It is understood that Tim Sherwood is the only current contender to succeed the sacked Paul Lambert as manager of Aston Villa.
Lambert’s 32-month spell at the helm of the Midlands giants came to an end during the week, following a 2-0 defeat at Hull City which plunged his side into the bottom three of the Premier League. It has been an utterly horrendous season for the club, who have been flirting with relegation in each of the past three years, and the dismissal of the Scot was not entirely surprising.
It is believed Randy Lerner is keen to make a permanent appointment as soon as possible, and certainly in time for next weekend when their league campaign resumes with the visit of Stoke City. According to reports, Sherwood is the frontrunner for the position, and The Independent claim the 46-year-old is the only potential suitor the club have spoken to since Lambert’s departure.
The former Blackburn Rovers captain has been out of work since being sacked – harshly, some would say – by Tottenham Hotspur at the end of last season, although he has been interviewed for a number of posts in the intervening period. Sherwood is eager to get back into the game, but is holding out for a club which will present him with a long-term project rather than a short spell.
Villa would certainly fall into this category, and it is clear that Lerner was prepared to give Lambert as much time as possible to mould the team into his style before it became apparent that urgent action was required. Sherwood’s first objective would of course be to keep the club in the Premier League, no easy task considering their current position and return of just 12 goals all season.
