Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is to investigate claims John Carew was in a nightclub hours before his side's Uefa Cup game against Ajax. (The Sun)
Carew in Villa curfew probeMARTIN O’NEILL is to investigate claims striker John Carew was in a nightclub just hours before Aston Villa’s big European date with Ajax.
Carew faces a £100,000 fine — two weeks’ wages — if the Villa boss discovers the player broke a pre-match curfew.
The striker did not play in the 2-1 UEFA Cup victory over the Dutchmen after complaining of tiredness and sickness earlier in the week.
But O’Neill decided to leave him out only at the last moment which meant that Carew was still part of the squad.
Yet Villa have been told he was apparently in the high-class Rocket Club in Birmingham at 1am on Thursday.
Villa fans insist they saw him in the company of a girlfriend and sipping soft drinks.
Club rules allow players to go out the night before a game, perhaps for a meal, but to be home well before midnight.
Carew, 29, watched the Ajax game from the stands.
He is expected to play on Sunday at Wigan.
The player had blood tests at the start of the week after telling the club doctor he was jaded on his return from international duty.
They came up negative which left O’Neill with the dilemma of whether to rest him or include him against Ajax. The boss decided at the last minute not to include Carew in the final 18.
The Norwegian arrived at Villa Park from Lyon in January last year in a swap deal with Milan Baros.
He is a big favourite with fans and has scored 21 goals in his 55 games.
O’Neill said: “John has come back from the international matches and felt a bit under the weather.
“He’s trained all right and the tests have come back negative. I thought I would leave him out to get prepared for Wigan but he’s absolutely fine.â€
Per Flod, Carew’s agent, said last night: “I have nothing to say to the Press about such matters.â€
Another striker will be occupying O’Neill’s thoughts at the JJB Stadium tomorrow.
He sold Emile Heskey, 30, to Liverpool in 2000 when he was Leicester boss.
Villa are one of the clubs linked with the Wigan ace who will be a free agent in the summer but O’Neill was coy about declaring any official interest.
He said: “If Emile allows his contract to run out then he will have a number of suitors because he has done very well.
“I have the utmost regard for him and what he does for the rest of his life is down to him.â€