New names have been linked with the Bristol City manager’s job; Roy Hodgson, who is set to depart, speaks on his future.
Earlier this week, The Independent reported that Steven Gerrard was their target, but Burnley also have him on their radar, reports claiming the Clarets have entered talks with Steven Gerrard’s representatives to make the Reds legend their new head coach, although Burnley are also interested in Craig Bellamy, now that Scott Parker is no longer in charge.
As talk of him to Bristol City goes quiet, the Robins are now reporting showing fresh interest in Portsmouth boss John Mousinho. A day reports emerged, John Mousinho has described the Bristol City link as ‘flattering’ but denied any contact.
Lee Carsley and Steve Cooper are other names mentioned regarding the vacancy at Ashton Gate.
On Tuesday (28 April) Alex Crook tweeted: “Bristol City showing fresh interest in #Pompey boss John Mousinho. A test for the Eisners in the wake of his recent comments about spending bigger to avoid an annual struggle with relegation. Steve Cooper another name mentioned to me regards the vacancy at Ashton Gate.”
Alan Nixon said: “Carsley was also linked… might be something in that one…”
Bristol City showing fresh interest in #Pompey boss John Mousinho. A test for the Eisners in the wake of his recent comments about spending bigger to avoid an annual struggle with relegation. Steve Cooper another name mentioned to me regards the vacancy at Ashton Gate.
— Alex Crook ⚽️🎙 (@alex_crook) April 28, 2026
Bristol City showing fresh interest in #Pompey boss John Mousinho. A test for the Eisners in the wake of his recent comments about spending bigger to avoid an annual struggle with relegation. Steve Cooper another name mentioned to me regards the vacancy at Ashton Gate.
— Alex Crook ⚽️🎙 (@alex_crook) April 28, 2026
John Mousinho gave an insight into transfer spending, saying per The News, Portsmouth: ‘Yes, increased spending is the obvious answer and what everyone goes back to.
‘I think we can definitely do that, but it’s about getting to a level where everyone’s comfortable and will work for us.
‘We can’t say all a sudden we are going to spend £40m this summer, it’s just not going to happen. But can we up those £1m-£1.5m transfer fees. Can we up those?
‘Can we get to the levels where we can get established Championship players with less risk in the equation?
‘There will always be risk, look at clubs who’ve recruited over the past two windows. There’s plenty of players who fall into that £2m-£5m category that haven’t gone right. But some clubs can do two of those, so it doesn’t matter as much.
‘We have to be astute and clever, we need to be right at the leading edge of everything to get it right.
‘I do think we can go in that direction and I do think we can get there – but it’s about supporting that with evidence of how we are going to progress these players, how they fit in the side and if one player in that category is going to bolster the side – or do we need to do four or five?
‘So then we are looking at significant figures, significant figures in terms of the spend and also the wage budget.
‘It’s a long conversation and it’s one we’re going to have. Hopefully we come out the other end and we get things right.
‘But it’s not just as simple as saying we’re going to spend and that is going to be the silver bullet to change all of our fortunes.
‘If you look at the progression over the two years in the Championship, the summer we came up we spent just over £1m in terms of transfer fees.
‘We took a lot of players who we thought could have high potential for relatively low fees, a couple of frees and then bolstered the squad with loan signings.
‘We then took Hayden (Matthews) in January for about £1m-£1.2m, then last summer increased the transfer budget.
‘The transfer budget was about four times what it was the previous summer and we increased the playing budget, with about a 30-40 per cent increase.
‘Unfortunately for us, though, for a variety of factors not least the three clubs coming up from League One doing what they did in terms of spending, all of a sudden our increased budget wasn’t a relative increase. It may have actually been a decrease.
‘I’m not sure how you properly quantify that, but that’s how it felt in that moment.
‘So when ourselves, Derby and Oxford came up from League One there were three sides who didn’t spend a huge amount who were battling at the bottom of the league.
‘This year we’ve been competing against the likes Leicester, West Brom and Blackburn at the bottom of the league. That’s difficult in itself.’
Bristol City’s interim boss said to Bristol Live ahead his final game at Ashton Gate: “It’s a very difficult question for me to answer, really. I don’t know what I should say.
“I have enjoyed this challenge that was presented to me, and I’m really glad that I took it on because working with this team has rejuvenated me a little bit and given me a lot of enjoyment. I’m pretty sure that I will miss it, but on the other hand, I’ve been conditioned from the start that this is what it’s going to be. This is my role, this is what I’ve got to try and do; when I leave the club, this is what I’m going to try and leave them with, as it were, so I don’t think it will be difficult for me in that respect.
“But, every time I’ve taken myself away from football with the various resignations that I’ve had over the years, I’ve missed the day-to-day football, as I’ve really enjoyed it now. I’d be foolish to say I won’t miss it this time; perhaps I shall.
“But the years creep on, and it would have been very hard for me to do it when I was younger, but now at the age I am, I think it will be a bit easier.
“My remit and my contract with Bristol City takes me through to next Saturday and a week beyond because the people at the club would like to speak to me with regard to my thoughts and maybe something they want to discuss. So I’ve got two weeks, if you like, in that respect.
“But if your saying is there a chance that all of a sudden I’m going to beg Bristol City to give me the job, that’s not going to happen.”
Here’s the fan reaction as new names are linked with the Bristol City manager’s job and Roy Hodgson, who is set to depart, speaks on his future…
@JacksonMacmanus: If the board back him [Gerrard], give him control if transfers and 18 months to 2 years to build a squad, he COULD be successful, but none of that’ll happen, we don’t need a project coach, we need someone who can come in, work with a small budget and get the playoff final in 1 season
@NeilTheRobin1: @BristolCity can we have a manager announcement before STs go on sale 0n the 5th May.Would be nice to know where the club is going. Lots of us are not renewing with the present shenanigans that have been going on over the last few years. @JonLansdown @stephenlansdow1 get the fans back on board with a ambitious appointment.
@_W00KS_: As good as Mousinho is its bad news for us if he comes. Great at working with a limited budget = music to Lansdowns ears.
@CamGpfc: Just to put it out there… If John Mousinho isn’t our manager in August, its on your head @Michael_Eisner, @eric_eisner Give him the budget he deserves, or lose one of the best managers in this division. #pompey
@Chalkias_Saves: Over to you @Michael_Eisner. Do you care about Pompey enough to back Mousinho or is it just a cheap hobby and brunch conversation starter? Do you have ANY real ambition for this club?
@BCFC_Supporters: Thoughts on this? We’ve held interest in Mousinho for a few years now. I’d personally be underwhelmed with him
@AniHarish1: Mousinho is the one I’d want the most. Absolutely brilliant job at Pompey with a limited budget. Adapted style of play after promotion. Brilliant home form last season. I wanted him last summer but if he can be tempted then… brilliant 😍
@DanielE64141682: This is obviously why Moushino has been so outspoken about the budget this season #pompey
@Daveyboy1995: This will definitely tell in time if the Eisners are willing to back Mousinho with a bigger budget or not. #pompey
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