Aston Villa pin hopes on Dean Smith as manager search ‘concludes’

After a rough few days in Aston Villa’s search for a new manager to succeed Steve Bruce, it seems the club have finally ironed out a final candidate and are ready to thrash out a deal to see an end to the club’s current saga.

If all is well, and all is to be believed then it is now apparent that Dean Smith of Brentford FC, will take over managerial duties at Aston Villa. The Telegraph are running with the story that it could happen within 24 hours. It’s still not a given at this stage whether Smith, a life-long Villa fan, will walk away from his project at Brentford. After all, it was only a few days ago that Thierry Henry was a ‘lock’ for the vacant role at AVFC. Anything can happen. Anything will happen.

However, Smith now seems like a firm-favourite, and one worth backing. Of course, he’s a life-long Villa nut - but he’s a smart and incredibly savvy manager. While many will note that Brentford are the product of a system and not of a manager - they have still benefited from Smith’s input. What’s more, he still impressed at Walsall - without Brentford’s system. The Aston Villa role is a naturally step up for Smith, and while there are many that will deem it as a move too soon for Smith. There’s no time like the present, though.

Dean Smith has built entertaining sides twice in a row now, and will have a squad in place for him to rely on dominance and attacking intent. If he takes the Villa job, he’ll have every chance to succeed. While it might not be the instant fix that a Marcelo Bielsa would seem to promise (and deliver), it should be enough for Villa to start moving forward.

The job, however, still has to be accepted by Smith. The last two favourites seemed to turn it down or walk away before things got interesting...