STEVES ARE BACK IN THE HOTSEAT...
STEVE Bruce’s return to management at Aston Villa didn’t surprise anyone. Steve McClaren’s link-up with Derby County surprised almost everyone.
Those were the big stories in the Championship during the week – the two experienced Steves rejoining the managerial madhouse.
When the season kicked off in August, who would have even thought that vacancies would crop up so quickly at two of the second tier’s biggest clubs?
After their relegation from the Premier League and under new Chinese owner Dr Tony Xia, Villa plumped for Roberto Di Matteo to take the reins. They gave him cash to spend, lots of it, but results didn’t go their way and a horrible habit of conceding late goals proved costly.
Sacked
With the former European Cup winners languishing 19th in the table following a 2-0 defeat at Preston a couple of weeks ago, former Chelsea boss Di Matteo was sacked after just 11 league games.
Bruce took Hull City up last season – one of four promotions to the top-flight on his CV – before quitting the Tigers over a lack of investment in new players.
A contender for the England job before Sam Allardyce was appointed – whatever happened to him? – he was the obvious candidate to take over at Villa Park despite previously managing their bitter rivals Birmingham City.
Yet Villa fans starved of success in recent times will no doubt quickly warm to him if he can lead a charge up the table.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity,” he said. “It is one of the big clubs of this country. To be given the opportunity to manage it is terrific.
“I relish the challenge of trying to take the club where it wants to go and needs to be – and try to turn around the misfortune we seem to have had over the past few years.
“I am absolutely delighted to have been given the chance. I hope I can do my stuff.”
The 55-year-old has made it clear he thinks Villa can still challenge for the play-offs this term despite their poor start. It’s difficult to argue with him.
Heading into the weekend, they were only ten points off the play-off places – with more than 100 points left to play for.
Villa have got proven goalscorers in Ross McCormack and Jonathan Kodjia and will be hard to stop if they get some momentum going.
Derby, meanwhile, looked as
though they were about to head into a period of stability after a turbulent season when they appointed Nigel Pearson in the summer with Chris Powell assisting him.
However, the Rams got off to a disastrous start to the season and Pearson was axed amid talk of a bust-up with chairman Mel Morris.
Powell took caretaker charge and bagged four points from six, but it wasn’t enough for him to land the job. Instead, Derby turned to former manager Steve McClaren – despite axing him just 17 months previously.
Collapse
Derby had had a late season collapse in 2014-15 and McClaren paid the price. It came after repeated speculation linking him with Newcastle, who he later joined.
"My mistake was not quashing that, not dampening that and not committing," McClaren told BBC Radio
Derby. “That’s my fault and I apologise for that. By the time I committed to the club, the club had every right to sack me.
“From my point view there was sadness, regret and disappointment how it ended the last time.”
With a decent squad to select from, McClaren has every chance of leading Derby on a surge up the table.
Meanwhile, League One side Shrewsbury Town are still looking to fill their managerial vacancy left by the departure of Micky Mellon to National League outfit Tranmere.
The Shrews have had around 100 applications for the post and are planning to make a five-man shortlist. Wolves firstteam coach Rob Edwards is among the favourites, while caretaker boss Danny Coyne remained in charge yesterday.
Mark Venus is still in caretaker charge of League One crisis club Coventry. He won his first two matches, away at Port Vale in the league and at home against Northampton in the EFL Trophy.