Ridiculous Young Rumours

Last updated : 17 August 2009 By Tom Vickers

After Villa lost to Wigan on Saturday, there was plenty of furore about the ways and means of the Claret and Blue boss Martin O'Neill.

Some have questioned his tactics, others have called for his head, but now it seems certain sections of the Villa faithful really believe that he has lost it.

Rumours circulating today are insinuating that O'Neill is prepared to sell right-back and last season's player of the year contender Luke Young to Hull City.

Some it seems really believe that he would sign Newcastle's Habib Beye for £2.5m and then let Young go for around £7m.

This, surely, is madness!

Young was the most consistent and most impressive defender at Villa Park throughout the last campaign and should he be sold then O'Neill's new band of doubters would definitely have good ammunition to shoot him down with.

But the Northern Irishman is not stupid. Most of the time - perhaps with the exception of Carlos Cuellar and Curtis Davies - O'Neill is a good judge of a player.

Young is pushing Glen Johnson for an England starting spot and should he sparkle again this season he will surely be in South Africa come next summer - and I don't mean on holiday.

Quite simply, Young is a fantastically flexible defender.

His side certainly missed him on Saturday. He was a missing piece of the jigsaw and Beye will never be the right shape to complete the puzzle.

Newcastle fans suggested that their former defender was a far better player than his English rival. They obviously did not see enough of Young, who was part of a top six outfit last year.

Now O'Neill needs him back fast and for the sanity of the fans the rumours of him moving on hopefully will be forgotten.