Manager for next season

[damon loves JT]

Clarke will be the one who deals with any truculence or insubordination in the dressing room, and I am happy about that.

[PeterWithesShin]

Happy enough with RDM, delighted if it's Clarke as assistant.

[cheadlevilla]

it feels promising to me too

[Ian.]

Excellent news. Well pleased with Clarke as an assistant too.

[footyskillz]

Nothing on ssn maybe waiting till 2pm to annnounce on headlines.  BBC wanted to get the announcement in early. Perhaps this is how it is now on lower league not premier league not as much fanfare  though the villa take over was pretty big on sky sports wonder why they aren't doing the reveal and bbc have announced ahead of even offivak site

[LeeS]

This is good news. Very good news indeed. Time to put all the shit of the last 5 years behind us and kick some Championship ass.

[cdbearsfan]

Benvenuto Roberto and Steve.

[Hookeysmith]

Are we in danger of everything being as it said it would be

RDM was mentioned as soon as Tony X rocked up - and after loads of toing and froing with emotional outpourings of doom and gloom (Mine as well) it comes to fruition

Tony X - I have the money
Tony x - I will spend big

let it be so....................

[Toronto Villa]

Roberto di Matteo named Aston Villa manager - Steve Clarke as assistant
   
By Pat Murphy
BBC Radio 5 live
27 minutes ago From the section Football  31



Former Chelsea manager Roberto di Matteo has been appointed the new manager of Aston Villa.

The Italian succeeds Remi Garde, who was sacked in March before the club's relegation from the Premier League.

Di Matteo, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2012, will be assisted by former Blues team-mate Steve Clarke.

Villa were also linked with ex-Manchester United boss David Moyes and new Derby County manager Nigel Pearson, but Di Matteo was always first choice.

Dr Tony Xia, the Chinese businessman whose takeover of Villa is awaiting Football League and Premier League approval, is convinced Di Matteo will raise the West Midlands club's profile in the Championship.

The former West Brom and Schalke boss and Clarke, 52, have been out of management since last year.

The pair have never worked together in management but were Chelsea team-mates for two years.

Clarke will take hands-on responsibility for Villa's group of underachieving players.

The Scot has excellent contacts and recent experience in the Championship, having managed Reading until he was sacked last December.

Thanks to his time at Newcastle United and Liverpool, he also has an excellent reputation as a first-team coach and worked as an assistant to Jose Mourinho at Chelsea for three years.

As a head coach, Clarke, a former Scotland international, guided West Brom to their highest Premier League position of eighth in 2013.

Di Matteo has not managed at Championship level since 2009-10, when he guided West Brom to an immediate return to the top flight.

Since 2011, the former midfielder, who won 34 caps for Italy, has been sacked by the Baggies, Chelsea and Schalke, leaving the Bundesliga side in May 2015 after failing to qualify for the Champions League.

The first task for Di Matteo and Clarke will be to eliminate underperforming players on long contracts, while bringing in players suited to the physical challenges of the Championship.

New owner Xia has already promised extensive funds for player recruitment.

[footyskillz]

Clark is a failed manager but a bit of a Sherwood motivator and coach in touch with championship.  Robbie brings the class and as a two hope works a dream far better than anything in current championship. Now just need to sort the team!

[DB]

Happy enough with RDM, delighted if it's Clarke as assistant.

Yep, don't think we could have got much better. Really happy that Clarke is coming too (if the Beeb have got it right).

[sirlordbaltimore]

that'll do me.

[not3bad]

Clark is a failed manager

He managed to get the Tesco's up to 8th.

[glasses]

Both sacked by the Baggies as manager. Underwhelmed

Oh well. Lets hope they do the job.

[SamTheMouse]

Looks good to me!