Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker has admitted he was delighted to be 'conned' by manager Martin O'Neill.Reo-Coker arrived at Villa Park last summer for £7.5million from West Ham - where he had played the majority of his football as a box-to-box midfield player.

However, O'Neill has utilised the 23-year-old as a holding midfielder - a decision which initially worried Reo-Coker.

But 22 games into the Premier League season, the England Under-21 captain has voiced his delight at his manager's decision, and set his sights on becoming one of the world's top defensive midfielders.

He told the Sunday Mirror: "I'd be lying if I said it didn't worry me - I was fighting demons. I was asking myself what it meant; thinking ' Doesn't the manager see or know my other attributes?'

"But then that's Martin O'Neill being himself. The approach he took was that deep down he knew when he told me I'd question it, but I think he also knew I would work it out. All credit to him.

"He knew exactly why he brought me here. He might not have told me at the time, but he knew. He did lead me on a bit and let me think I'd do what I want.

"So in a way he conned me, but it was a good con because he's tapped into one of my strengths.

"If it means I can learn to be one of the best holding midfield players in the world then so be it."

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