Another manager bites the dust: Remi Garde leaves Aston Villa by 'mutual consent'

Remi Garde left Aston Villa on Tuesday after less than five months as manager, with the bottom-place Premier League club appearing doomed to relegation. Villa, the 1982 European champion, is 12 points from safety with seven matches remaining. Garde has achieved just two victories in the league since the Frenchman replaced Tim Sherwood in November at the club. [caption id=“attachment_2703496” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Aston Villa manager Remi Garde. AP[/caption] Villa said the former Lyon coach’s exit was by “mutual consent,” although his contract ran through to June 2019. “The club would like to place on record its sincere thanks to Remi for all his efforts during a difficult period and wish him well in the future,” Villa said on its website. The 49-year-old Garde, a former France international who won the Premier League as a player with Arsenal in 1998, left the managerial job at Lyon in 2014 after three years for personal reasons. He had been out of management for a year before Villa hired him. Eric Black will be in temporary charge of Villa as American owner Randy Lerner searches for his third manager in less than two years. Villa, which hosts Chelsea on Saturday, has won only three of its 31 league matches. There has also been a shake-up at Villa in the boardroom in recent weeks, with the departure of chief executive Tom Fox.