Following six straight Premier League defeats, Tim Sherwood was relieved of his duties as manager of Aston Villa at the weekend.
It seemed that Remi Garde had been lined up to fill the void, but a report this morning has suggested that the move for the Frenchman has hit a snag because of a dispute over backroom staff.
With that in mind, Sports Mole has picked out five alternative options in case the deal to take Garde to Villa Park cannot be resurrected.
1. David Moyes
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The Scot's Real Sociedad may have defeated Levante 4-0 at the weekend, but the truth is that supporters seem to have lost patience with Moyes and his style of play. La Real have spent much of the campaign in La Liga's relegation zone, having won only two of their nine outings.
In Villa, Moyes would find a similar situation to the one that he inherited at Everton in 2002 and the job that he carried out at Goodison Park could well appeal to the Birmingham club's hierarchy. His reputation was battered by what unfolded during his ill-fated 10-month spell in charge of Manchester United, but enough water has passed under the bridge for the 52-year-old to now return to these shores.
2. Gus Poyet
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The former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder was not actually a major success at Sunderland, but then in fairness, who has been since Peter Reid? It is also worth noting that Poyet did pull of a minor miracle when he guided the Black Cats to safety towards the end of the 2013-14 campaign.
He also did well at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Championship, but perhaps the most attractive thing about the 46-year-old is the fact that he is out of work. With Villa owner Randy Lerner having tightened the purse strings, the fact that no compensation would have to be paid to secure the Uruguayan is likely to work in his favour.
3. Brendan Rodgers
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Another manager currently out of work is Rodgers, who was sacked earlier this month by Liverpool after just over three years at the Anfield helm. The Northern Irishman was agonisingly close to guiding the Merseysiders to the Premier League title in 2014, but after that his stint hit a downward spiral.
There is a suggestion that this particular post will have become available a little too soon, with the 42-year-old known to be keen to take a short break from the game. Also, having managed a club of the stature of Liverpool, he may have loftier ambitions. Nevertheless, with football management a notoriously difficult industry to get back into once you're on the outside, Rodgers may be open to offers.
4. Nigel Pearson
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Like Poyet on Wearside 12 months earlier, Pearson worked wonders to keep Leicester City in the Premier League last season. Yet, for all his good work, he was involved in a number of controversies involving fans, referees and journalists - something that he ultimately paid for with his job in the summer.
There are good points to the 52-year-old's fiery character, though. He has the ability to unite a dressing room by installing a 'them versus us' mentality. At present Villa look like relegation certainties, so a man of Pearson's capabilities and determination could be just what is needed to steady a sinking ship.
5. Bob Bradley
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Currently in charge of Norwegian outfit Stabaek, Bradley has made no secret of his desire to manage in the Premier League. Reports suggested that he recently held discussions with Sunderland over their vacancy prior to the arrival of Sam Allardyce.
The 57-year-old American recently claimed that he was not waiting by the phone for Villa to call, but with the Norwegian season having just two games left to play, he could find that his services are in demand. He already has a connection with Villa of sorts, with his son Bradley having spent time on loan with the club during the 2010-11 campaign.
