Nigel Reo-Coker’s contract at Villa expires in the summer and shows no sign of renewing itself, with the club seemingly unwilling to accept the player’s demands. Either way the issue has gone pretty much unnoticed but apparently not by the 26-year-old’s former West Ham boss Alan Pardew at Newcastle. The midfielder has come in for his critics both on and off the pitch, and a bust up with the old manager MO’N looked to have killed his Villa career. However, this term Reo-Coker has been highly involved in his favoured central midfield role and has impressed (well me anyway), particularly in the development of his passing game. In fact, behind Albrighton, I would suggest that he has been among the following pack in terms of the sides Player of the Year.
In practically every game he is the sides top tackler and shows far superior energy to the likes of Petrov, backing his defensive qualities with an ability to keep the ball well these days, especially alongside Makoun, a decent partnership in the making in my opinion. Despite handing him the captain’s armband earlier in the season in Petrov’s absence, Houllier seems relatively unphased by the player’s contract situation, though it has been speculated that the former England Under 21 captain is asking for a soaring pay-packet to the one he is currently earning. I believe it would be a big loss to see him leave after his improvements this term as he enters the best years of his career, especially on a free. Thoughts? I know a lot of Villa fans aren’t keen on him but personally, he’s won me over this term.
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