Villa board set to decide on Alpay’s future

ALPAY’S future in England will be decided by the board of Aston Villa, claims the player’s English-based agent.

Villa’s Turkish defender has come under fire from England players and the media since returning to the country after he goaded David Beckham during the ill-tempered Euro 2004 qualifier in Istanbul on Saturday.

Alpay claims he was provoked by the England captain and will now play no part in Sunday’s derby clash with Birmingham after Villa decided to give him the rest of the week off.

German outfit Hertha Berlin and Turkish giants Galatasaray have both been linked with moves for the 30-year-old.

But Mujdat Gurel does not believe his player is desperate enough to leave England, even though he seems set for hostile receptions from English fans for his part in Saturday’s 0-0 draw which saw England earn a place in Portugal next year - and Turkey face a two-legged play-off with Latvia.

The agent said: “As long as Aston Villa want to keep him he will stay and see his contract out.

“But in football everything changes, every day, so we don’t know yet.”

Meanwhile, Matthew Upson has spelt out the need for players from both sides of the pitch to keep their cool when Birmingham take on Aston Villa at St Andrews on Sunday.

Blues’ defender Upson’s first taste of the derby boiled over last season when the Villa pair of Dion Dublin and Joey Gudjohnsen were both sent off as Birmingham pulled off a 2-0 away triumph to complete a double.

Upson believes the behaviour of the two teams further incited the crowd and led to the ugly scenes in and outside the ground including when one Villa fan ran onto the pitch to confront Blues’ midfielder Robbie Savage.

Former Arsenal player Upson is keen that any repeat is avoided on Sunday and feels the players have a duty to set an example.

Upson said : “If the Villa Park derby is anything to go by, the one at St Andrews on Sunday will be pretty hectic, although some of the tackles that went on happen every week.

“It was just the fact that the match was live on television and was a derby containing a lot of passion.

“But I don’t think it is an excuse for players to go about losing their head just because the crowd are really up for the game,” he said.

“There will be that extra aggression but it is important to set the right example.”