Who are the top six favourites to become the next Birmingham City manager? We take a look at the odds according to Sky Bet.
On the 8th of June 2020, the Blues announced that Pep Clotet will leave his position as head coach at the end of the season.
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The 43 year old Spaniard has been allowed to leave the Championship club to “explore other coaching opportunities”.
His side currently sit 16th in the Championship table, with the season expected to resume on the 20th of June.
Clotet’s exit will see Birmingham looking for a sixth manager in just three and a half years, previously losing Gary Rowett (December 2016), Gianfranco Zola (four months), Harry Redknapp (five months), Steve Cotterill (five months), Monk (15 months) and now Clotet (12 months).
So who will be the replacement? Take a look at the top six favourites below…
6) Neil Warnock – 10/1
Warnock has been out of a job since he departed Cardiff City seven months ago.
He has taken charge of 1488 games during a 40-year managerial career, and he wants to reach the 1,500 milestone, however two days ago, he said chances are looking slim.
“It would be a great achievement to get to 1,500 but I can’t see it happening unless it is the end of the season somewhere and someone asks me to help them out,” Warnock told the BBC’s Friday Football Social.
“I have really enjoyed what I have been doing and it is just nice to wake up and not have the problems with 25 kids – it is like looking after 25 kids in management!”
HIS MANAGERIAL CAREER:
1980–1981 – Gainsborough Trinity
1981–1986 – Burton Albion
1986–1989 – Scarborough
1989–1993 – Notts County
1993 – Torquay United
1993–1995 – Huddersfield Town
1995–1997 – Plymouth Argyle
1997–1998 – Oldham Athletic
1998–1999 – Bury
1999–2007 – Sheffield United
2007–2010 – Crystal Palace
2010–2012 – Queens Park Rangers
2012–2013 – Leeds United
2014 – Crystal Palace
2015 – Queens Park Rangers (caretaker)
2016 – Rotherham United
2016–2019 – Cardiff City
HONOURS:
Scarborough – Football Conference champions, 1986–87
Notts County – FL Third Division Play-off winners, 1989–90
Notts County – FL Second Division Play-off winners, 1990–91
Huddersfield – FL Second Division Play-off winners, 1994–95
Plymouth – FL Third Division Play-off winners, 1995–96
Sheffield United – FL Championship runners-up, 2005–06
QPR – FL Championship winners, 2010–11
Cardiff – FL Championship runners-up, 2017–18
Huddersfield – Yorkshire Electricity Cup winners, 1994–95
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5) Lee Bowyer – 8/1
Lee Boywer is the current manager of Championship strugglers Charlton Athletic, who sit 22nd in the table.
He has been with the Addicks since being appointing in March 2018, and then guided the club to promotion after winning the League One playoffs against Sunderland.
On 17 June 2019, Bowyer turned down the offer of a contract extension, with the club (and owner Roland Duchatelet) announcing that Bowyer and the club were unable to reach an agreement.However, he later reversed his decision by signing a new year-long deal.
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4) Slavisa Jokanovic – 6/1
Jokanovic has a great record in the Championship, taking both Watford and Fulham to promotion.
He was linked with the Stoke City job before they appointed Luton Town boss Nathan Jones. Then he was heavy favourites to replace Aitor Karanka at Nottingham Forest.
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3) Craig Gardner – 11/2
The Blues player was initially installed as the early favourite to be named as next manager of the club.
The ex-Aston Villa, Sunderland and West Brom midfielder is set to retire at the end of the season to become a coach.
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2) Lee Carsley – 4/1
Carsley is currently specialist national coach for England U21.
Clubs he previously managed were Brentford, but has been either assistant or caretaker at Coventry City, Sheffield United, Manchester City Academy, and Birmingham City.
He’s also played for Derby, Blackburn, Coventry, Everton and Birmingham as well as make 40 appearances for Ireland.
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1) Chris Hughton – 5/2
Five months ago, Birmingham City were linked with a shock move for former manager Chris Hughton, who has been out of work since he lost his job at Brighton in the summer.
Chris Hughton had his contract terminated by Brighton & Hove Albion – the team he won came Championship runners up with in 2017 – on the 13th May despite avoiding the drop from the Premier League.
However he won just three of their last 23 league games and none of their final nine.
He has also managed Norwich City, Birmingham City and Newcastle United (won the Championship with in 2010).
In October 2019, Hughton turned down replacing Nathan Jones as manager Stoke City.
He also said: “I do want to get back in at the highest level that I can but I’m using my time out well and very much making the most of it.
“I’m in the fortunate position, I’m not a first time manager or second time manager that is worried about where the next job is coming from and it’s a very precarious profession that we’re in.
“So, I’m all through all of that. I supposed I would be seen as a more experienced manager now, so I think that takes a little bit of pressure off.”
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Other managers listed by the bookmakers include Aitor Karanka (11/1), Mark Robins (12/1), Kevin Phillips (14/1), Michael Laudrup (14/1), Alex McLeish (16/1), Chris Coleman (16/1), Mick McCarthy (16/1), Steve Bruce (16/1), Alan Pardew (20/1) and Nigel Adkins (20/1).
Now that you have seen the top six favourites to become next Birmingham manager, who would you like to see replace Pep? Let us know by commenting HERE.
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