It's always difficult for clubs to transition to life in the Championship, especially after spending 28 years in the top flight, but Aston Villa are handling theirs particularly badly.

Indeed, since plummeting out of the Premier League at the end of last season, the Birmingham outfit have won just once in twelve attempts across all competitions - beating Championship whipping boys Rotherham 3-0 back in August.

Accordingly, Villa's hierarchy have felt compelled to respond and officially sacked manager Roberto Di Matteo this morning following a 2-0 defeat to Preston on Saturday.

But managers are often made the scapegoats and it can't all be Di Matteo's fault; after all, over £50million worth of talent moved to Villa Park during the summer and some of the signings simply aren't pulling their weight.

Indeed, Villa's squad needs the hairdryer treatment - in other words, a no-nonsense manager needs to put the fear of god into the players and transform the seemingly apathetic culture of the dressing room.

With that in mind, we've taken a look at SIX Di Matteo successors who fit the bill...

MICK MCCARTHY

Mick McCarthy combines the cliches of straight-talking Yorkshiremen and defence-comes-first Football League managers who seemingly pride themselves on attritional 1-0 wins.

But the 57-year-old offers experience and pedigree as well; in addition to managing Ireland at the 2002 World Cup, he's gained promotion from the Championship twice before with Sunderland and Wolves - although he failed to keep either side in the top flight after.

McCarthy currently serves as Ipswich boss and has been achieving minor miracles, keeping them in playoff contention for three straight seasons despite an ageing squad and a practically non-existent transfer budget.

NEIL WARNOCK

Like him or loathe him, Neil Warnock always gets maximum enthusiasm out of his players and he's won promotion six times before - twice (Sheffield United and QPR) from the Championship.

Perhaps more significantly in the context of Villa, Warnock has a knack of turning failing teams around in incredibly short spaces of time. He transformed Rotherham with just a handful of games to go last season, ensuring their second-tier survival, and turned an expensively-assembled, underachieving QPR side into Championship title winners back in 2011. That could be the template to follow at Villa after spending £50m during the summer.

SAM ALLARDYCE

Sam Allardyce may be shrouded in controversy after his dodgy conversations with journalists from The Telegraph but he'd still be a phenomenal managerial coup for the Villans.

Indeed, few managers know English football like the former Three Lions gaffer and he'd instantly implement the defensive organisation Villa disturbingly lacked under Di Matteo.

His superb record in the transfer market is another major selling point and Tony Xia's ambition could appeal to the 61-year-old. Of course, the post may be a little too soon for Allardyce - who's keeping his head down on holiday at the moment.

TONY PULIS

Tony Pulis clearly isn't happy at West Brom, critising the club's limited transfer activity during the summer, so he could struggle to resist the chance to start afresh at Aston Villa - with the help of Tony Xia's endless pot of cash.

When it comes to defensive organisation, the cap-wearing gaffer is one of the best in the business, and he knows how to keep clubs in the Premier League - something his career has become synonymous with throughout spells with Stoke City, Crystal Palace and the Baggies.

NIGEL PEARSON

Nigel Pearson's on his way out at Derby County, currently serving an internal suspension, and it's hard to dispute that his short-lived tenure at the iPro Stadium has been an absolute car-crash.

But the former defender helped create the Leicester City side which won last season's title, dragging the Midlands outfit up from League One to the top flight, and is so no-nonsense he once fended off a pack of wild dogs whilst hiking. Seriously.

ROY KEANE

They don't get much tougher than Roy Keane, one of the grittiest enforcers and most driven leaders the Premier League has ever seen.

The Irishman's management career has admittedly left much to be desired, achieving promotion from the Championship with Sunderland but failing to have a similar impact during two years at Ipswich.

Indeed, Keane's volatile nature divides opinion but working as an assistant for the last three years - including a brief spell as Paul Lambert's No.2 at Villa Park - may have changed his outlook somewhat.

Likewise, prior experience of Villa's long-term issues, and how they can affect the side on the pitch, makes Keane a strong candidate to implement successful and swift changes at the club.