No Villa exodus: O'Neill

Manager Martin O’Neill has insisted there will be no mass clear-out at Aston Villa this summer – with the emphasis on strengthening the squad to avoid a repeat of this season’s mid-term traumas.

O’Neill believes the experiences of a rollercoaster campaign will stand everyone in good stead for what is hoped will be a push for a European spot during 2007-2008.

But he is also desperate to ensure Villa do not experience what happened during the November to January period when they struggled to field a competitive side because of sufficient lack of depth as injuries and suspensions took their toll.

Home-grown products Lee Hendrie and Jlloyd Samuel, whose contracts expire in June, plus out-of-favour midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba, who has been on loan at Burnley, will be leaving.

But O’Neill will not want to strip the current squad down to the bare bones just because a cluster of new faces are expected by the start of the new season in mid-August.

O’Neill, whose side visit Bolton tomorrow, said: “It will be good to strengthen the side this summer but that doesn’t mean the minute someone comes into a certain position, half a dozen will be leaving.

“Look at this season. We started brightly but there was a period in November and December when our side was so weak numerically and we were not able to do anything about it until January.

“There is no denying our situation was pretty precarious at that stage. We had a difficult couple of months when we couldn’t get a result at all and we had no-one to bring into the side.

“I need a certain squad, a certain number of players, so if a November-December situation comes around again, we are not in the same position as this season and will be able to cope. It’s not my intention to cut a swathe through the squad.”

O’Neill admitted: “The experiences we’ve had this season will stand us in good stead for next season. We are going to try to improve the squad in the summer if possible.

“We have seen what the very best can produce this season. It is a significant jump to go from struggling and be involved with those teams.

“It does not happen overnight but I want it to happen more quickly and I think this year is a fantastic experience for us in every sense.”

O’Neill had to turn to some of the club’s promising crop of youngsters to plug the gaps sooner than might have been expected but believes the experience will only have served to whet their appetites for more of the same.

The likes of Gabriel Agbonlahor and Craig Gardner have taken big strides forward after grasping their opportunity.

O’Neill said: “Perhaps had we had a stronger squad to begin with, perhaps some of the younger players might not have played those number of games.

“But some of them have taken the opportunity to enhance their own reputations. The experience the players have gained this season has got to motivate them so much to think that the Premiership is where they want to play – and play constantly.”

Agbonlahor is determined to rise to the challenge and prove he will not be a one-season wonder.

He said: “If you do well in your first season, everyone is aware of you and in the second season you have to prove yourself again.

“I’m confident I can prove myself again next season and do even better. I don’t want to be a one-season player who doesn’t keep it going.

“I know it will be hard and I know I’ve got to keep developing as a player, but I’m ready to work hard to make sure I keep improving.”

Villa can still finish 10th in the Premiership if they win at the Reebok Stadium and Blackburn, who have an inferior goal difference, slip up against Reading.

Stiliyan Petrov (hamstring) and Shaun Maloney (ankle) are likely to be missing again as they look to extend their unbeaten run to nine matches.