Aston Villa former defender named odds-on favourite to be new Middlesbrough manager
Aston Villa have gone from strength to strength as a club in the last few years under the guidance of Unai Emery.
The Villans had been struggling in the Premier League under Steven Gerrard in 2022, but the Spanish boss has completely turned their fortunes around since stepping into the Villa Park dugout.
The second city outfit hadn’t recorded a top-half finish since their promotion from the Championship in 2019, but the former Arsenal chief has transformed them into a club who are capable of finishing in the Champions League places.
Emery’s success means the Championship is now a distant memory in B6, with Villa firmly back on the European map.
Former Villa defender favourite could take over at Middlesbrough
Emery’s success in recent years has seen Villa make rapid progress as a club, and has brought in a new era where the club are regularly competing with some of the continent’s biggest clubs.
However, a figure from their past could be about to make his return to management.
Middlesbrough have parted company with their boss, Michael Carrick, with former Villa defender Rob Edwards currently in pole position to take on the job.
| Season | 2002/03 |
| Apps | 8 |
| Starts | 7 |
| Goals | – |
| Assists | – |
Edwards came through the academy at Villa and went on to make eight appearances for his boyhood club, before later enjoying stints with the likes of Wolves and Blackpool.
The 42-year-old received plenty of plaudits when his Luton Town side fought bravely against relegation in their short stay in the top flight, and is now the odds-on 8/13 favourite to take the reins at the Riverside, according to BetVictor (4 June).
Edwards’ career has tailed off since his Premier League stint
There was a time when Edwards was being touted for big jobs, during his spell in the Premier League with Luton.
The former Watford boss managed to prolong the Hatters’ survival fight until the final day of the 2023/24 season, despite them being hugely unfancied at the start of the season.
Edwards’ exploits at Kenilworth Road saw him earmarked as one of the country’s brightest young coaches, which would have made a move to a club akin to Villa’s level the logical next step.
He also received plenty of praise for the leadership and humility he showed on several occasions when handling the tragic situation of his captain, Tom Lockyer.
For all his successes with the Bedfordshire outfit, Edwards was dismissed earlier this season, after his side made a poor start to the Championship campaign. They have since been relegated into League One, while Edwards’ hunt for his next job looks as though it could be nearing its close.