Source: Team_Talk
Villa step up managerial hunt
Aston Villa have issued a statement announcing they are finally set to start interviewing candidates for the managerial vacancy at Villa Park.[LNB] Following Sunday's 1-0 victory over Everton, chief executive Paul Faulkner issued a statement about the search for a new manager on the club's website.[LNB]The statement read: "Following the departure of our manager on August 9, the club was left with very little time to react and to prepare for our opening fixtures.[LNB]"Our first order of business, looking immediately ahead to our games against West Ham, Rapid Vienna, Newcastle and Everton, was to ask Kevin MacDonald to step in as caretaker manager.[LNB]"Kevin has been with Villa for a period stretching back over 15 years, has thorough knowledge of our first team, reserves and youth academy players, as well as strong and well-established working relationships with other key members of our coaching staff.[LNB]"As such, we felt he would provide a critical degree of stability and continuity in a turbulent period and give the team the best opportunity to succeed in these early games.[LNB]"Kevin, Tony McAndrew and many other long-serving members of our club have stepped up selflessly and without hesitation to the task at hand and for this we owe them a huge debt of gratitude.[LNB]"We are conscious that we have steered clear of openly communicating our thoughts on the search for a permanent manager until this time, as we felt that to do so would undermine both Kevin's and the players' efforts to focus on preparing for these games.[LNB]"To date, we have immersed ourselves in the process of appointing a new manager and clearly identifying the key criteria this person must meet.[LNB]"Two of the traits we believe are of crucial importance are that candidates have experience of managing in the Premier League and a strategy for building on the existing strengths in our current squad.[LNB]"We have thoroughly researched potential candidates and have reached out to a variety of contacts we have within the game for advice and guidance, as well as keeping key staff at Villa Park informed and focused.[LNB]"We will now start the process of interviewing candidates we believe meet the key criteria required to manage Aston Villa with a view to making an appointment in the near future.[LNB]"Kevin MacDonald will continue as caretaker manager until that time.[LNB]"Finally, we wish to make clear that our relative inactivity in the transfer market this window in no way reflects a change in direction or dilution of ambition for the club, but rather our reluctance to make decisions on players without a permanent manager in place.[LNB]"We would not expect to make any further statements until such time as we are in position to make a definitive announcement on the managerial situation."
