Collymore wants Mauricio Pochettino if Aston Villa sack Steven Gerrard

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Stan Collymore has told the Sunday People (16/10; page 62) that he has been disappointed with Steven Gerrard, and would want Mauricio Pochettino as manager should Aston Villa decide to make a change.

Gerrard is coming under real pressure right now. Villa are two places and two points above the bottom three. They have also only won one of their last seven games in the Premier League.

Not only have results been disappointing, but the performances have been underwhelming also. Villa boast a number of amazing attacking players, including Philippe Coutinho, Emi Buendia, Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins.

Collymore wants Mauricio Pochettino at Aston Villa if Gerrard goes

Only Wolves have scored fewer goals so far. And with that, it appears that some Aston Villa fans are starting to wonder if a new manager is needed.

Collymore believes that a change could take place in the coming months if results do not turn around. And he named the person who he would love to see get the role if Gerrard does leave at any stage.

“If they’re still averaging the same number of points in the weeks after the World Cup as they are now, then the powers that be will have to look at a change,” he told the Sunday People (16/10; page 62).

“My preferred candidate would be Mauricio Pochettino – I’d love to see Villa getting him and his staff in and allowing them to put in place the same kind of building blocks Eddie Howe is putting in at Newcastle.”

The gap in the Premier League fixture list for the World Cup is going to be a nervy time for many managers. Clubs will have plenty of time to make big decisions.

Replacing a boss may be much easier at that time. And for some sides, they may feel that it represents their best opportunity to make a change ahead of the second-half of the season.

And the presence of Pochettino on the market may not help either. He remains unattached after leaving Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season. And of course, he has previously done a brilliant job in the Premier League.

As Collymore suggests, Pochettino loves developing a project. Both Southampton and Tottenham were left in a better place than when he found them.

Villa have huge potential if things click into place. Gerrard will believe that he is the right man to take them forward. But clearly, he has a big point to prove.