I want to start by wishing Gerard Houllier all the best for the future. We weren’t the right club for him and he wasn’t the right manager for us but I hold no grudges and so we move on.
So the speculation starts here, who will the next boss be?
Hopefully this article will be your guide to the main contenders, though feel free to throw more names our way using the comments box below.
Please note the names below are the favourites on Sky Bet at time of writing.
Mark Hughes
Profile: Hughes cut his managerial teeth as Wales Manager having enjoyed a successful playing career at the likes of Manchester United and Barcelona.
After five years as Wales boss he accepted the challenge of taking over at Ewood Park, as a former Blackburn player it proved a popular move with the fans taking them to the FA Cup Semi Finals for the first time in 40 years.
Four years later he became Man City manager, his first game in charge was a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Villa days before multi-billionaire owners took over at the City of Manchester Stadium. Hughes signed Gareth Barry and Carlos Tevez in preparation for the 2009/10 season before being sacked on the 19th December.
He is currently the Fulham boss and has just guided them to a 8th place finish.
Achievements: Top Six finish at Blackburn and Europa League qualification as Fulham boss.
Win Percentage: 42%
Sky Bet Odds: 4/7
David Moyes
Profile: Moyes began his managerial career in January 1998 when he took the helm at Preston North End. He spent 4 years at the Lancashire club winning the Division 2 (League One) title and losing a Division 1 (Championship) play-off final in 2001.
In 2002 he took the reigns at Everton following the departure of Walter Smith. And within 30 seconds of his first game in charge, former Villa player (and the term is used loosely) David Unsworth scored.
Under his leadership Everton have been consistently placed amongst the Premiership’s big boys at the end of the season with several top six finishes, made even more impressive by the distinct lack of funds for transfers available to Moyes.
Moyes has supposedly ruled himself out of the running though his quotes have done little to deter people from having a flutter on him.
Achievements: League One winner (2000) as Preston boss, FA Cup finalist and Top Six finishes as Everton Manager.
Win Percentage: 43%
Sky Bet odds: 5/1
Carlo Ancelotti
Profile: The former Italian international started his career in management in 1995 when he took over at Reggiana, guiding them to promotion to the Serie A before accepted an offer to take charge at Parma.
He spent two years at Parma, overseeing a 2nd and 5th place finish before moving to Juventus where he enjoyed two more 2nd place finishes.
His stock had risen and it wasn’t long before AC Milan approached him, becoming their Manager in 2001. He spent just under 8 years at the club winning the Champions League twice and Serie A once amongst several other trophies.
He spent two years in charge of Chelsea, winning the League title and FA Cup in his first year and finishing runners up in year two before being surprisingly/unsurprisingly (depending on your train of thought) sacked by Roman Abramovich.
Ancelotti is top of Lerner’s shortlist according to a report in the Birmingham Mail.
Achievements: One Serie A title and two Champions League wins as AC Milan boss, One Premiership Title and FA Cup as Chelsea manager.
Win Percentage: 55%
Sky Bet odds: 6/1
Steve McClaren
Profile: McClaren worked with Sir Alex Ferguson as his number two in 1999 till 2001, a period that saw Manchester United enjoy the now infamous treble.
He left to takeover at Middlesborough and enjoyed considerable success, winning the League Cup in 2004 and reaching the UEFA Cup final in 2006 before stepping up from Assistant to Manager of England.
His time as England boss was miserable and reminiscent of Graham Taylor’s tenure. The side failed to reach the 2008 European Championships and McClaren was sacked.
Inspired by former England gaffer Sir Bobby Robson, McClaren accepted a role abroad in an attempt to rebuild his reputation, now in tatters. And despite the dutch accent he had a brilliant time at FC Twente winning the Eredivisie in 2010 before joining Wolfsburg. His time in Germany was short, departing after just 21 games.
Achievements: One League Cup and Runners Up in UEFA Cup with Middlesborough. Dutch League Champions with FC Twente.
Win Percentage: 44%
Sky Bet odds: 7/2
Roberto Martinez
Profile: Martinez is still relatively new to the management game, having started his career in 2007.
He was Swansea manager for two full seasons enjoying promotion in 2008 when he lead the side to the League One title. And 2009 saw him linked to Celtic Park before he opted to join his former club Wigan as Manager.
The move proved unpopular with Swansea fans who stated he had previously said he would only leave the club if he was forced out.
His first game in charge of Wigan was a 2-0 win over Villa. He oversaw a 16th place finish, although the side suffered a 9-1 defeat to Tottenham and 8-0 to Chelsea along the way.
His second season in charge saw Wigan adopt a very exciting style of play but unfortunately results remained disappointing though he was able to once again keep the side in the Premier League beating the drop for a second year running.
Achievements: League Two title with Swansea.
Win Percentage: 40%
Sky Bet odds: 11/2
The Rest
Rafa Benitez – Former Liverpool boss and Champions League winner is not too popular with the Villa faithful but is tipped by the bookies to be in the running.
Sky Bet odds: 5/1
Martin Jol – One of the fan favourites for the role. Former Spurs and Ajax boss is currently unemployed and obviously has Premiership experience.
Sky Bet odds: 12/1
Gary McAllister – Houllier’s right hand man oversaw our decent end to the season but has very little Managerial experience, the bookies are surely just putting two and two together?
Sky Bet odds: 12/1
Walter Smith – Has just left Rangers and is said to be looking for work. Was Everton manager but not been in Premiership now for a decade!
Sky Bet odds: 20/1
Kevin McDonald – Great win over West Ham as caretaker boss but the hammering at Newcastle surely means he won’t be offered the role permenantly.
Sky Bet Odds: 25/1
Alan Curbishley – Ex-Villa player, one of those managers who is linked to every job going so this can perhaps be taken with a pinch of salt.
Sky Bet Odds: 25/1
No links to Bob Bradley as yet!!
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