EXTRA: Martin O'Neill lämnar Aston Villa med omedelbar verkan
Bara fem dagar innan Premier League-starten chockar Martin O'Neill klubben med att lämna med omedelbar verkan.
Aston Villa skriver på sin officiella hemsida att Martin O'Neill lämnar klubben med omedelbar verkan och att reservlagstränaren Kevin MacDonald tar över jobbet tills vidare. För närvarande vet vi inte mycket mer än så här men O'Neill uttalar sig följande:
- Jag har njutit oerhört under tiden i Aston Villa och det smärtar att lämna en sådan fantastisk klubb. Jag vill verkligen passa på att tacka mina spelare, min ledarstab och alla fans under min tid som manager. Jag önskar alla lycka till i framtiden.
Klippt från klubbens hemsida:
Aston Villa can confirm that Martin O'Neill has resigned as manager of the football club with immediate effect.
Kevin MacDonald, reserve team manager, has assumed the role of caretaker manager and will prepare the team for the opening Barclays Premier League game of the season against West Ham on Saturday at Villa Park.
Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Aston Villa, said: "The club would like to thank Martin for the great work he has done at Aston Villa over the past four years. He has helped to establish the club in the upper echelons of the Premier League, has taken us to Wembley and we have also qualified for European competition for the past three seasons under his management. We wish him the best in the future."
Martin O'Neill said: "I have enjoyed my time at Aston Villa immensely. It's obviously a wrench to be leaving such a magnificent club. I would like to pay tribute to the Villa players, my coaching staff and the Villa supporters for all the support and encouragement they have given both the club and me personally during my time as manager. I wish them all the best for the future. I will obviously be assisting the club in the immediate short-term with regard to the handover of my duties."
No further comment will be made by either Aston Villa or Martin O'Neill until further notice.
