Relegated Aston Villa’s caretaker manager, Eric Black, has said that defender, Jores Okore, has refused to play for the club.
Last weekend, the rudderless side’s relegation was sealed with a 1-0 defeat at Manchester United, confirming their 28-year stay in the top flight was coming to an end.
Indiscipline, poor signings and bad appointments have resulted in shocking displays on the field, the blame for which owner Randy Lerner claimed on Friday “lies at my feet and no one else’s.”
Caretaker manager Black had not seen the divisive owner’s “note to supporters” so was not keen to talk about it, although he was more forthcoming when it came to the playing staff.
Many players have let the club down this season but Black’s comments about Okore’s behaviour were shocking, claiming the defender has refused to play for the club.
“It wasn’t a disagreement,” Black, caretaker boss since Remi Garde’s departure, said of Okore.
“I spoke to Jores the week beginning the Bournemouth game and I thought he responded well and thought he trained extremely well.
“But once I named the 11 on the Friday, which I normally do to try and get more detail into them, Jores asked to see me and said that he didn’t want to be considered to be on the bench, which I found surprising but that was his decision.
“So I then withdrew him from the squad. I then met him again on the Monday and asked if he had considered position over the weekend.
“At that point, he said that he didn’t want to be considered for any of the games going forwards. And at that point I really didn’t have a choice apart from remove him.
“I don’t want people who don’t want to be at Aston Villa and playing at Aston Villa, certainly under the circumstances, and the Bournemouth game was a massive game for us.
“So he has gone to the under-21s and that’s what happens.
“I am surprised from a young or an old player, but Jores will have his own thoughts on that and I have my thoughts on it. We have come to a conclusion.”
Joleon Lescott last weekend irked supporters by clumsily saying relegation was a “weight off the shoulders” as what chairman Steve Hollis called an “unacceptably fractured” season comes to a close.
