James Collins explains derby sit-out

James Collins has denied he was fit enough to feature in Villa's defeat to Wolves last weekend as he prepares to return from injury and captain Wales against England.

Collins was recently involved in a boozy row with club staff for which he was fined £100,000 and it had been rumoured he could have returned at the weekend but was not selected by manager Gerard Houllier - something the Welsh defender has refuted.

He said: "I wouldn't have been fit either way on Saturday to play for Villa. I had only trained three or four days beforehand.

"There was no question I would have been able to play because I wasn't fit enough. But I have got a good four days in training up there and have the week here now.

"It has been a tricky couple of weeks up at the club, for various reasons. It wasn't great. It is not something I want to go into at the minute. But I have come away focused on one thing and that is getting three points for Wales.

"Hopefully the calf stands up to it and I am available for selection on Saturday."

Collins' team-mate Richard Dunne - who also missed the defeat to Wolves with a shoulder problem - is also set to be fit for the Republic of Ireland's qualifying match against Macedonia on Saturday.

Villa legend Paul McGrath has also urged Houllier to "get his act together" and return Dunne and Collns to the side, after defeat to Wolves left them facing a fight for their Premier League lives until the end of the season.

McGrath said: "It's the supporters I'm worried about because Villa is a massive, massive club and Gerard doesn't seem to see the bigger picture.

"We want to be in the Premier League next year, as do all the teams around us at the moment, and it's such a scrap this year that if he doesn't get his act together soon it might be too late for the Villa and that will be a tragedy.

"We need a couple of wins from somewhere just to get the spirits up. At the moment, the in-house fighting is not helping anyone.

"Gerard needs to realise that, when you look around the dressing room, you need to know that players like Dunne and Collins are going to go out there battling for you.

"The sooner he cops on the better."