'Leftovers' factor in Barry move to City, says Graham Taylor

Jun 5 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Post

Former Aston Villa manager Graham Taylor has come out with a staunch defence of Gareth Barry after his decision to join Manchester City.

Barry has been strongly criticised in certain circles for lacking ambition by joining City having earlier stated that he wanted to play in the Champions League.

His former team-mate Ian Taylor added fuel to that fire without a hint of the fact that he works for Barry’s former agent Alex Black.

But Graham Taylor, who managed Barry for 18 months on his return to the club in February 2002, sees the move to Eastlands rather differently.

And he believes Barry will be a terrific acquisition.

“I think there are some leftovers from last season when Gareth didn’t get a move to Liverpool,” Taylor said.

“Maybe he has also been drawn in by the sort of players City are pursuing and thinks it’s time for a change.”

Liverpool pursued the signature of the former Brighton trainee throughout the summer of 2008 and are believed to have come in with a bid on Tuesday evening after Barry had already agreed terms with City.

“I am much more sympathetic to Gareth than many people, being closer to the situation,” Taylor said.

“I think money has played a major part in it but I don’t think it is totally behind it.”

Barry was stripped of the Villa captaincy last summer after the move to Liverpool fell through and he was highly critical of Villa boss Martin O’Neill in a Sunday newspaper article.

Taylor said: “Last summer was very difficult for Gareth and Martin. I think Gareth made a mistake with an article in a Sunday newspaper that criticised Martin. I think he will regret that and it certainly annoyed Martin.

“But if he had really wanted to annoy people he could have sat on his contract and left for nothing at the end of next season.

“Some may feel if none of the top four were coming in for him he should have stayed at Villa but he’s been there 11 years and played 420-odd games for the first team. I don’t think he’s been disloyal.

“I understand his position totally. If somebody offers you the sort of money City are supposed to have offered then it will play a major part in your thinking. If anyone else says it won’t, I don’t believe them, but I don’t think it is just that.”

He added: “I think Martin and Gareth were very professional and did extremely well last season. I think both will deny it but I think there are some leftovers from last season.

“I know Gareth very well. He is a great lad and when I went to Villa he had been out of the team but I put him straight back in. I think he will be a very good signing for Manchester City.”

* A host of former Villa stars of yesterday will be at the club today for the very first Aston Villa Former Players’ Association Business Partners Exhibition.

Nineteen of the club’s ex-players will be available to meet and greet supporters between 11am and 4pm at the Trinity Lounge, in the Trinity Road Stand at Villa Park. Those in attendance include Charlie Aitken, Darren Bradley, Des Bremner, Jimmy Brown, Gordon Cowans, Tony Daley, Alan Deakin, Steve Froggatt, Bernie Gallagher, Brian Little, Peter McParland, Tony Morley, Chris Nicholl, Ian Taylor, Garry Thompson, Bobby Thomson, Neil Rioch, Steve Sims and Steve Staunton.

The event is designed to provide a means of thankyou to the Association’s many business partners.

Organiser Darren Bradley, a former Villa youth who skippered Albion at Wembley, said: “This is the first of its kind and we are hopeful the Villa supporters will turn out in great numbers.”