The ex-AC Milan star was very grateful and honored while playing for Aston Villa albeit not for long.
For most players, competing in the Premier League is part the peak of their career. Let alone be the captain. Such was what the former AC Milan star, Martin Laursen felt during his years in Bodymoor Heath.
Despite the fact that his days in the West Midlands were marred with injuries and did not even reach 100 games for his milestone with the Clarets and Blue, nor even lift a silverware, Laursen had incredible feeling and connection with the Lions. The former centre back shared it during the interview which was reported by the club’s official site, avfc.co.uk.
“I can honestly say that it’s the proudest moment of my footballing career. I’ve never tried to be a captain before I was a captain at Aston Villa. It was a special, special thing for me, and not only because I was honoured to be a captain, but because it was being captain of Aston Villa, where I felt so much.”
Laursen joined Aston Villa from AC Milan in summer 2024 after his fine form in EURO 2004 with Denmark. He was already playing regularly despite competing with the legendary defenders like Alessandro Nesta and Paolo Maldini.
The Dane opted to experience the chance in the Premier League. Initially, he had to struggle with his knee problem. In his season debut with the Villans, he still featured 12 times in the league and scored one while Villa crushed Middlesbrough 2-0.
Unfortunately, he had severe left knee injury which kept him out most of the season in the 2005/06 and 2006/17 campaign. Laursen recalled such tough time before Martin O’Neill helped him out to shine as he added his comment.
“I couldn’t perform in the beginning, and then I came back, and Martin O’Neill came and I had some great, great matches with Aston Villa.”
The Northern Ireland manager did something unpopular by managing Laursen’s training and his minutes on the pitch differently from the rest of the squad. It really worked for him. He regained his spot in the 2006/07 by playing more regularly and cemented his place in the starting XI in the 2007/08.
Unfortunately, when his career began to rise, appointed as the captain, replacing Gareth Barry, all good things in him with the Clarets and Blue ended abruptly in the middle of 2008/09 season. It was another knee injury, which forced him to hang up his boots at the end of the season.
“Obviously, that’s a big frustration for me, but that’s only a little part of it. I mean, obviously, something that I couldn’t do anything about, because I was injured and that’s the fact.
“So, I couldn’t help the team with the European campaign. I couldn’t help the team to perhaps go into a Champions League place that season. I had to give up my international career as well with Denmark. I had to stop playing football.
“That was the worst part of it, in an age of 31, I think I was at that time, so much too soon.I would have loved to play four or five more years with Aston Villa and representing that great club and had the armband on my arm and everything, so that was very, very sad, of course.”
Overall, the ex-defender with 54 international caps played 91 times for The Lions. He registered 11 goals and four assists in all competitions.
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