O'Leary keeping faith

Aston Villa manager David O’Leary is content to start the new season with either Peter Enckelman or Stefan Postma between the posts even though he is still searching for a new goalkeeper.

O’Leary was disappointed when he failed to sign Paul Robinson from his former club Leeds because of a failure to agree personal terms.

Now Sunderland’s Thomas Sorensen is being linked strongly with a move to Villa Park.

But O’Leary will have no qualms if Enckelman or Postma are his options for the big Barclaycard Premiership kick-off next month.

O’Leary said: “I believe we do need to boost the goalkeeping side of things at the club and I was disappointed that we could not get Paul Robinson here.

“I thought we had a bargain deal going for a player I think will be one of the top English goalkeepers who will win a lot of caps for his country.

“I would have loved to have got Robinson and I like Thomas Sorensen very much as well.

“But that is no reflection on Peter Enckelman and Stefan Postma and I would be happy to start with whoever shows up better in pre-season.”

Enckelman experienced an up and down season under former Villa boss Graham Taylor, including the infamous goal conceded against Birmingham when he allowed a defensive throw-in to slip under his foot and into the net.

Taylor then hinted that Enckelman needed to be more committed and determined when he lost out in a challenge to Geoff Horsfield which cost Villa a goal in the return match with their city rivals.