Good sign for Villa manager at MCG

Douglas Villa manager Dave Wright couldn't believe what he was reading when he received a text to say his side had beaten Capital third division football leaders Island Bay 4-0 at the Park Sportsground in Masterton last Saturday.
Wright was in Melbourne preparing to watch the All Whites take on Australia at the MCG on Monday night when the message arrived and he admits he took a while to come to terms with the surprise result.
''I knew we were capable of pushing them close, or even winning, but 4-0 ... no way did I expect that,'' Wright said yesterday. ''I was rapt, totally rapt.''
Wright was so impressed by the Douglas Villa victory that he decided to make up a sign for display at the MCG so that the whole Australasian football fraternity was made aware it.
Unfortunately, the television cameras didn't capture his handiwork on tape but one of Wright's travelling companions, Trevor Martin, grabbed a snap for the Wairarapa Times-Age as living proof of his advertising skills.
What Wright is wondering now, of course, is whether with Douglas Villa producing their best performance of the season while he was away, it might be in the team's best interests for him to be missing in action for future games as well. ''I've already heard a few whispers about me being a bad omen,'' he quipped.
Reflecting on the transtasman clash, Wright was impressed by the competitiveness of the All Whites, with skipper Ryan Nelsen making a particular impression with his no-nonsense approach on defence and his astute reading of the game.
He was also adamant the Aussies should have finished the game with nine men, with a couple of players being ''very, very lucky'' not to have been red carded.