Somehow along the way Martin O’Neill has picked up the reputation of being something of a swordsman when it comes to man management. My suspicion is that this is the result of back handed compliments as much as anything. I’ve lost count of the number of times that I’ve read some McExpert or other opining about his lack of tactical nous, only to balance their critique by conceding that he’s a “good man manager” in some sort of throw away manner.

That said, don’t undervalue its importance. Rafa Benitez has been forging the exact opposite reputation – excellent tactician, terrible man manager. In both cases I suspect an element of truth, but the reality to be far more nuanced.

The subject of man management has a less than tenuous link to the squad rotation post from earlier. My personal view is that MON can send the same 11 out week after week if it gets results for all I care, but questions are naturally raised when it’s felt that results could be better. I hinted in that post that MON has not had as many changes forced on him in terms of injury and suspensions as other managers. I don’t have any facts to back that up, but I don’t think I can be far from the mark.

So I’ve always wondered how the lack of opportunities for the players outside of the ubiquitous starting XI fits into the legend of MON’s man management skills. We do have a little depth in this squad, but how do the periphery players feel when they apparently have very little opportunity to play?

Glad you asked, Luke Young gives us some of his own insight in today’s Express and Star:-

Luke Young
I’ve been fighting for my position but it never seems as if it’s been a fair fight, I don’t want to leave Aston Villa because it’s a great club, but I don’t know what more I’ve got to do to get into the team.

I feel fitter than I’ve ever felt, I’m in the shape of my life and I think my form has been good whenever I’ve played. Other than the Chelsea game, when the whole team had a nightmare including me, I think I can hold my head up high about all of my performances. It just seems that however hard I work in training or however well I do in games that I don’t get judged by the same standards as some players.

The reception I got when I came on in the final game of the season was great. The fans have been fantastic and it was great to get that reception when I came on in the last the other week. I’ve always got on really well with the fans and that’s another reason I’ll be sad to leave.

Yes, there’s no shortage of empathy for Luke Young from the fans this season. There’s also been a little speculation about his relationship with the manager, none of it particularly grounded in my opinion though. He was injured during pre-season and later had some heart breaking family problems to deal with. During that time he seemed to drop to fifth choice defender so far as I could see, rather than 1st or 2nd choice right back.

When Collins picked up a knock, Cuellar shifted back inside and Luke Young played at right back for a spell. Collins returned to fitness, but wasn’t placed immediately back in the starting XI. When the Welshman did return though, it was effectively at Young’s expense and the right back would then rely on substitute appearances and filling in for Stephen Warnock at left back.

I don’t want to get into the whole Cuellar isn’t a right back thing in this post, but one does have to wonder how we can ever expect to tempt quality in sufficient depth to Villa Park if the opportunities to play are so limited outside a core group of what appear to be favourites.

It’s also not unrelated when I read MON professing a need and desire to rotate during the closing stages of the season, but being concerned about balancing that with the ambition the likes of James Milner and Ashley Young hold to play in every game. I couldn’t help wondering where the legendary man management skills were when he seems to acquiesce to Milner, Young et al., but leaves others stagnating on the bench.

These are the trials of a manager at this level: maintaining a squad with sufficient depth in quality to challenge for honours while providing enough opportunities to play, keeping said quality happy, is exactly what the man management element of the position demands. He’s also got to be a master in the transfer market to earmark the right candidates, a skilled negotiator to convince better players than we have to join and we haven’t even touched on the coaching and tactical qualities. There’s also dealing with the media too.

It’s certainly not easy. That’s why they get paid the big bucks and we watch from the stands.

What’s clear is that Luke Young doesn’t want to leave Aston Villa, but does want to play football. The fans don’t want to Luke go either and would also quite like to see him playing. We also really like Carlos Cuellar, James Collins, Richard Dunne and Stephen Warnock too. It’s MON’s responsibility to keep all parties happy, but his over riding responsibility is to win games and to that end, he’s doing OK.

On a personal note, I hope Young stays and we do well enough in the Europa League and domestic cups to provide enough opportunities for O’Neill to give everyone the games they need to feel happy at the club. From that perspective, the players themselves have to take up the mantle; if they want to play, don’t go losing to the likes of Rapid Vienna and deny themselves the chance.