Next Aston Villa Manager Odds: After Unai Emery

Make no mistake about it, Aston Villa are a big club. In fact, we’d go as far as to say they’re one of the biggest clubs in England and, as such, they could have the pull over most managers in the Premier League. One club that should be worried about that very thing is Bournemouth because Andoni Iraola looks like a great fit for Villa and, for Iraola,  Villa would give him a real opportunity to step on a level.

Rewind to last summer and Iraola’s stock was hardly notable. He’d not won silverware of note and had done a decent but far from sensational job at Vallecano. There were question marks over whether Bournemouth had done the right thing.

Nobody is asking that question now. Iraola quickly implemented his style of play on the Cherries with their improved pressing the standout factor; that has developed during his tenure complemented by some good signings and those factors have helped Iraola to a tidy 40% win ratio.

If Villa want to bring in a manager that could tactically advance their club whilst also playing an entertaining style and that boasts English top flight experience then Iraola starts to be a very good fit.

Linking Aston Villa with a move for Ernesto Valverde feels a little bit left-field but stranger things have definitely happened and it doesn’t take much to put together a case for why Valverde would be a great fit for Villa.

Right now, the 61-year-old has the reigns of Bilbao in Spain – a side he’s managed a couple of times previously – which you could put in a similar bracket to Villa in terms of their rank within the league and their overarching ambitions.

Valverde has already achieved one of the big things, which was delivering silverware. He has a track record of doing that at previously clubs too having clinched titles at Barcelona and, less impressively but still relative, Olympiacos.

When you consider the profile of manager Valverde is, both in respect of his journey from a humble start to the heady-heights of a big club in Barca, through to his adaptable tactical approach there are definitely similarities between him and Emery, which may well appeal.

At 44-years-old Nicky Hayen is still a relatively young manager but there is no knocking the varied career he’s had to date and, sooner or later, a bigger club is going to come calling.

Hayen’s story is one of perseverance and battling through adversity, which are two qualities a manager needs whilst his “workaholic” behaviour is another trait any club will love. He’s very much on an upward trajectory too his win ratio at current club, Club Brugge, a personal best at 56%.

When you consider that he’s also guided them to a Belgian title and seen them turn in some impressive displays in the Champions League – including facing Villa three times just this season – there is a lot to like.

With no experience of English football, a Villa move for Hayen could raise eyebrows but it’s the sort of appointment that could turn into a masterstroke too. The biggest risk to not being able to speak to him as a potential manager is that someone else gets there first because big clubs have been muted as possible destinations previously.

This link will surprise a fair few punters but Gareth Southgate’s name is almost certain to feature in any next Aston Villa manager market and, depending on timing, we think it will be a lot shorter in price than many would anticipate.

It’s easy to point the finger at Southgate for failing to get over the line with England, which is what a lot of fans do, but, equally, he achieved more at the helm of the national team than anyone else other than Sir Alf Ramsey has ever done whilst also developing the squad into a place where there was a real togetherness; that is no mean feat and something that footballing hierarchies will rightfully respect.

We are not convinced Southgate would be the go to man for the Aston Villa decision makers but his connection with the club wouldn’t do him any harm in getting a foot in the door for a conversation and, let’s face it, the former centre back has been linked to clubs bigger than Villa over the past year or so.