Aston Villa coach John Terry is being tipped for a managerial post as pressure mounts on Derby County’s Phillip Cocu and West Brom’s Slaven Bilic. Both have come under the spotlight after the Rams’ and the Baggies’ stuttering starts to their respective campaigns. Derby currently sit bottom of the Championship after a wretched run of seven defeats, three draws and just one win in their opening 11 games. While Albion are yet to register a victory in their opening eight top flight matches. Villa boss Dean Smith has promised his assistant he’ll be kept fully informed of any approaches regarding managers’ jobs.
Dean Smith said “I have no doubt JT will be a manager. When and where, I don’t know,’ I’m happy he is part of our coaching team, he’s been very good. The amount of detail he has given the defenders has helped them improve individually and collectively. JT has chosen the route to become a coach first, learn as much as he can and eventually he will go on and become a manager. If there was an approach, we’d go to him and get his thoughts before myself, Johan (Lange, sporting director) and Christian (Purslow, Chief Executive) spoke. At the moment, it’s hypothetical. But our first port of call would be JT.”