Stoke City are poised to announce Paul Lambert as their new manager to end their difficult search to find a replacement for Mark Hughes.
Although the former Aston Villa and Norwich City manager will not be a universally popular choice among Stoke fans, chairman Peter Coates and the board believe the club's current position in the bottom three require a safe pair of hands to guide them out of trouble.
Lambert, 48, has never been relegated as a manager and gained international experience as a player, winning the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund.