Villa boss scraps US tour plans

Martin O’Neill has scrapped plans for Villa to return to North America on tour - because of their involvement in the Intertoto Cup.

The Villa boss admitted he was tempted by a return to Canada and the United States after last year’s successful trip to play Major League side Toronto and Columbus Crew.

But with a two-legged Intertoto tie on July 19/20 and 26/27 offering the gateway to the UEFA Cup, O’Neill believes Villa’s needs are best served with preparations closer to home.

Friendlies away to Lincoln (July 15), Walsall (July 22) and Reading (August 2) have so far been arranged, and a training camp in Spain may also form part of their plans.

“I think we’ll stay a bit closer to home now,” said O’Neill. “America is something we would have thought about if the Intertoto hadn’t come up. We needed to arrange pre-season games because we need a few matches before the Intertoto. We’re now looking to plan our pre-season.

“I’d have preferred, certainly in the early stages, a more leisurely build-up, but that’s not to be and we just have to get on with it.

“I think we would have been back by July 7 but we’ll be back in the early part of the week before.”