BRUCE LINED UP BY AMBITIOUS VILLA
HE GUIDED Hull City to promotion to the Premier League last term – and Steve Bruce looks likely to get the chance to repeat the feat at Aston Villa this time around. Roberto Di Matteo’s shortlived Villa reign came to an end last Monday, with the Midlanders in a lowly 19th place in the Championship following a 2-0 defeat at Preston. That was not good enough for chairman Dr Tony Xia, especially after splashing millions in the transfer market. Now the task is to bring in a manager who can turn Villa’s fortunes around and get them climbing the table.
Bruce, 55, clearly fits the bill, having won promotion to the top-flight four times as a manager and has held talks with Villa. It would be no great surprise if they appointed him before next Saturday’s home derby against Wolves.
Di Matteo’s assistant Steve Clarke is currently in caretaker charge.
Suspended
Another Championship club looking for a new manager are Derby County, who announced yesterday that Nigel Pearson had left by ‘mutual consent’ after less than five months in charge. The news came as no great surprise as Pearson had been suspended by the Rams the previous week after a reported bust-up with chairman Mel Morris, and assistant manager Chris Powell had been in charge for the last two matches.
In a statement issued through the League Managers Association, Pearson said: “Although disappointed that my tenure at Derby County has come to an abrupt and premature end, I would like to take the opportunity to thank my colleagues who supported me during my short time at the club.
“I was suspended by the club last week. The
speculation in some areas of the media has not made the separation a smooth one, and my suspension period has been difficult for both myself and family.
Difficult
“I can confirm that I have not been made the subject of any disciplinary action. I leave in the knowledge that I have, together with my closest staff, strived to achieve progress.” Former Charlton boss Powell is a front-runner to land the job. “The board of Derby County will now turn their attention to appointing a new manager as soon as possible and expect to announce a successor in a timely fashion,” said the Rams. On another busy week of managerial moves, Micky Mellon left League One outfit Shrewsbury Town by mutual consent on Thursday morning and dropped down two divisions to join National League outfit, Tranmere Rovers, where he had previously been a player.