The former Brighton & Hove Albion assistant manager looks set to join Aston Villa.
Former Brighton & Hove Albion defender turned Football League pundit Adam Virgo has slammed Colin Calderwood over his decision to quit the club, reportedly for Aston Villa.
Villa have been seeking a new assistant manager since Steve Bruce’s appointment in October and appear to have settled on Calderwood – a former player at Villa Park – despite holding two interviews with ex-Cardiff City boss Paul Trollope, reports the Telegraph.
Calderwood’s exit ironically comes less than 24 hours before Brighton host the Villans at the Amex Stadium, and Virgo is not at all impressed by the Scot’s actions.
“People question loyalty of players. It’s in all aspects of the game as Colin Calderwood decides to move on to Aston Villa,” wrote the Brighton-born 33-year-old on Twitter.
“In the bigger picture can’t see this being a massive loss for Brighton. I am sure there are plenty of candidates to take on his role.”
Calderwood’s exit brings to an end a seven-year spell as Hughton’s assistant at a string of clubs, including Championship promotion rivals Newcastle United and Norwich City and Villa’s neighbours Birmingham City.
The 51-year-old’s first encounter with Hughton came during playing spell at Tottenham Hotspur in the mid-1990s, when the Brighton boss was coaching at White Hart Lane.
The second-placed Seagulls are currently 13 points and 12 places worse off than Villa, who are, however, unbeaten under Bruce, winning three and drawing two of their five fixtures.
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