Aston Villa’s new manager will reportedly be set a target of finishing in the top six.
General view of Villa Park
According to the Birmingham Mail, Aston Villa’s new manager will be handed an immediate target – to finish in the top six of the Championship table this season.
Villa only appointed a new manager over the summer in Roberto Di Matteo, but he was sacked on Monday morning after just 124 days in the Villa Park hot seat.
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The Italian enjoyed just about as much success as Paul Lambert, Tim Sherwood and Remi Garde at Villa Park, as Villa have struggled to find a manager who can rebuild the club.
New owner Tony Xia must now get this appointment right, and all signs are pointing towards Steve Bruce landing the job before Saturday’s local derby with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Former Hull manager Steve Bruce
The 55-year-old, who left Hull City over the summer, may have played for and managed Villa’s fierce rivals Birmingham City, but he’s in line for the job having told Sky Sports earlier today that he has held talks with Villa about replacing Di Matteo.
Should Bruce take the job, he appears to have a very clear target put before him, as the Birmingham Mail report that Villa want their new manager to guide the team to at least a play-off place this season, which may be seen as a little too ambitious by many given the poor start to the campaign.
General view before the game – Villa Park
Currently, Villa sit in 19th place in the Championship table, just two points clear of the relegation zone and already ten points off a play-off place, whilst an automatic promotion spot is 13 points away for Villa.
The alleged target for Villa is far from impossible, but the new manager – whoever it may be – will have to get results quickly to fulfil that goal, with Villa clearly still hoping to return to the Premier League this season, even after such a poor start.
Do you think Villa can finish in the top six this season?
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