Aussies Abroad: Herd faces the drop zone

Chris Herd's Aston Villa are continuing to flirt with relegation, which isn't great news for Qantas Socceroo Brett Holman.

Tim Cahill may have found the net after coming on as a substitute for Everton against Mark Schwarzer-s Fulham, but things are decidedly bleaker for Chris Herd-s Aston Villa side and as such not looking so rosy for Villa recruit Brett Holman.

Villa's 0-0 draw at West Bromwich Albion means the club remain just three points above the relegation zone although with a better goal difference than the sides below them.

No doubt Holman, who has agreed to join the club from AZ Alkmaar will be keeping a keen eye on proceedings, and with a tough final two games against Tottenham (who are chasing an invaluable UEFA Champions League spot) and Norwich at Carrow Road, taking any points may be tough for Villa.

While we-re talking relegation and promotion despite Socceroos defender Rhys Williams having side a new four-year deal there is still speculation he may have played his last match for nPower Championship club Middlesbrough after they missed out on the promotion playoffs.

They lost 2-1 at Watford on the final day and were unable to catch sixth-placed Cardiff City.

Williams was subject to a £6 million ($9.41 million) bid from EPL side Bolton during the January transfer window.

With Bolton in the thick of a relegation dogfight this season, the 23-year-old opted not to push for a change of club, but he could be a potential transfer target for other Premier League clubs.

Over on the continent Mitchell Langerak enjoyed a rare outing for Borussia Dortmund after the club wrapped up their second straight Bundesliga title this month.

They won 5-2 at relegated Kaiserslautern.

Still in Germany and Nikita Rukavytsya's club Hertha Berlin is in serious danger of slipping straight back into the German second division following a 4-0 loss at Schalke.

To earn a playoff spot for next season's Bundesliga, they must win their final match and hope that Cologne don't collect maximum points.

Cologne host heavyweights Bayern Munich in the final round while Hertha Berlin take on mid-table TSG Hoffenheim in the capital.