Last night came the rumours that former Arsenal striker, and world football superstar, Thierry Henry was being considered for the Aston Villa job – even though that’s still in Steve Bruce’s hands.
The length that Bruce stays Villa boss is a tenuous one, as it is thought that new majority shareholders Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens remain unconvinced that he is the man to take Villa forward. To that end, they are looking at Henry to provide some va-va-voom to the Villa.
Earlier ‘interest’ from the former Arsenal striker has now been firmed up according to David Woods, Chief Football Writer for the Daily Star. Woods writes that Henry “has agreed to become Aston Villa’s new manager,” in an article that broke late Monday evening.
Woods goes on to say in the latter part of his article that a source “close to the takeover negotiations” admitted to the Daily Star’s Starsport that Henry has “verbally agreed” to sign on as the new boss at Villa Park. All that apparently stands in the way of appointing Henry to the role is the negotiation of a suitable severance package for Bruce.
Speaking to Express Sport on what would face Henry, should he become Villa boss, Ian Holloway refined it down to one thing – pressure. Holloway said of Henry: “He will be under pressure straight away. Aston Villa want to be in the Premier League. Their supporters believe that’s where they should be.”
Mentioning pressures away from the playing side of affairs, Holloway stated: “Just looking at the press over recent weeks, their chairman has openly said that they are going to have restrictions put on them because they needed to go up.” Here Holloway is referring perhaps to the threat of possibly skirting the FFP regulations – with the EFL already thought to have met with the club as per The Express and Star.
Holloway also ponders on the patience that Villa might struggle with should Henry not be instantly successful, especially as the Premier League parachute money will stop after this season. To this end the former Blackpool and QPR manager said: “Can Thierry [get promoted] in his first season? And will he get longer than one year? That’s what you’ve got to ask yourself. You’re always getting ‘sacked in the morning’ Literally, you might be.”
