A lesson in football management for David O'Leary

We all know you can't teach an old dog new tricks. O'Leary isn't a dog but you know what I mean. The man they call David O doesn't have to look very far to see a young pup though that already knows a few tricks more than him.

Tony McAndrew was talking to officially the worst premiership team website in the country today about the 5-0 victory over Derby and said "I was so proud of the way we played. Derby are a decent side and had a very good season, but we ran out deserved winners.

"Some of the football we played was great to watch and, as a coach, it was fantastic to see all the hard work from training come to fruition.

Note to O'Leary: hard work and training.

"We scored two spectacular individual goals in the first-half, but for me the other three goals were even better, because they showed our qualities as a team.

"Everyone performed on the night and the two starting strikers got a couple of goals each, so you can't ask for more than that.

"We've had some outstanding performances from Academy teams in recent season, but I think Friday night was the best Academy performance in all my time at the club.

"Now we've got a very tough game coming up against a quality Southampton side and we'll have to be at our very best again to win the play-off."

When I first read this I was so happy that at least some of the Villa teams are doing well under a decent manager. There is nothing O'Leary can do now to win back the supporters apart from winning matches but we all know deep down that he'll have excuses when that doesn't happen and I guess the most startling point of that statement is we all know he's not going to win enough games to be top 6.