Villa are taking their time to name a replacement for Martin O’Neill, who left Villa Park a week before the season got underway, but former West Ham and Charlton boss Curbishley has emerged as a frontrunner.

The 52-year-old has not had a managerial job since leaving Upton Park two years ago, but has been linked with several roles since and could well be very tempted by the Villa post.

Curbs, who joined Villa as a player from Birmingham in 1983 and went on to make 36 appearances for the club, is set to be among up to five men interviewed by the Villa board for the job this week.

Current caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald, who declared his interest in the permanent job earlier this week, is also expected to be considered for the post while the likes of former England coach Sven Goran Eriksson, ex-Liverpool chief Gerard Houllier and former Dutch international Ronald Koeman are also in the frame.

Villa (2/1 – top six finish) have said they ideally want to appoint someone with previous experience of managing in the Premier League, so that would give Curbishley, Houllier and Eriksson a distinct advantage although MacDonald is highly thought-of by the board and is a well-respected coach in his own right.

He also appears to have the backing of several first-team players despite the fact his side were humiliated 6-0 at Newcastle a couple of weeks ago and were then dumped out of the Europa League by Rapid Vienna last Thursday.

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