Aston Villa striker John Carew will again be a key member of manager Martin O'Neill's squad this season - and although the Premier League season is a month away, the giant Norway striker is already back among the goals. Carew scored for Villa in their first leg of their InterToto Cup match against Odense BK in Denmark last Saturday. Villa had to settle for a 2-2 draw to take back to Birmingham this Saturday when O'Neill is likely to have strengthened his side even further following on from signing Chelsea's Steve Sidwell earlier this month. Villa will want to win from that position and take their place in this season’s UEFA Cup. Givemefootball's Ian Clarkson asked former Valencia and Lyon forward Carew about his European football pedigree.
Q:A HUGE GAME SO EARLY IN THE SEASON ON SATURDAY?
A:Yes, we can get into the UEFA Cup if we beat Odense so it's a big incentive for us. It's not been easy but the players have come back fitter than normal from their summer vacations. All the physical tests in pre-season showed that so even though the Odense match came quite early on for us we were well prepared. We have to be 100 per cent prepared for the second leg now. If we are, and don't take anything lightly, I am sure we will make it.
Q:HOW FAR CAN VILLA GO IN THE UEFA CUP IF THEY COME THROUGH SATURDAY'S GAME?
A:I think we can go all the way. We ended up sixth in the Premier League last season and could have been fifth. With a bit of luck we could have been closer to fourth place in the best league in the world. There is no reason why we can't go a long way in Europe. You need to be very good in the UEFA Cup but you also need a bit of luck as well the quality that is already in our squad.
Q:YOU KNOW HOW MUCH BEING IN EUROPE HELPS PLAYERS IMPROVE DON'T YOU?
A:European football will help people like Gaby Agbonlahor and Ashley Young to become even better players. You test yourself in Europe and that is the best experience you can have. I was lucky. I played five or six seasons in the Champions League and it was the most important experience I had. There were amazing matches, amazing atmospheres, other styles of football and compete against it. It gives something extra to the players, to the fans, to the club. It is fantastic and you can see why players want to be a part of it.
Q:THERE'S BEEN THE USUAL TALK DURING THE SUMMER OF PLAYERS LIKE STEVE SIDWELL COMING IN, BUT ALSO OF GARETH BARRY LEAVING. DO THE PLAYERS TRY TO PUT ALL THAT KIND OF TALK TO ONE SIDE IN PRE-SEASON?
A:Players moving on is part of football. I don't think anyone is shocked but if you are losing a good player like Gareth, you have to consider he has been at the club for many years, he was one of our best players last year and I am sure he has been like that in nearly all the seasons he has been at Villa. Now it seems like he is choosing to do something else and in the end it is between the club and the player. I am focusing on the team we have here, the players we have now and not all the surrounding talk. It is sad he (Barry) is leaving, but I don't use much energy on it. In the players' heads, that is not what we are thinking about. I am sure the gaffer will pick out the right players to make us even stronger than last year so I'm not worried about that.
Q:SO THE PLAYERS ARE NOT DISTRACTED BY ALL THE TRANSFER TALK AT THIS TIME OF YEAR?
A:I think the players are quite calm. Our business is to go out and work 100 per cent and not stick our noses into anything else. If we are all confident in ourselves the club will do the rest. We are in the same boat, we have to fight together as a team on the pitch and not think about which players are coming in and when they are coming in. It might all happen in the last two days of the transfer window so we are confident that everything will be good. It is not just about spending. It is about how you do things. You can buy all the players in the world but you have to make a team of it.
Q:YOU SEEM REALLY HAPPY AT VILLA - DO YOU SEE YOURSELF STAYING FOR A LONG TIME?
A:I have two years more but here is no rush with anything. I am very happy to be here and I would like to stay for many years more and if that is the club's interest, that is my interest too. I really like it here so I am absolutely open for that. I would like to put roots down. This is a league that really suits me well and I am happy with the football. That is important to me. We always want to improve so maybe fourth place is possible this season.
