Former Aston Villa striker Dwight Yorke has thrown his hat into the mix after insisting he can lead the club back to the Premier League next season.
Although Remi Garde remains in the job currently, the Frenchman’s inability to guide the club out of the relegation zone since taking charge last year has led to criticism and doubts being cast over his future.
With eight games remaining in the campaign, Villa sit bottom of the standings and are nine points adrift of safety as they appear consigned to the drop.
In turn, Yorke has revealed his disappointment over the lack of fight that the players, and particularly the manager, have shown, and is keen to stamp his mark at the club where he enjoyed several years of great success and memorable moments.
“If that vacancy comes up, there is no question I’ll be [putting forward] my name and trying to get in there as a manager,” he told talkSPORT, as reported by the Birmingham Mail.
“I do love the club, I understand the club and with my experience and a team I can put together to try and bring Aston Villa back. It’s something that I am passionate about.”
“I would be lying to you guys if I said I wasn’t interested in the job. I respect the manager in the position at this point in time but in terms of passion – yes. Aston Villa is a club I spent ten years at. I understand the club, the fans have been great. It’s where it all started for me in the first place.”
Yorke enjoyed a stellar playing career in England, scoring 73 goals in just over 200 league appearances for Villa before joining Manchester United in 1998.
As he went on to collect a significant haul of silverware with the Red Devils, he had an opportunity to work under Sir Alex Ferguson, and that experience will undoubtedly help him in his bid to carve out a successful career on the bench.
Having moved into punditry in recent years and with a lack of experience as a head coach, it remains to be seen firstly whether or not Villa opt to make a change to replace Garde, and if so, if they would consider Yorke as a viable candidate.
Nevertheless, the former Trinidad and Tobago international is right in terms of not lacking the passion required for the job, and Villa fans would arguably welcome his return provided that the coaching staff around him enables him to get the best out of the players on a weekly basis.