The Cameroon international was less than complementary regarding the reign of predecessor David O’Leary, with the former Nantes and Manchester United player having been out of favour with the former Leeds United manager. O’Neill formally succeeded O’Leary as Villa boss last Friday and the 25-year-old thinks the appointment has breathed fresh air into the squad.
« It is a new chance for everyone, a new life. It is so much better now. The atmosphere is better, » said Djemba-Djemba. « There were some players like me who had no chance of playing. Zero. It didn’t matter what I did, I was not going to play.
« Before it was so hard for me. In my head, it really hurt me. It was a bad time. Now at last we have an opportunity for Aston Villa to move forward.
« The club was not moving before. Things were not going well. Now I feel I have a chance to play again.
« Before, it was up to the manager. Now, it is up to me. If I do the right things and play well in pre-season, then I have an opportunity. Before, I had nothing. »
Villa captain Olof Mellberg echoed the sentiments of Djemba-Djemba, saying there is real optimism for the new season.
« I think we have all got a new spring in our step, » Mellberg said. « We start from scratch, that goes for everyone.
« I spoke to my Swedish team-mates Henrik Larsson and Johan Mjallby and asked them what the manager was like from their time with him at Celtic. They only had good things to say about him and he has a very impressive track record. »
By Simon Fudge
