O'Neill determined to challenge top four with English contingent

He immediately ordered that pictures celebrating Villa's 1982 European Cup triumph were given pride of place in the sumptuous £13million training base at Bodymoor Heath.

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He was also a prime supporter of the decision to invite that squad to the final home game of last season against Sheffield United.

Even so, the club remain short of legends and with Randy Lerner's millions at his disposal, O'Neill knows he needs to create some more in order to be considered a success.

One victory over Chelsea means nothing in the grand scheme bar a sweet moment of revenge over Jose Mourinho - the ex-Porto boss won the UEFA Cup at the Irishman's expense four years ago - but armed with a sackful of cash and burning ambition, he has finally lit a fire under the club.

It is not exactly an O'Neill action replay. At Leicester City he offered a group of promising, hungry players a platform to build their reputations while at Celtic he gave established professionals the perfect opportunity to enhance theirs.

Now at Villa he is giving English youth its head. Eight of his squad have experience at Under 21 level - something which will no doubt please Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA's director of football development, who has been bemoaning the lack of opportunity for homegrown players.

The footballing jury may still be out on Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood following their fleeting success at West Ham, but Gabriel Agbonlahor, Luke Moore and the exciting Ashley Young remain hungry. Zat Knight is a Brummie who will not want to let his pals down and Gareth Barry is as driven as he was 10 seasons ago.

The game-plan follows the O'Neill blueprint. Pace by the bucketful, particularly in attacking positions, is handy. Big centre halves likewise - at both ends of the pitch. An energetic midfield stops all but the best from gaining necessary time on the ball.

While O'Neill can bask in the afterglow of beating Mourinho, he knows his work is only just beginning - something he revealed last season.

Midway through Villa's 20-game winless slump last season, before a third defeat by Manchester United in as many weeks, the club's ambition was questioned.

'Do you think for a minute I want to be down there?' he said as his inquisitor felt the sharp end of an Irish tongue. 'Do you think I've come to this football club to stand by and watch while Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal run away with things?

'Now, it may be that they will. But I'm not going to stand by and watch them. We are here to compete.'

As at his other clubs, O'Neill is not interested in those who do not toe the line. Liam Ridgewell and Steve Davis each dared to stick their heads above the parapet - and promptly had them knocked off to be shipped out to Birmingham City and Fulham respectively.

He was asked whether it was a conscious decision to buy from the domestic market at the unveiling of £10m defender Curtis Davies.

'We're in the market for quality players,' he said. 'It doesn't matter to me where they come from.

'Seeing them picked for England is great for them and for the club, too. But the mentality I'm interested in is a winning one.'

O'Neill may have taken longer than expected to stamp his mark on the club. But he has worked in football management for more than 15 years and knows this is his big chance.

He has decided that English players with a point to prove are the way forward.