Football FanCast columnist Joe Jennings is full of praise of Martin O'Neill and does wonder if the media give him the respect his undoubted ability deserve.

He can stop any side playing in the world - he has an uncanny eye for reading a side's actual ability over their hype (which is why his punditry has proved so excellent). Forget Mourinho or Scolari, the man described is no other than Martin O'Neill.

Inheriting a demoralised team at Leicester proved difficult, but O'Neill passed the test with flying colours, and how. Quality players from obscurity were brought in (Neil Lennon, Muzzy Izzet amongst many, many others) and kept Leicester in a league they have proven themselves incapable of staying in under any other manager. Coincidence?

Not only that but he actually provided Leicester with silverware, turned down two bigger and better clubs out of sheer loyalty and ensured progress was frequent. He then won trophy after trophy with Celtic and in my opinion laid the strong foundations that Gordon Strachan has since built upon. O'Neill is quality and anybody who doubts such a belief doesn't no football.

Everywhere he's been; he's achieved. And what's to say he won't at Villa over time? Aston Villa, undoubtedly, is a club on the up. It is great to see such a bastion of English football seeking to reach the forefront. I find it hard to criticise O'Neill when he's done all that's been asked of him - make every club he's managed punch well above their weight and found players who work well together despite not being rated individually.

O'Neil is not only engaging, but articulate and personable. Do the media really treat him with the respect he deserves? Does he really get such high levels of praise?

Lerner will not panic, as proven through the downturn in fortunes last season, and given time, O'Neill will improve the club as he has done before. The Villains are putting resources in place to become a better club in the longer term; and rightly so. They have the backer, they have the manager, and they have the fans- it's all looking rosy for the Villa despite the setback this afternoon.

I must say I was impressed, only last week, when O'Neill's side visited Goodison Park. It was a great game to watch and although frustrated not to get all three points, I was immensely impressed and admittedly a bit worried about the side they are slowly but surely putting together. They will, undoubtedly, prove a rival, not only in the coming months, but for the foreseeable future.

Excluding Wenger, Ferguson and possibly Benitez, is there a better manager in the Premiership? I'm inclined to say no, O'Neill has a great personality for a football club. His players are in shape, know when not to cross the boundary and evidently enjoy playing under him.

I do harbour the hope that one day his chance for the England job may once again arise. International football would be perfect for Martin O'Neill. He would instil a club mentality into carefully selected players who he knows are mentally capable of playing for England as well as leaving those players in no doubt what is expected of them or else they get scrapped from his plans.

Martin O'Neill has proved time and time again, and will once more in the future, what a great manager he is. Villa fans should count themselves lucky, as the good times are returning to Villa Park, of that I have no doubt.