Surprise names have been listed as favourites for the Salford City manager’s job, according to popular bookmakers Sky Bet.
It was seven days ago when those at the top of the League Two club decided to sack boss Graham Alexander, who had got them promoted from the National League, an 11th place finish in the fourth tier of English football (based on PPG), then had an unbeaten start to the 2020/21 season, before being axed.
It shocked plenty on social media, then former Manchester United player turned ex-Oldham boss Paul Scholes was placed as interim manager, then went on to lose the club’s unbeaten start on Saturday to Port Vale.
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Fans desperately urged Gary Neville and co to bring back Alexander as soon as the goal went in and the full time whistle blew.
Alexander’s statement, made via the League Managers Association, read as follows:
“In our one full season, we became the only team to be promoted at the first attempt into the Football League with a record win for a final on that momentous day at Wembley, a day I will never forget,” he wrote.
“Since mid-January, we made changes to the squad to improve our chances of another promotion. Since then, the 15 games we’ve played in League Two have seen us win the second most points, with the second best defence, have the least defeats, whilst also being the highest scorers.
“In our last nine league games, five wins and three draws gave us an average of two points per game, which we know gives you a title winning total over a season. It has been a great effort from the everyone at the club.
“I am disappointed we have left after only five league games this season, without having the chance to continue that form with a squad that’s still in its infancy as a group. But we move on, satisfied that we’ve left the club with a brilliant set of players and staff that will go onto achieve the success that everyone craves.”
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So, who is favourites for the Salford City manager’s job then?
Paul Cook is 6/5 on getting the job at the Peninsula Stadium. He’s been out of work since the summer, having departed from Wigan Athletic who are in administration.
In August 2020, the Latic’s relegation to League One was confirmed due to the points deduction on the final day, despite a cracking run of form, subsequently saw the resignation of the manager.
Cook has previously managed Portsmouth, Chesterfield, Accrington, Sligo and Southport – winning the League One title with Wigan in 2017/18, the League Two title with Pompey in 2016/17 and with Chesterfield in 2013/14.
Another manager linked with the job is Daniel Stendel, who was most recently in charge of Scottish outfit Heart of Midlothian, being appointed in December 2019, on a contract due to run until the summer of 2022.
In March 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, Scottish football was put on hold indefinitely. To help Hearts during this period, Stendel refused to take any wage payments. Hearts were bottom of the 2019–20 Scottish Premiership at the time the league came to a halt, and were subsequently relegated when the league was curtailed.
Stendel had a clause in his contract which meant that it was no longer in effect if Hearts were relegated from the Premiership, and the club appointed Robbie Neilson to replace him on the 21sst of June 2020.
Prior to that, he was manager of Barnsley, which turned out to be a successful spell, before he got the axe, which caused anger from the fanbase.
It was on the 6th of June 2018 when he was named as manager of the then League One club on a two-year deal. Stendel led Barnsley to an immediate return to the second tier following relegation in 2017-18, with the South Yorkshire side finishing second in League One and going through the entire campaign unbeaten at home.
On 8 October 2019, Stendel was sacked as head coach following a run of ten games without a win. Stendel’s departure sparked widespread criticism of the board.
Stendel won 31 of his 66 games in charge of the club, the third highest win ratio of any permanent manager in the club’s history.
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CURRENT ODDS:
Paul Cook – 6/5
Roy Keane – 11/4
Warren Joyce – 4/1
Daniel Stendel – 9/2
Richie Wellens – 12/1
Danny Cowley – 16/1
Michael Appleton – 25/1
Paul Scholes – 25/1
Sam Allardyce – 25/1
Keith Hill – 33/1
Who can you see getting the Salford City manager’s job? Let us know on our social media pages!
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