Who will replace Martin O’Neill as Aston Villa boss?

With just four days to go until the Premier League kicks off, Aston Villa are in the unenviable position of not only having to find a replacement for manager Martin O'Neill, but needing to do so in as short a time as possible.

The timing of O'Neill's departure is about as inconvenient as it gets. Capable managers such as Mark Hughes and Roy Hodgson have already been snapped up, and candidates will not be overjoyed at arriving with so little time to organise their resources, and with major question marks over the funding of any new signings.

Villa, however, remain an ambitious team and will be looking to bring in as accomplished a manager as possible.

Here is The First Post's guide to some of the favourites:

BOB BRADLEY (ODDS 5/2)

The current manager of the USA national team has seen his stock rise dramtaically thanks to his outfit's performances at the World Cup in South Africa. His nationality may also endear him to Villa's American owner Randy Lerner.

However, Bradley has no management experience in Europe, although he has managed Chicago Fire, the MetroStars (now the New York Red Bulls) and Chivas USA in his homeland.

But he is a determined character with the strength of mind to adapt to life in the Premier League. And he has shown that he can rise to a challenge, not least when he was handed the USA job after a deal with Jurgen Klinsmann fell through.

SVEN GORAN ERIKSSON (5/1)

The former England boss has already expressed an interest in taking over at Villa Park. It is not the first time he has been linked with the post. In 2006, while still boss of the national team, he told an undercover reporter from the News of the World that he would leave England to manage Villa if they won the World Cup - needless to say that didn't happen.

Since standing aside as England manager Eriksson's reputation has waxed a little but waned even more. He spent a season at Manchester City and won the fans over before being sacked by the club's owner Thaksin Shinawatra.

In August 2008 he took over at Mexico but did not last long as their World Cup qualifying campaign quickly hit the skids and he was sacked. His next adventure was at Notts County where he became director of football for eight months before that episode also ended in tears in early 2010. Most recently he oversaw the Ivory Coast's dismal World Cup campaign.

Despite his image Eriksson is usually fondly regarded by fans of the clubs he manages and still has a formidable record.

ALAN CURBISHLEY (8/1)

Alan Curbishley, the bookies favourite to take over the Villa Park hotseat, would be the most convenient option for the Villa board. Out of work for two years now, no negotiations would need to be made with other clubs, and Curbishley could start straight away.

Having been out of the business for as long as he has, it is easy to forget that he was once the blue-eyed boy of English management. Bringing Charlton up from the third tier to the Premier League, Curbishley won many plaudits for his knack of signing good players for low prices. His reputation was such that in 2006, when his chairman announced that they would be looking for a new manager at the end of the season, Curbishley had to deny that the decision was because he was in the frame for the England job.

Since then he had an unhappy spell with West Ham which ended with Curbishley taking the club to the courts for constructive dismissal – a case which he won. But again, he wasn't without success, leading the Hammers to a top ten finish in 2008 despite many of his key players being injured.

MARTIN JOL (8/1)

Martin Jol has been tipped by the press to become a Premier League manager once already this summer. On that occasion, Fulham ended up getting their fingers burned, as it emerged that Jol's flirtation with them was merely a ruse to extract more money from his current club, Ajax.

Aston Villa, while not needing any more controversy given the timing of O'Neill's departure, should be hopeful that they can get Jol on board as rumours of his dissatisfaction with life at Ajax have persisted. Should they land their man, he will be a capable replacement for his esteemed predecessor.

He enjoyed three years of relative success in the Premier League with Tottenham between 2004 and 2007 and only narrowly missed out on Champion's League qualification in 2006. Since an acrimonious departure from Spurs, when he was sacked to make way for Juande Ramos, his star has continued to rise on the continent. He led Hamburg to the UEFA Cup semi-finals, and won the Dutch Cup with Ajax.

SLAVEN BILIC (ODDS 12/1)

Slaven Bilic, along with Didier Deschamps and Laurent Blanc is one of the most sought after young managers on the continent. Only 41 years old, he is already manager of the Croatia national side, having been promoted from managing the Under-21s.

Croatia were in the doldrums before he took over. After the success of World Cup 98 in which they came third with the likes of Boban, Suker and a young Bilic in the team, they struggled to emulate that success.

It was Bilic's appointment in 2006 that galvanised and reinvigorated the national side. Helping to mould the likes of Modric, Kranjcar and Eduardo into the top quality players they are today, Bilic turned Croatia into the side that beat England in 2007, denying them qualification to Euro 2008.

While his experience at club level is minimal, he spent five games in charge of Hajduk Split in 2001, Bilic does have knowledge of Premier League football having spent four seasons here with West Ham and Everton.

STEVE MCCLAREN (ODDS 20/1)

The joke of England two years ago, after losing to Slaven Bilic and failing to qualify for Euro 2008, it says a lot about McClaren's character that he has been suggested by some as the ideal replacement to take over from Fabio Capello in the England job – again.

He was originally chosen to be the national team's manager in 2006 after leading Middlesbrough to a UEFA Cup final, although his success at club level didn't translate to the international stage.

It did however translate to other national leagues, as McClaren took over little-known Dutch club FC Twente and miraculously led them to the Eredivisie title last year.

His skills have not gone unnoticed on the continent and he has since been signed by VfL Wolfsburg of the Bundesliga, taking over just three months ago.

Despite having barely arrived in Germany, it is thought that he would relish the chance to return to England and prove his ability to the people that ridiculed him when he was in charge of England. ·