The Sports Buff ⚽️ ⚾️ 🏈

After Aston Villa, who are now on a five game losing streak , sacked the popular Dean Smith, a life long Villa fan, the team here at The Sports Buff look at three men who could take the helm at Villa Park

(Favourite) Frank Lampard

Media reports will say that Denmark national coach Kasper Hjulmand is the favourite for the job at Villa Park.

This report is stemmed from Villas Danish connections at board level (Johan Lange). The team here at The Sports Buff hopes that kind of thinking doesn’t happen.

Hjumland’s Denmark did impress of course in Euro2020/1, but the 49-year old hasn’t managed outside his homeland, for that reason a massive risk.

We think Frank Lampard should be given the job. Unproven at Premier League level arguably, yes but the Chelsea legend didn’t do that bad at Stamford Bridge as some want to think.

Currently an injury hit squad, and with the former Chelsea managers Premier League experience, The Villains board should give super Frank a call!

The former West Ham and Chelsea midfielder we feel will suit the project for Aston Villa. Young, hungry and his teams play good football.

Midcard (Paulo Fonseca)

Former Shaktar Donetsk and Roma manager Paulo Fonseca has been a man in demand this summer by a couple of Premier League teams.

First came the approach by Tottenham for the 48-year old and Fonseca would have been in the Spurs dugout if it wasn’t for the circus that surrounded the news.

Newcastle were an option too, after The Magpies sacked Steve Bruce, but again Portuguese manager Fonseca was snubbed.

A Europa League semi-finalist with Roma and a would have been finalist if it wasn’t for David DeGea’s heroics in the second leg at the Stadio Olympico.

Paulo Fonseca’s sides play good football, surely Eden’s and co should consider him?

The outsider (Reuben Amorim)

Former Benfica midfielder and current Sporting Lisbon manager Reuben Amorim is arguably Portugal’s answer to Julien Nagelsman.

Quite a comparison some may say, but the former Portugal international, who was team mates of a certain CR7 in the 2014 World Cup, did lead Portugal’s capital club to the Primera Liga title after a 19 year wait.

To further highlight an impressive achievement, 36-year old Amorim did this with his Sporting Lisbon side remaining unbeaten last season.

An honourable mention must go to Lucien Favre for the Villa job , but the former Dortmund manager’s lack of Premier League experience will count against him no doubt.

Hopefully for Dean Smith’s sake he will be back in management soon as he’s been tipped to get the Norwich managers job, ahead of Frank Lampard.

Personally we think Villa’s owners Nassef Sawiris Wes Eden’s got it wrong by sacking the former Brentford manager Dean Smith, but that’s what Chelsea fans said about Lampard, when he was replaced by Thomas Thomas Tuchel. We all know what happened there.

Here’s to hoping Villa get their equivalent of Thomas Tuchel.