Villa boss has eyes on Carling silverware

Martin O’Neill will send his Villa troops into Carling Cup action against QPR tonight with the message: “Let’s go and win it”.

O’Neill, who twice won the trophy as manager of Leicester, is eager for Villa put their recent cup catastrophes behind them with an extended run in one of the competitions – and he insists the Carling Cup is very much in his thoughts.

West Ham and Fulham were among the top-flight sides to fall to lower-ranked opposition last night, but O’Neill insists he will be treating with the utmost respect a competition regarded by many Premier League sides as of secondary importance. 

“I can understand the top sides prioritising,” said O’Neill. “They have the Premier League and the Champions League.

“If your Premier League ambitions are stabilising your position rather than breaking into European football, then cup competitions can only be helpful.

“This club has won the competition in the past and we’d really love to do it again. 

“There is little point in us going into the competition without trying to progress. 

“The eventual aim is to try to win it. We won it a couple of times at Leicester City and it was always the aim.”

One player who could start is midfielder Isaiah Osbourne, who yesterday penned a new three-year deal which will keep him at Villa Park until 2011.

“I’m delighted Isaiah has signed,” added O’Neill. “He has ability and great strength and his attitude has been fantastic this season.”

And O’Neill hopes Steve Sidwell’s Villa career will soon be able to take off as he nears his recovery from a knee problem.

“We are hoping he will be coming back into training again in the next few days,” continued O’Neill.

“We are looking at days rather than weeks. I think he is going quite well at the moment.”

* Villa Park will play host to the second leg of the England under-21’s Euro 2009 play-off with Wales on October 14. Kick-off will be at 7.45pm with tickets priced at £10 for adults and £5 for under-16s and Villa trio James Milner, Gabby Agbonlahor and Craig Gardner are all in the squad.