• Aston Villa defender says players need medals to be fulfilled
• Carling Cup semi-final against Blackburn ‘biggest of career’

Richard Dunne believes winning the Carling Cup with Aston Villa this year would help to compensate for the Republic of Ireland’s controversial World Cup play-off defeat against France and also provide him with a sense of fulfilment in a career that has so far delivered riches but no silverware.

The central defender has made close to 450 appearances for Manchester City, Everton and now Villa, but tonight will be the first time he has played in a semi-final, prompting him to describe the first leg against Blackburn Rovers as “the biggest club game of my career”. Dunne believes that the tie offers an opportunity to move a step closer to winning the trophy that he claims would bring him greater long-term satisfaction than any financial rewards.

“Every footballer in the Premier League will more or less finish his career having enough money and be financially happy and pleased but whether they’re fulfilled career-wise is different,” said Dunne, who was an apprentice at Goodison Park when Everton beat Manchester United in the 1995 FA Cup final. “For players to feel fulfilled, you have to have actual silverware to look back on. That’s where your memories are. You keep your medals for ever.”

Dunne admitted that success with Villa this season would also help to ease the pain of that raucous night in Paris in November when France triumphed after Thierry Henry’s handball went unpunished. “If I can finish the season and we’ve done well in the league and manage to win a trophy, I think I could say it’s been successful. The World Cup will be one disappointment in it but anyone who finishes this season with a trophy has to be happy.”

The 30-year-old has, however, urged his team-mates “not to get sidetracked by looking too far ahead”. He claimed that he has not given a second’s thought to the prospect of facing his former club, City, in the final. “My focus is on Aston Villa and beating whoever we come up against. Whether that’s Manchester City or Manchester United, it’s not important.”

Dunne sat out the FA Cup victory over Blackburn on Saturday, when Martin O’Neill rested several first-team players, but he will return to what the manager hopes will be a full-strength Villa side tonight. O’Neill’s only concern surrounds the availability of James Milner, who is suffering from a bruised foot.

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• Blackburn manager won’t let matter rest
• ‘I’ve never spoken to Trapattoni and I don’t want to’

Sam Allardyce has demanded an apology from the Republic of Ireland manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, after labelling the Italian’s comments about Steven Reid “disgusting”.

Reid, 28, has made two Carling Cup appearances in nearly a year after sustaining a serious knee injury, and saw his first-team comeback hindered recently with a niggling Achilles tendon complaint. Trapattoni cast doubt on whether Reid would ever be able to return to his best, saying a full recovery would be “very, very difficult”, but Allardyce responded forcefully, and even demanded action from the Football Association of Ireland and Trapattoni.

“It’s disgraceful, completely out of order,” said the Blackburn Rovers manager, whose side face Chelsea in tomorrow’s late kick-off.

“He’s not talking correctly in terms of Steven’s injury. What he is saying is completely untrue and something he should apologise for. He has undermined us as a football club, undermined Steven as a player and he has really been very, very naughty in what he has said. He should make a public apology and hopefully that will be the end of it.

“Steven has had a long haul and he’s trying to resurrect his career and secure a new contract. He also wants to play for his country as he has done many, many times and given his all on every occasion. There’s no player more honest than Steven and to be dealt that sort of a blow at this stage, when he’s not feeling the best, trying to come back from a big injury and picking up another little niggle, is very, very disrespectful to say the least. It’s disgusting.”

Reid confessed to be being “amazed” at Trapattoni’s diagnosis, but insisted he was desperate to play in the Republic’s World Cup qualifying play-off against France next month. Allardyce commended his man for tact but insisted he would not let the matter lie. “That’s the mark of Steven for you,” he said. “Perhaps I haven’t got the same dignity as Steven. Perhaps I just speak it as I see it. Perhaps he’s more sensible than me.

“I think his association should bring him to task. I think we as a football club should bring him to task and make him justify what he has said, but the thing is he can’t. I’ve never spoken to him and after what he’s said I don’t want to. Steven’s had a very difficult time and the last thing he needed was to sit down and read his international manager trying to write him off.”

Blackburn are looking to collect a first away point of the season at Stamford Bridge, but face the stern test without their Italian forward Franco Di Santo, who is ineligible to face his parent club, as well as Vince Grella and, possibly, full-back Pascal Chimbonda.

Allardyce insists a shock result is still possible. He said: “We haven’t picked up a point away from home all season and Chelsea have only conceded once at home in the Premier League all season on the opening day of the season. If that doesn’t sound like a daunting task, I don’t know what does.

“But in any given game of football you can catch a team at the right time. Maybe not on their top form, maybe a little fatigued from their European efforts in midweek, maybe a few knocks. You can try to take advantage of that if your team plays their best.”

Blackburn RoversRepublic of IrelandSam AllardycePremier LeagueWorld Cup 2010guardian.co.uk