Is Villa's season over before it even begins?

It's never good to lose a manager mid-way through a season but it's about a million times worse when it happens five days before the campaign begins. As such, even without kicking a ball, Aston Villa are finding themselves being written off by most pundits while their odds of qualifying for the Champions League seems to have taken a steep dive.

The rags and Internet have been filled with all sorts of rumours as to why Martin O'Neill would have left his club in such dire straits on such a short notice. And to have done it to them just before their first match is almost akin to giving them the kiss of death which in many ways is quite unfair a side with as much talent and potential as Villa. When you consider just how young this side is, you really wonder if these players have the mentality to last through what will be a lengthy unsettling period for the club.

Some claim O'Neill had been disgruntled with his employer, Randy Lerner, for some time due to (yeah, you guessed it) a lack of funds and the straw that broke the camel's back was the club's willingness to sell James Milner to Man City. Milner, if you recall, was one of O'Neill's success stories in the transfer market when he bought him from Newcastle United. Milner flourished under O'Neill so it's no surprise then that former Celtics manager was incensed with the club's decision to sell the England winger. Then there are other rumours that another young star at the club, Ashley Young, was also on his way out to a bigger club. No one likes losing their best players, especially when you've been developing them for years.

But O'Neill's frustrations with his board are rumoured to have begun back in March this year which then begs the question why he chose to dump his club five days before the new season began.

The big question now is what happens to Villa in O'Neill's absence. Most of the best managers in the game are all employed and the likes of David Moyes have ruled themselves out. Then again, there are managers like Diego Maradona who are unemployed but I doubt the former Argentine gaffer is seeking life in the Premiership.

There is also a big chance that many of Villa's stars may end up leaving before the transfer window closes at the end of the month if they feel the club's prospects are heading south. Expect to see transfer requests by the likes of Young and Agbonlahor. At the end of the day, Villa's fans, and to some extent Premier League fans in general, will be the biggest losers as one of the league's most exiting teams is headed for its demise.