SOCCER:RANDY LERNER, the Aston Villa owner, has arrived in Britain to finalise the appointment of Gerard Houllier's successor as manager, with Steve McClaren among the frontrunners for the job. The billionaire's brief for the week is expected also to include the sale of Ashley Young to Manchester United for an initial fee of €18 million.
Lerner flew to Birmingham yesterday to draw up a shortlist for the managerial vacancy, with the club’s chief executive, Paul Faulkner. They are seeking an appointment with Premier League experience – a stance that discounts the former Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard – and want the new man in place by the end of next week as they look to avoid the problems caused by Martin O’Neill’s departure five days before the start of last season.
The hierarchy hope to begin the interview process by the end of this week, although it is understood Villa have sounded out several candidates.
One who is keen to return to the Premier League with Villa is the former England manager McClaren.
Owen Coyle, the Bolton Wanderers manager, Wigan Athletic’s Roberto Martinez and David Moyes, the Everton manager who has been linked with the midlands club for several months, are all believed to appeal to the owner but prising any from their employers would be a complicated and expensive affair.
Moyes has said he is not interested, while Wigan are to offer Martinez a new long-term contract. The Wigan owner, Dave Whelan, has said the Spaniard, who kept the Latics in the Premier League while reducing the club’s wage bill, will not leave this summer, although Martinez’s deal has only 12 months remaining.
Recently-sacked Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti would have been favourite but for his decision to take a 12-month sabbatical.
Lerner was unimpressed by Mark Hughes’s abrupt exit from Fulham and Martin Jol, another early candidate, has now replaced the former Manchester City manager at Craven Cottage.
McClaren endured a miserable 17-month spell in charge of England having guided Middlesbrough to League Cup success and the Uefa Cup final. His reputation was repaired in the Netherlands where he guided FC Twente to the first league title in their history but his subsequent move to the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg ended in the sack in February. He last worked in the Premier League five years ago but Lerner is expected to give the 50-year-old the opportunity to press his claims.
Whoever lands the Villa job will have to cope without Young, albeit with his transfer budget swelled by the imminent departure of the England international to Old Trafford. Young claimed after scoring in England’s European Championship qualifier against Switzerland on Saturday that he would discuss his future with Lerner this week. However, no such meeting is planned, with Villa resigned to the forward’s determination to join the Premier League champions.
GuardianService
