Former Aston Villa boss Graham Taylor believes Alex McLeish could handle the job.
McLeish resigned from Birmingham City on Sunday and Villa made their move for the Scot barely 24 hours later.
Taylor said: "I think Alex has the strength of character but it won't be easy for him. He has a hardness about him.
"It would be difficult though, because many Villa fans would not want a Birmingham man as their manager and many Birmingham supporters might see him as a traitor. He is a strong man though, and I think he could cope with that."
Within 24 hours of McLeish's announcement, nearly 6,000 people signed up to a Facebook page entitled 'Aston Villa Supporters - We don't want Alex McLeish'.
