It has been a woeful 18 months of football for previously optimistic Aston Villa fans. Living the dream under fellow Holteenders Dean Smith and Jack Grealish, they achieved the dream of returning to the Premier League with a late club record equally winning streak and whilst it was not always pretty, they survived the first year back in the Premier League and in the 2020/21 campaign they pushed into 11th spot.
With issues at the club, in terms of how did Smith get a consistent tune from them with Grealish in the side, it then went from back to worse as he moved on that summer for a jaw breaking £100 million to Manchester City, and the signings made to replace him just did not settle, or perform and as Villa registered five defeats on the spin, there was no sentiment from the Boardroom and Smith departed, with Christian Purslow somewhat bizarrely choosing the hugely inexperienced Steven Gerrard to take the reins.
He has a reasonable first month in charge, picked up a few wins and then – as is usually the case – an inexperienced gaffer runs out of a honeymoon period, and despite spending big on his signings in both January and the following summer, the only tune Gerrard has consistently got, is the one involving fans turning against his lack of managerial skills which any football odds today website would have seen coming.
Following an embarrassing heavy 3-0 defeat to Fulham on Thursday evening, whilst Purslow may have still backed his former Liverpool colleague, a reportedly irate Nassef Sawiris forced action and Gerrard’s spell in charge was over before the end of the night.
So this is now familiar turf for Villa, they are on the hunt for a manager once again, but the reality of choices available leaves them in even more of a tighter spot than when they gambled on the former England skipper not even 12 months ago.
Mauricio Pochettino continues to be a favourite. His achievements at Tottenham Hotspur speak for themselves in terms of getting them into the mix, but it took a move to French giants Paris Saint-German before he won the first trophies of his career. Even then it quickly soured and the 50-year-old was dismissed back in July and has been without a club since.
Former Arsenal gaffer Unai Emery will not look back at his time in the English Premier League with many fond memories, but having again tasted good success at Spanish La Liga side Villareal, he was Newcastle United’s first choice to take over from (also former Villa gaffer) Steve Bruce following their Saudi Arabia backed takeover – but Emery personally chose against it.
With success at Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel would be a bold choice by a Villa Board looking to get back on track, but it is believed the 49-year-old German has already turned two firm offers to return to the league so far.
The remaining names in the fray probably do not inspire the vast majority of fans who want proven pedigree and not another hopeful gamble.
Sean Dyche, Thomas Frank, and Michael Beale seem to be the next three favourites, but Beale was on Gerrard’s coaching staff for a good period of time and their down turn did not correspond with his departure.
It could be a long few weeks for fans of the one time European Cup Winners.
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