Aston Villa have sacked Steven Gerrard. Gerrard is the fourth English Premier League Manager to be sacked this season, and his removal comes eighteen days after the last - Bruno Lage at Wolves.
A statement on the club website reads:
Aston Villa Football Club can confirm that Head Coach Steven Gerrard has left the club with immediate effect.
A club spokesman said: “We would like to thank Steven for his hard work and commitment and wish him well for the future.”
The sacking comes after a 3-0 to Fulham left Villa on 9 points after 11 games of the season. The team sits in 17th place in the league, though had they conceded one more goal they would have dropped into the relegation zone and below still manager-less Wolverhampton Wanderers (they remain above them by virtue of having scored two more goals at this point).
In a tenure of just eleven months Gerrard oversaw forty competitive matches and the team won 13 (32.5%), drew 8 (20%), and lost 19 (47.5%).
There has been vocal, and increasing, calls for Gerrard's departure over recent weeks with disappointing results being compounded by a style of play which has been labelled as directionless, muddled, confused, and lack-lustre.
Even where play has been high-tempo and crisp - as against Chelsea - a lack of end product has undercut the performance. In four games through October to-date Aston Villa have scored one goal, while they have conceded six.
Discussion of the pressure Gerrard may be under had been rife, with suggestions that he had up until the World Cup season break to turn things around. This would have given him another four league matches and a League Cup match. Part of the suspicion that a parting of the ways may be in the works seems to stem from a recent allotment of shares which appear to have a value similar to an expected severance package for Steven's remaining contract period.
Neither of these, nor even the loss to Fulham led anyone to expect the nature of Gerrard's sacking. The game ended and, in his post match interview, Gerrard stated that he would not quit. A little over an hour later it was announced he had been fired. It's not known if Gerrard boarded the team bus for the return trip to the Midlands, if he did that will have been a very uncomfortable atmosphere.
Most terminations take place the morning after a game, or later on in the day for an earlier match. For it to occur so swiftly after the end of an evening match suggests a high level of frustration in the executive suite. It's possible that the manner of the defeat was instrumental in the swiftness of the firing. The terseness of the parting comment on the club website adds to the picture of this being a swift decision made on the basis of what transpired on the pitch.
This set of EPL mid-week games have been closely fought. There have been a couple of 0-0 draws, a bunch of 1-0 games, and a few with 2-0 or 2-1 scorelines. Only Villa conceded three goals. One of those was a penalty, another an own goal; and they had a player sent off.
It could be that the nature of Gerrard's departure can be laid at the feet of the players on the pitch, but the position that he was in to be fired, that comes down to the job he has done. Tactically Aston Villa have been poor for some time. Last season's survival was not meant to be followed by a second season of rooting around in the basement of the league.
As a note I'll point out that I'm a supporter of Aston Villa, and had high hopes for Steven Gerrard's tenure, even as I felt that Dean Smith deserved longer to turn things round than he received. It's my belief that Smith brought Villa back up from the Championship a year earlier than anticipated and with a squad which then struggled to match the quality it found itself playing against. A little more time may have allowed the childhood Villa fan to get things back on an even keel.
Gerrard's appointment was meant, according to many, to be a stepping stone. Having achieved success in the Scottish Premiership with Rangers it was thought that awakening a slumbering giant of English footballing history would add EPL experience to SPL success, and make Gerrard a natural successor to Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool. He may yet end up managing his first love, and only European club, but it wont be on the back of managing Aston Villa.
Without some serious developmental work on his tactical nous, it's difficult to see it happening at all.
With Gerrard gone 20% of EPL clubs have sacked their manager this season. Bournemouth's early strike of Scott Parker has seen them move to mid-table stability. Chelsea's unexpected move has been even more beneficial, they are now in the top four. Wolves are still suffering, and that appears to be a function of not having lined up a replacement before taking action.
What is in store for Aston Villa? It is to be hoped (as a fan) that the swiftness of the decision to fire Gerrard means the club have a replacement not only in mind, but in a position to hold immediate and serious discussions. Allowing the club to drift, rudderless, for a few weeks could very well keep us in the position we find ourselves now, and make recovery difficult.
There has been discussion that Mauricio Pochettino would be an ideal choice, and even rumour that he has been contacted. My belief is he has decided to await the World Cup before making any decisions about accepting a new club. If he is tempted, would he be a good fit? While trophies are the ultimate balance sheet a manager is judged by, I'd certainly accept the close misses he achieved at Spurs.
Others who may be in the frame are Thomas Tuchel, Sean Dyche, and Unai Emery. The first two are currently without clubs, the last is at Villareal who sit ninth in La Liga after ten games.
Of these three, I think Sean Dyche may be a good choice. After his good work at a financially constrained Burnley side it would be interesting to see what he can accomplish with more funds available.
Of managers in danger of being next, it has to be thought that Leicester's Brendan Rogers is the main one. Yesterday's 2-0 win against Leeds still sees them in nineteenth. Frank Lampard at Everton and David Moyes at West Ham must also remain in the frame.
I anticipate at least one more sacking before the league pauses on November 13.
