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The Big Interview

Villa has the best team ethic of any club I've been at, says Nigel Reo-Coker

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Betfair talks exclusively to Villa's midfield enforcer Nigel Reo-Coker about Martin O'Neill, playing against Steven Gerrard and fighting for your place at Villa Park

Aston Villa have been one of the success stories of the season so far, tucked in fifth place and challenging to be back in Europe - and with five players in Fabio Capello's first England selection. Betfair spoke to Nigel Reo-Coker to find out what's making them tick.

Things have gone well for you. How did Martin O'Neill sell the club when he signed you last summer?

To be fair Martin O'Neill didn't really have to sell the club to me. I already knew about Aston Villa, it's a big club with a great fan base that's been a bit of a sleeping giant. I've always enjoyed playing at Villa Park, it's a fantastic ground with great atmosphere. I can remember playing the FA Cup semi-final here with West Ham and the atmosphere in the stadium was amazing, so it was something I made my mind up on quickly because he's a top manager, and a manager I've always admired. You just look at his record at Leicester and Celtic

Martin O'Neill has always been able to take players and find their qualities and improve them. Look at what he did with Neil Lennon and Muzzy Izzet at Leicester. Was that a factor?

Obviously I know what he did for those two, but I'd be lying if I said that had a big influence on me. That's maybe a few years ago and a bit before my time. But it's fair to say that footballers talk, they talk about managers, and everybody I spoke to made it plain and simple that this would be a great career move. When I met Martin he told me he was trying to build a young team with a British foundation, and really push to Europe. He's ambitious, just like me, doesn't take defeat well, just like me, and it was as simple as that. When a manager with that reputation wants you, how can you turn it down?

You're fifth now so Europe is a possibility this season. How do you see your chances?

It's fantastic how far we have come in such a short space of time. It's a tremendous achievement. People must realise we've not spent a great deal of money compared to the big guns in the top four who can spend £100 million every two or three years. We've done it on a more sensible budget. Martin O'Neill treats the money like it is his own money, and we are building something great here. The camaraderie and spirit is fantastic.

When West Ham were promoted you were part of a squad that had a terrific first season. What's different this time to make you think it is more sustainable?

There's differences between here and West Ham. At West Ham we had a lot more characters, a lot more individuals, people with really big personalities. Here it is very laid back, it's a quieter team. There are not so many personalities at all if I'm honest. The biggest personality we've got in the dressing room is Ashley Young, and maybe Gabby Agbonlahor, and that says a lot because I remember them with the Under 21s when they were quiet and never said a word. It's more of a working environment, it's a lot different to how West Ham was. It's a bit hard to explain unless you were in that environment, but the best way to put it is that there were a lot more personalities there.

So can Villa avoid the second season problems if they carry on doing so well this time?

Yes, the foundations are very solid. I'd say to any young player who had the chance to come here to sign. I would say it's a good foundation, you've got a good chance of playing, and that's the most important thing as a young player you have to be playing regularly to improve. We've also got a great bunch of lads, the team spirit is fantastic, there's no individual who's trying to bring the team down. I've said to John Carew, who's travelled a lot, that this is the best dressing room I've been in. There are no bad apples, nobody trying to be bigger than everyone else, no issues, everybody is just trying to help everyone else. There's good banter but there's also real camaraderie here, and John Carew who has played with Valencia, Lyon, played in Italy and all sorts, said the same. He said every team he's been in there's always been segregation of players, a few with really big egos and personalities to disrupt the team, and he said this is the best dressing room he's been in.

But can you win anything without one or two big egos? Arsene Wenger talked recently about trying to sign players who thought they were the best and should always be playing.

I think you wouldn't mind having one or two egos, but if you look at things so far and what we have done what could you say? We've done that without having any big name stars. It's still building. I think we couldn't handle anybody like that coming in if Martin O'Neill signed someone. As long as they had that winning mentality it wouldn't bother me. They'd soon settle into the team.

Your manager seems to go in for a very old fashioned approach to players winning their shirt and keeping it on merit. Is that right?

I think that does make a difference to players providing you've got the right attitude, and we've got that here. You look for instance at Curtis Davies who came for big money but was injured for a couple of weeks so Zat Knight played. Zat played well and stayed in the team and Curtis had to wait. Now Curtis has come in and done well and the boot's on the other foot. I've spoken to Zat about it. He can understand how Curtis felt while he was in, and now he has to take it on the chin when he's not. He just has to perform and wait. It keeps the team healthy, it keeps the players hungry and with the right attitude. If you look at a bigger team like Manchester United or Chelsea they have bigger demands from lots of competitions. If we get to that stage it might be different, but right now it suits us to be the way we are.

Who are your inspirations now?

I've always looked highly at Steven Gerrard, even though he's been a bit of a curse to me with that goal at the end of the FA Cup final that cost me a medal. He got a brilliant free kick for Liverpool in the first day of this season too. But since I've changed the way I play I've been studying other players like Makelele, Dieter Hamann, Michael Essien, or Javier Mascherano. They play my role now. I can still do box to box, but I want to learn from the best at what I do now.

Thanks for that Nigel. We've got a £50 bet for you with the winnings going to your favourite charity.

I'd like it to go to the NSPCC, I'm a big supporter of the work they do. I would back us to win at Fulham this week but I'm not allowed to! I started my career at Wimbledon so perhaps I'll go for the MK Dons to win the League Two title at [2.66]. Paul Ince has done a fantastic job there.