Aston Villa have sacked manager Steve Bruce following a disappointing run of results in the Championship.
After defeat in the play-off final last season, hopes were high at the club that Villa could mount another promotion challenge after receiving “significant” funds from investors NSWE over the summer. But the team have been unable to match the pace of the likes of Leeds and Middlesbrough.
Here, Press Association Sport runs through five contenders for the Villa Park hot seat.
Thierry Henry
Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, the billionaires who control NSWE, reportedly wanted Henry this summer, which could indicate they want to put their own stamp on the club. Henry left his lucrative job as a pundit on Sky Sports at the end of last season amid plans to become a manager after earning his stripes at former club Arsenal and, more recently, with Belgium as assistant to Roberto Martinez. The 41-year-old was reportedly set to take his first step in management at Ligue 1 club Bordeaux this summer but that never materialised.
Dean Smith
Smith was one of the favourites for the West Brom job after impressing with Sky Bet Championship side Brentford. The 47-year-old was born in the midlands and enjoyed relative success at Walsall, leading the club to survival after being named successor to Chris Hutchings on a permanent basis in 2011. He guided the Saddlers to a maiden Wembley appearance in the Football League Trophy in 2015 and they were sitting fourth the following season when Brentford came calling. The Bees have finished ninth, 10th and ninth in Smith’s three seasons at Griffin Park and are renowned for playing attractive football.
Andrea Stramaccioni
Reports in Italy last month claimed that the former Inter boss is on Villa’s radar. Stramaccioni is best-known for his mixed time at San Siro, where he impressed while in charge of the club’s youth teams but could not replicate his success with the senior squad. The 42-year-old left Inter after just one season in charge and has since had unsuccessful stints at Udinese, Panathinaikos and Sparta Prague.
Claudio Ranieri
The Italian left Nantes at the end of last season. He continues to hold great respect in the game for his time at Chelsea and guiding Leicester to a remarkable Premier League title success in 2015/2016. While Ranieri’s unique ‘dilly-ding, dilly-dong’ approach would certainly wake up a few of the squad down at Villa Park and endear him to supporters, could the 66-year-old be tempted to test himself in the hustle-and-bustle of the unforgiving Championship?
Mick McCarthy
With Sawiris and Edens seemingly looking to make a high-profile appointment, the 59-year-old Yorkshireman may not be their first choice but he could certainly be what Villa need. McCarthy is ready to take on a fresh challenge after leaving Ipswich shortly before the end of last season. The former Republic of Ireland boss would not be fazed by the expectation at Villa and he has considerable Championship experience, having won the league with both Sunderland (2005) and Wolves (2009).
