Aston Villa skipper Gareth Barry has insisted he is happy at the club and no longer thinks about last summer's transfer saga when he seemed set to join Liverpool.
Reds boss Rafa Benitez was keen to sign the midfielder before the start of the season but Martin O'Neill refused to sell, with Liverpool unwilling to match his £18m valuation.
Barry was fined, stripped of the Villa captaincy and suspended for two weeks by O'Neill following comments he made about the situation; but the 27-year-old has nevertheless played a key role in Villa's successful campaign to date and maintains that he has no problem with O'Neill and is committed to the club.
"The Liverpool thing seems a few years ago now," Barry said in the Daily Mirror.
"Me and the manager are both professional people who want the best for Villa and my relationship with the manager is very good.
"It can go through your head what others have done to get away from a club, but that was just not the reputation I would have wanted."
Barry has temporarily been made captain again in the absence of the injured Martin Laursen and he is delighted to have been given the responsibility.
"Now I have got the armband back and everyone knows I enjoy captaining Villa," he said.
"It can raise your game but I know Martin Laursen is still the club captain and if we win a trophy this season, which will be more than enough for me."
Reds boss Rafa Benitez was keen to sign the midfielder before the start of the season but Martin O'Neill refused to sell, with Liverpool unwilling to match his £18m valuation.
Barry was fined, stripped of the Villa captaincy and suspended for two weeks by O'Neill following comments he made about the situation; but the 27-year-old has nevertheless played a key role in Villa's successful campaign to date and maintains that he has no problem with O'Neill and is committed to the club.
"The Liverpool thing seems a few years ago now," Barry said in the Daily Mirror.
"Me and the manager are both professional people who want the best for Villa and my relationship with the manager is very good.
"It can go through your head what others have done to get away from a club, but that was just not the reputation I would have wanted."
Barry has temporarily been made captain again in the absence of the injured Martin Laursen and he is delighted to have been given the responsibility.
"Now I have got the armband back and everyone knows I enjoy captaining Villa," he said.
"It can raise your game but I know Martin Laursen is still the club captain and if we win a trophy this season, which will be more than enough for me."
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