Middlesbrough next manager: Ex-Aston Villa boss favourite at Riverside as odds shorten
Aston Villa fans could be set to see a familiar face in the dugout at Middlesbrough as they eye a new head coach.
The Riversiders have been on the lookout for a new manager since parting ways with Michael Carrick on Wednesday (4 June).
This brought to an end a three-year spell in Teeside, where the ex-England international failed to earn promotion to the Premier League.
Now, Boro are searching for a new face in the dugout, and it could be a former Villa Park gaffer who takes over in the coming weeks as odds fall ahead of a busy summer.
Steven Gerrard emerges as Middlesbrough favourite
It is fair to say that the days of the Liverpool legend are long gone, with fans desperate to forget his failings after his move to B6.
This eventually saw him sacked after a 3-0 defeat against Fulham, compounding the issues since switching Rangers for Villa.
Since then, things have only gotten better under the watchful eyes of Unai Emery, who has helped achieve three consecutive years of European qualification.
Things have been very different for Gerrard, who is now unemployed after a failed stint with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.
Five months after departing the Middle East, the Englishman could be set to land a new role in the Championship with Middlesbrough.
The 45-year-old has now emerged as a favourite for the job at 6/5 with William Hill (10 June) ahead of Rob Edwards, who ranks at 15/8.
Former Leicester City boss Steve Cooper is also in the running at 4/1 ahead of the likes of Danny Rohl, Sean Dyche and Tony Mowbray at the Riverside.
Gerrard to land second job since Aston Villa sack
There are very few fans around Villa Park who have any sort of fond memories surrounding the ex-LA Galaxy man and his time in the Midlands.
After suggesting that Chelsea should “wipe the floor” with his side, it was always going to be difficult for him to recover.
| Stat | Steven Gerrard |
| Games | 40 |
| Wins | 13 (33%) |
| Draws | 8 |
| Losses | 19 |
Since then, things haven’t got much better as the head coach’s spell in Saudi Arabia also failed to pull up any trees.
Regardless of this, a move to Middlesbrough now looks to be on the cards as Gerrard could be set to be the replacement for Carrick.
Meanwhile, Villa are preparing for yet another campaign under Emery, with the hope of securing Champions League football once again.