Ex-Aston Villa striker Tony Cascarino has urged the club to take a leaf out of Leeds United’s book in their search for a new manager.
Writing in the Times, the pundit explained why Villa should be bold by appointing Thierry Henry as their new manager with John Terry as his number two.
The Frenchman is the favourite for the post and Cascarino is convinced the Midlands giants can follow the path set by Wolves and Leeds if they make a left-field move.
“A Henry and Terry partnership would be a gamble but it is one from the left-field that could inspire the players and galvanise everyone involved with the club,” wrote Cascarino in the Times.
“Wolverhampton Wanderers last season and Leeds United this year have shown a new trend for managerial appointments in the Championship. Nuno Espírito Santo and Marcelo Bielsa, respectively, have brought fresh approaches and a change of style to two big clubs who were in need of a lift.
“It worked for Wolves and it seems to be doing the same for Leeds. If Henry and Terry do not have the same effect, then Villa can sack them — managers lose their jobs all the time these days — but at least they will have been bold and tried something different. Two big names like this will, at the least, get the fans excited again after a tough few years.”
OPINION
Appointing Henry and Terry as a managerial double act would certainly come with a degree of risk, but, then, Steve Bruce was as close to a certainty in the Championship as anyone other than perhaps Neil Warnock. The success of Nuno at Wolves was helped by some ambitious and shrewd transfer moves but the manner in which the Portugese’s team has taken the Premier League by storm demonstrates that he is a top-quality coach who can adapt and thrive. Bielsa has also made a huge impact in the Championship after transforming the team that finished 13th last season into automatic promotion hopefuls. Unlike Wolves, Leeds have become the real deal through work done predominantly on the training ground. Bielsa’s methods are starting to pay off to such an extent that it would now be a surprise if United don’t at least finish in the top six. Villa would certainly settle for that from their manager.