Tim Sherwood Sacked as Aston Villa Manager: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction

Tim Sherwood has been sacked as manager of Aston Villa, less than a year after taking over at the Midlands club.

The announcement was made on Villa's website on Sunday morning: 

"

Aston Villa Football Club has parted company with manager Tim Sherwood today.

The Board has monitored the performances closely all season and believes the results on the pitch were simply not good enough and that a change is imperative.

However, the Club would like to place on record its sincere thanks to Tim for all his efforts during a difficult period last season and for the many positive contributions he has made to the entire football setup during his time with the Club. We wish him well in the future.

Assistant manager Ray Wilkins, first-team coach Mark Robson and performance analyst Seamus Brady have also left with immediate effect and do so with our best wishes.

A search for a new manager has commenced and the squad will be managed in the interim by Kevin MacDonald.

"

The ex-Tottenham Hotspur boss has been shown the door as Villa sit as the second-worst club in the Premier League.

Pressure increased on Sherwood's position after a 2-1 home defeat to Swansea City. Gregg Evans of the Birmingham Mail noted how it would take just 48 hours for Villa to decide their beleaguered manager's future.

Ex-Everton and Manchester United boss David Moyes has been strongly linked with the job, per Sunday Express writer John Richardson. Former Liverpool gaffer Brendan Rodgers has also appeared in the frame but subsequently seemed to rule himself out, according to the Daily Star's Chris McKenna.

JON SUPER/Associated Press

Sherwood originally took over at Villa back in February. He brought renewed enthusiasm to a team that had gone stale on predecessor Paul Lambert's watch.

As it typically does, Sherwood's passionate approach initially yielded improved results. He helped drag Villa away from the foot of the table in England's top flight.

Just as impressive was Sherwood's success in the FA Cup. He took Villa to their first final since the 1999/00 season. Unfortunately, his side were thrashed 4-0 by defending cup holders Arsenal at Wembley, London.

That heavy beating was symptomatic of how Sherwood's men finished last season. They finished with three defeats in their last five league matches, including a 6-1 loss at Southampton, as well as a 1-0 home defeat to already relegated Burnley, per the team's official site.

These results formed a warning sign Sherwood's early magic had worn off. The worrying trend continued to start this season.

Villa have won just one match in the league. Summer signings have also failed to shine. Towering striker Rudy Gestede, a £6 million recruit from Championship side Blackburn Rovers, has managed just three league goals, according to WhoScored.com.

Rui Vieira/Associated Press

Ultimately, what appears to let Sherwood down is a lack of depth as a manager. In other words, once the bullish bravado and exhortation begins to grate with the players, Sherwood can't reach them.

A lack of tactical expertise has been a common complaint. Back in September, WhoScored writer Martin Laurence wrote a piece for the Guardian, detailing how Sherwood's "gung-ho" mentality too often leaves his teams exposed.

Chiding the now-former Villa gaffer for not knowing how to protect a lead, Laurence summed things up with this damning indictment: "If Sherwood is ever to be considered more than just a motivational speaker and distance himself from the charming idiot tag he was given by many Spurs fans, he still has plenty to learn."

Villa obviously weren't prepared to wait for Sherwood to develop some nuance.

Now the Midlands club need a manager who can organise a team to graft some points via more defensively assured performances. It's the formula every relegation-threatened team relies on.

With Gestede as a target man, Villa have the players and the foundation to set up to frustrate opponents and get themselves out of trouble.