... You tell me.