O'Neill happy with status quo

The effervescent manager was interviewed for the England job before Steve McClaren was appointed and his immediate impact at Villa, and the former Middlesbrough man's inability to make wine out of water, has led to suggestions the FA could again come calling again. Reports suggest that new Villa owner Randy Lerner is intent on securing his manager's future on a six-year contract, but O'Neill does not believe it is an issue. "If it happened I would be delighted to sign for a longer deal," the 54-year-old said. "But contracts these days are not worth the paper they are written on - if a club wants to get rid of you, they will.

"I'm not worrying about whether I have got four years left because if I am doing hopelessly it would be embarrassing to be sitting on that length of time. But if I do make an absolute 'Horlicks' of it, it will not be through a lack of trying. I am really excited by the job and genuinely love coming to work. The one thing I want to keep going is the feel-good factor. The supporters are definitely passionate about the club and that is really important."