After their continued failure in front of goal, it appeared only a matter of time before Paul Lambert was removed from his position as Aston Villa manager, and on Wednesday evening, the club's hierarchy finally bowed to pressure from supporters who had been calling for a change in the dugout.
Lambert leaves Villa with the West Midlands outfit in the bottom three and with just one Premier League goal to their name since December 20, but while the club appears to be in dire straits, they only find themselves in the relegation zone on goal difference and still possess a group of players who are arguably more talented than the majority of their rivals.
Below, Sports Mole selects five contenders for the vacant position as Villa try to find the right man to preserve their Premier League status for another season.
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Ever since his departure from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, Tim Sherwood has found himself linked with a number of vacant roles, including the positions at Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion and Queens Park Rangers, but as of yet, he still hasn't signed on the dotted line to confirm his return to the Premier League.
However, as soon as news broke of Lambert's exit, the 46-year-old was installed as the bookmakers' favourite to replace the Scot. It remains to be seen whether that is by default or because owner Randy Lerner has already made an approach, but it's an appointment that would be greeted with open arms by Villa supporters, providing that Sherwood is in it for the long haul.
Sherwood has previously stated that he is looking to take on 'a project', rather than limiting himself to a Premier League role, and if he were brought in and kept Villa up, he would relish the chance to rebuild the club. However, if his wages don't fit in with the club's structure, it remains to be seen whether the two parties would be a suitable fit should Villa drop into the Championship.
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It's been over eight-and-a-half years since Glenn Hoddle was involved in football management, but ever since he became part of the coaching staff at Queens Park Rangers at the start of the season, his name has been linked with a number of roles, including Crystal Palace.
However, after nothing materialised regarding a move to Selhurst Park, he remained at Loftus Road until leaving the club after the exit of Harry Redknapp. That has left the former England and Tottenham Hotspur boss open to offers, and after his odds as a potential successor to Lambert shortened overnight, he appears to be in the running to take over at Villa Park.
Like Sherwood, any appointment and deal might depend on his stance if Villa were relegated from the top flight, but this could provide Hoddle with the perfect setting to return to management. He hasn't managed in the Premier League since 2003 though, which could be a possible stumbling block.
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Despite his only venture into club management being a single season at Bayern Munich, the name of Jurgen Klinsmann has cropped up on many people's shortlists for the position in the West Midlands.
The link is likely to originate from Klinsmann impressing Lerner with his performance with the USA national team, but while it seems improbable that the legendary German striker could end up at Villa, it could hinge on Lerner's own future at the club. He has previously stated that he is looking to sell, but if he performs a U-turn, he may go all out to appoint Klinsmann.
Klinsmann has previously stated that he is committed to the United States until the 2018 World Cup, but if Villa are serious with their reported interest, they may believe that spending big on the 50-year-old may pay off in the long term, and that could be enough to tempt the former Tottenham Hotspur frontman back to England.
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Despite playing his part in turning Brentford into a top-six Championship side in the space of 14 months, reports emerged this week that the Bees may be looking to replace boss Mark Warburton, a move that hasn't gone down well with the club's first-team squad and supporters.
The celebrations that followed Brentford's goal against Watford on Tuesday night showed the togetherness between the players and manager at Griffin Park, but while Warburton is undoubtedly committed to his team, he may have been forced into a position where he needs to look after his own future, and that could make him a candidate for Aston Villa.
With just 60 matches under his belt, Warburton is relatively inexperienced but he has shown enough potential in developing a team that it could be enough to convince the Villa hierarchy that he is the man to take them forward, regardless of whether that is in the Premier League or Championship.
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After a relatively uninspiring spell at Middlesbrough, Gareth Southgate has enhanced his reputation with an impressive spell as manager of the England Under-21 side and it has been enough to make him one of the frontrunners to replace Roy Hodgson as national team boss.
However, his six-year spell as a player at Villa Park means that he will inevitably be talked about as a possible candidate to replace Lambert, and it is likely to provide him with his easiest route back into the Premier League should his long-term ambitions lie in club football.
Villa have a long history of developing players through their academy and that could make Southgate an attractive option for Lerner, but he may be concerned about the former England international's record of just 44 wins in 150 games during his time in club football at the Riverside Stadium.
Darren Plant
