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Furious O'Neill launches scathing attack on Rafa

09/05/2008

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has blasted Rafael Benitez for claiming they held talks about selling Gareth Barry to Liverpool.

Reds boss Benitez said yesterday he discussed with O'Neill about selling the England midfielder three weeks ago.

Liverpool bid £10 million for Barry, 27, with Benitez claiming him and O'Neill decided to discuss the transfer further at the end of the season.

A furious O'Neill described claims he had talks with the Spaniard as "absolutely crazy".

"Rafa said he was going to respect my wishes. I am not sure he respects anything," the Irishman said.

"It was not a prolonged conversation. 'No' doesn't take too long to say.

"It is any club's prerogative to put in any offer they see fit to put in, but it is also the receiving club's prerogative to say no. I would not then expect this to appear the following day in a newspaper for me to react to.

"My view is that Rafa called me on the Friday to cover his backside."

This week, Barry celebrated the tenth anniversary of making his debut for the Midlands club.

O'Neill added he was angry at reports he was trying to offload Barry behind the scenes, before storming out of his weekly press briefing.

"I think Rafa is being very clever here. He gives the impression that there's been constant dialogue. That's simply and utterly untrue," O'Neill said.

"He made a phone call to me - I did not initiate the phone call. He asked about Gareth Barry and I said: 'Well he's got a testimonial and two years left to run and he's our best player.' So what would the reaction be?

"I said that I would speak to our owner - obviously, because he has a big, big say in the proceedings - and I assumed he would have the same answer as myself, that Gareth wasn't for sale.

"So I'm astonished to read this. The next conversation I had with Rafa Benitez was last Friday morning when Liverpool had put in a faxed offer to us which we received on Thursday afternoon."

Villa end their season on Sunday away to West Ham United, while Liverpool face Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.