Aston Villa next manager: Steve Bruce, David Wagner, Ryan Giggs, Sam Allardyce? Villa blogger Jonathan Fear tells SunSport who he wants as the new boss
Claret and Blues chairman Tony Xia fired Roberto Di Matteo on Monday with the club 19th in the Championship
ASTON VILLA appear no closer to appointing a new manager at the end of another wretched week for the club.
Roberto Di Matteo’s sacking means the Villans have astonishingly had more managers than wins in the last 12 months!
If that is to change any time soon then chairman Tony Xia needs to get his next appointment spot on – with Tim Sherwood, Remi Garde, caretaker Eric Black and now Di Matteo all gone since last October.
With a fifth manager in the offing, there have been a pathetic four league wins over that period.
SunSport understands that no talks have taken place with any of the gaffers on their radar, but that Steve Bruce is set to be offered an interview along with current caretaker boss Steve Clarke when Xia and CEO Keith Wyness finalise their shortlist after the weekend.
Huddersfield’s David Wagner and Brentford’s Dean Smith are also believed to be under serious consideration.
Exiled Derby boss Nigel Pearson was in the running during the summer and could be again, while the club wanted a big name when they appointed Di Matteo and may see Ryan Giggs as exactly the type of man to enhance their global appeal.
Bookies reckon Sam Allardyce and Steve McClaren are not out of the race, although Bristol City’s Lee Johnson has ruled himself out.
Wins, however, should be the priority.
And then maybe even a charge towards the play-offs.
SunSport’s Villa blogger and editor Jonathan Fear rates eight candidates and tells us who he would like to making the calls in B6…
STEVE BRUCE
Splitting fans a bit but the majority in the polls seem to be saying yes.
There is a vocal minority, I am sure he’d be aware of that and knows the pressure cooker he would be walking into.
Four promotions on his CV, lives in the area (so gets Midlanders), no-nonsense sort.
He seems the logical choice. Not exciting, but solid.
FEAR FACTOR: 7/10
ODDS RANGE: 3/10 to 4/7
DAVID WAGNER
Great on the X-Factor, now he’s turned his attention to management and is doing a stunning job for Huddersfield.
They’d fight tooth and nail to keep him but Villa is a massive club for ‘the one’ who comes in and gets it ‘right’.
The funding might attract him, as might the wages!
He’s still pretty new in the game though and maybe we aren’t in the position to be patient OR to take risks. Could be intriguing.
FEAR FACTOR: 6.5/10
ODDS RANGE: 3/1 to 13/2
RYAN GIGGS
Nope, not enough experience as a front line manager.
Great players don’t always make great managers and we are not in the position to take such a massive risk.
He has to learn his trade in the lower leagues really (and I’ve just realised we ARE in a lower league!)
He’s very good at yoga though so if he comes I might get some tips!
FEAR FACTOR: 4/10
ODDS RANGE: 14/1 to 33/1
NIGEL PEARSON
I have no words.
I think he’s a despicable character. If he came, I’d seriously consider staying away until he had his next blow up, fight or whatever and left again.
Telling fans to **** off and die would not go down well at Villa Park.
FEAR FACTOR: 0/10
ODDS RANGE: 20/1 to 33/1
DEAN SMITH
Well, he’s a Villa fan so he gets the club. That’s attractive.
He always seemed to get Walsall punching above their weight and again it appears that he has Brentford neat and organised on not a massive amount of money.
Would he be able to deal with the ‘bigger’ players and larger transfer funds at Villa? Hopefully he’ll be able to answer that question to the selection panel if interviewed.
I would like a Villa man to get behind just because (as I wrote in a recent blog) we’ve had so many dullards in recent years.
A risk? Suppose all managers are.
FEAR FACTOR: 6.5/10
ODDS RANGE: 8/1 to 16/1
SAM ALLARDYCE
Give me strength! Too much press heat on him at the moment and I’d rather not have any more negativity at Villa Park.
His football is also ultra dull. Just ask the West Ham fans, many couldn’t abide him even though he got them promoted.
I just don’t like what’s happened recently more than anything though.
He said entrapment won leading to his departure from England. I’d say it was pure greed.
FEAR FACTOR: 3/10
ODDS RANGE: 14/1 to 33/1
STEVE CLARKE
He looks to me to be an ideal assistant manager, I don’t think he has the personality to carry a club like Aston Villa.
It is very difficult without talking to him to know if any of his suggestions were blocked by Roberto Di Matteo, if not you have to say that the impact he’s made judging by the fact we are 19th in the Championship has been negligible.
I did think he was a solid addition to the backroom team but I’d not really want to see him stepping forward as the main man.
FEAR FACTOR: 4/10
ODDS RANGE: 10/1 to 16/1
STEVE McCLAREN
Ha! Well, he’s bi-lingual judging by ‘that’ interview whilst at Twente…
I also got a free pop-up umbrella with my new car so have a spare brolly, if he came I could perhaps sell it to him?
So not all bad. But with a win ratio at Newcastle United of 22.6% I think I can safely say on behalf of many Villa fans, no thanks!
To be fair he had a 53.7% ratio at Derby County but don’t see this as an inspiring choice.
FEAR FACTOR: 3/10
ODDS RANGE: 14/1 to 25/1
Watch ALL the goals from the Premier League before anyone else for FREE plus all the latest news, fixtures and results and live match commentary all on the go with the new Sun Football App –