Lee Johnson Turns Down Aston Villa Role
By Josh Tonti
Bristol City boss Lee Johnson turns away interest in the Aston Villa managerial vacancy.
Thirty-five year old manager Lee Johnson confirms he has no interest in taking the reigns at Aston Villa Football Club. He stated his happiness at Bristol City as one of the reasons for not considering the position.
A list of ten names remain the potential future managers of Aston Villa, and it is understood Lee Johnson was on that list. Other names on the list include Huddersfield Town’s David Wagner, Burnley’s Sean Dyche, and Steve Bruce, the betting line favorite.
Because the club are still in an exploratory phase of vetting managers, it is possible caretaker manager Steve Clarke could be left in charge for the first game after the break–a home match-up with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
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A common theme in this managerial search seems to be the rift between experience and youth. A number of pundits and fans clamor for the right experienced manager to right the ship at Aston Villa.
These experienced managers include names such as: Steve Bruce, Sam Allardyce, and Glenn Hoddle. This might seem like the right course of action, but it is never so simple. Roberto Di Matteo was an experienced manager–someone who understood the action of the Championship, Champions League, and Premier League.
However, his era didn’t work out so well, as evidenced by his sacking eleven league matches into the season.
The right manager for Aston Villa won’t have a certain age requirement. The right manager doesn’t have to have been promoted in previous Championship campaigns; Lee Johnson and David Wagner are examples of this. The right manager for Aston Villa requires a detailed, tactical acumen capable of getting the most out of this talented (albeit, unbalanced) squad.
Someone who favors youth and is willing to build for the long-term is what the club needs. The wide net of candidates affords Dr. Tony Xia an innumerable selection from which to choose from.