GVW are no more – Vialli is sacked

Last updated : 14 June 2002 By Tony Scholes

Gianluca Vialli - out of work again
It is all change again at Vicarage Road where chairman Sir Elton John departed recently but this week has seen a precession of departures from the troubled club. The first to go was Vialli's number two Ray Wilkins just two days ago, Wilkins had worked with the Italian at Chelsea.

They claimed Wilkins' departure was a cost cutting exercise and if so that cost cutting hit again yesterday with three more departures. This time there were exits for fitness coach Giovanni Vaglini, Doctor Ian Beasley and masseur John Kelly.

Today though they have topped that and dismissed manager Gianluca Vialli and as yet have given no further details other than the fact that they have terminated his contract with immediate effect. He becomes the second manager to lose his job today with second division Huddersfield Town having sacked Lou Macari and his assistant Joe Jordan earlier this morning.

Vialli has hardly been a success and has struggled after replacing Graham Taylor who had clearly had enough there and retired before joining Villa almost immediately where he is now manager.

They had ended the 2000/01 season under Taylor in 9th place after looking certain promotion candidates for the first half of the season. Despite big high profile signings though they were a disappointing 14th last season suffering eight home defeats along the way including our 2-1 win there in February.

There is no news of who might replace Vialli but Ray Lewington, enticed from Brentford, last summer is still there. The Candle is hardly blowing in the wind at Vicarage Road just now.