While the play-off final between Aston Villa and Derby County is set to take place on Monday afternoon, it appears that Villa assistant manager John Terry is already considering his options for next season.
The former Chelsea captain has been cutting his coaching teeth at the Birmingham club this season, being appointed assistant manager after Dean Smith arrived in October. Things have gone relatively well, with the club finishing in the play-off places after a strong finish to the Championship campaign.
While it may have been assumed that Terry would wait to see how Villa would fare in Wembley before he made any decision on his future, he is now in the frame for the top job at a Championship rival.
Talksport are reporting that Terry is in discussions with Middlesbrough over their vacant manager's position. Tony Pulis left the club last week after his contract expired, and Terry is one of the leading candidates to replace the Welshman. Other names linked with the role include Jonathan Woodgate, Chris Hughton, and Argentinian legend Gabriel Batistuta.
Middlesbrough missed out on the Championship play-offs by one point this season, a disappointing result for a side that had been expected to contend for promotion. Pulis' pragmatic style had also grown tiresome for the club's supporters, and it is not surprising they decided to go in a different direction.
The link to Terry is an interesting one. Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard have both made decent starts to their management careers, and the former England captain would seem well capable of following suit. Middlesbrough would certainly be a good starting point, considering their current standing in the Championship hierarchy.
While Terry would be a logical appointment, we are hoping that Batistuta gets the gig. Who wouldn't want to see him strutting his stuff in Teeside next season?
