Nigel Reo-Coker hits out at Aston Villa for his release- EPL News
Former Aston Villa midfielder, Nigel Reo-Coker, has blasted his former employers after learning through unofficial sources that he has been released by the Villans.
The 27-year-old English midfielder was the captain of Aston Villa last season. Reo-Coker had a decent last year in which he helped Villa to finish in the top half of the table despite Villans’ poor start of the last Barclays Premier League season.
Reo Coker, who joined the Villans from West Ham United, was one of the three Aston Villa players which were released by the club after the end of the season. The Villans’ newly-appointed Alex McLeish was expected to hold talks with the 27-year-old midfielder
in order to discuss his future but now it seems like that Reo-Coker is surplus at the Villa Park.
Nigel Reo-Coker has expressed his discontentment over the way Aston Villa’s chiefs handled his situation and has claimed that the Villans could have told him about his release directly.
“I was disappointed. It should’ve been handled better and with more respect.”
Gerrard Houllier, who was Aston Villa manager last season, handed Reo-Coker the captain arm-band and the English midfielder also revealed that he was supposed to hold contract extension talks. However, Gerard Houllier was relieved of his duties due to health
problems and the Villans’ new manager Alex McLeish has not contacted Reo-Coker.
He said “Before Gerard Houllier was taken ill and left the club, he said he wanted to sit me down this summer and negotiate a new deal. We never sat down together, which I was told would happen. While on holiday, I was getting texts from friends and reading
tweets I’d been released.”
A number of Premier League giants including the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal all were one time interested in Reo-Coker but none of that club have shown any interest in the English midfielder recently. Moreover, West Bromwich Albion have
been reportedly linked with Reo-Coker but the English midfielder is pondering a move to any big Premier League or European club.
“I want to go to a club where I can challenge for things either in the Premier League or abroad,” added Reo-Coker.
The 27-year-old midfielder has featured in 102 matches during his four years stay at Villa Park.