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Ex- Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill admits he ‘enjoyed leaving out players I didn’t like’ during his time as a club manager.

In his latest press conference with the Republic of Ireland, O’Neill referred to an interview given by former defender Curtis Davies who said he was happy to see O’Neill leave Villa Park in 2010.

At the time, Davies who felt like a ‘spare part’ said:

“A lot of players have been frustrated by not having a fair crack of the whip and I’m one of them.

“As long as someone who comes is fair, I am sure people will be happy. I felt I didn’t have a chance.”

Five years on and O’Neill still hasn’t forgotten those quotes which came within hours of the Irishman quitting.

Yesterday as he chatted with reporters about his players focusing on their duties for Ireland despite a number of them still having club concerns, he said:

“At club level, perversely I almost enjoyed leaving out players I didn’t like.”

He also told The Sun: “I know there was a player after I left Aston Villa who said, in one of those car window-down interviews as you’re leaving the training ground, ‘He always had his favourites’.

“Yeah, they were usually the best players.”

Davies qualifies to play for England and the Republic of Ireland but has stated in the past that he still dreams of playing for the Three Lions.

Those comments came when the ex-Albion and Blues ace was still a Premier League player, though.