We take a look at the top six favourites to become the next AFC Bournemouth manager following the departure of Eddie Howe on Saturday.
The 42-year-old guided the Cherries to more than 450 games across two spells spanning more than a decade, but he feels now is the time to depart and for the club to have a change.
Their five-year stay in the top flight ended last month despite a 3-1 win at Everton on the final day of the season.
So who is favourites to take over at the soon to be Championship club?
Alex Neil
Alex Neil is currently manager of Preston North End, and has been ever since he was appointed back in 2017, replacing Simon Grayson.
He guided them to a 7th place finish in his first season in charge at Deepdale, however endured a tough 18/19 season, ending up in 14th, though had a more impressive season just gone, finishing 9th.
He has been linked with many jobs during his reign, and was mostly the favourite for the Bristol City vacancy, though those odds are ever changing.
Current odds according to Sky Bet: 16/1
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Danny Cowley and Paul Cook
Cowley was most recently was sacked by Huddersfield Town, despite beating second place West Brom in his last game in charge, which all-but confirmed the club’s survival.
It’s understood that owner Phil Hodgkinson wanted total control over transfers — but his manager was not willing to work that way.
Danny first grabbed the attention of the country when he and his brother took Lincoln City all the way to the FA Cup Quarter Finals in 2017, causing shocks against Ipswich, Brighton and Burnley along the way.
The Imps finished the 2016/17 season crowned champions of the National League and then in the 2017/18 season finished 7th, claiming a playoff place in their first season back in the Football League and also won the EFL Trophy at Wembley.
In the 2018/19 season Danny and Nicky Cowley’s side finished top of the League Two table and won promotion to League One.
Danny Cowley left League One high flyers Lincoln to join the the Championship strugglers in September, who at the time were 23rd in the table having failed to win any of their first six matches.
Paul Cook quit as Wigan Athletic manager last week after having an interview for another job within the Championship, it’s been revealed.
Cook’s departure comes despite the 53-year-old having two years left on his contract at the newly relegated side.
He arrived at the DW Stadium having left Portsmouth back in 2017 after the Latics were relegated from the Championship to League One.
He took the club back to the second-tier as league champions at the first attempt and pulled off an impressive FA Cup run which included the victories of Premier League sides Bournemouth, West Ham and Manchester City.
Wigan finished 18th in their first season back in the Championship, 12 points clear of the relegation zone, and they had finished mid-table when the 2019/20 season was cancelled.
However, at the beginning of July, the club said they entered administration and were subsequently given a 12-point deduction by the English Football League, which was implemented at the end of the season, seeing them drop from 13th to finish 23rd.
Cook is on Bristol City’s shortlist to become the club’s next head coach having undertaken an interview with the club, Bristol Live understands. However with so many managers eyeing up that job, it could go to anyone.
Current odds according to Sky Bet: 12/1
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Garry Monk and John Terry
Sheffield Wednesday manager Garry Monk is also listed by Sky Bet as a contender for the Bournemouth job.
Monk, who saw his team sitting at high as 3rd place in the Championship table as 2019 came to an end, however a dreadful second half of the season saw them drop down to and finish in 16th place.
At the end of the 19/20 campaign, the Owls were deducted 12 points by an independent disciplinary panel for the 2020-21 season for breaking spending rules.
Managerial Stats:
Swansea City – 4 Feb 2014 9 Dec 2015 – 77 games, 28 wins, 17 draws, 32 defeats, 36.4 % won
Leeds United – 2 Jun 2016 25 May 2017 – 53 games, 25 wins, 11 draws, 17 defeats, 47.2 % won
Middlesbrough – 9 Jun 2017 23 Dec 2017 – 26 games, 12 wins, 5 draws, 9 defeats, 46.2 % won
Birmingham City – 4 Mar 2018 18 Jun 2019 – 59 games, 19 wins, 20 draws, 20 defeats, 32.2 % won
Sheffield Wednesday 6 Sep 2019 until Present – 44 games, 14 wins, 11 draws, 19 defeats, 31.8 % won
Total – 259 games, 98 wins, 64 draws, 97 defeats, 37.8 % won
John Terry is currently number two to Dean Smith at Aston Villa. Reports have linked him with the Bristol City job, though there has apparently been no contact according to the club’s manager, though elsewhere, it claims he’s ready for the challenge. He’s also listed favourite for the job at Watford.
Current odds according to Sky Bet: 10/1
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Lee Johnson
Lee Johnson was the third longest-serving manager in the English Football League before getting sacked as head coach of Bristol City in July.
His departure came hours after the Robins suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Neil Harris’ Cardiff City, making it nine games without a win for the Robins, and has led to the club’s decision to part ways.
Johnson had been with the Robins since 2016 after previously managing Barnsley and Oldham Athletic, both in League One at the time.
His record at City was 84 wins, 54 draws and 79 defeats, giving him a win % of 38.7. For his time at Barnsley, it was 39.2% and at Oldham, 35.0%.
He led the Tykes to the EFL Trophy Final in 2016, in which his successor Paul Heckingbottom managed to claim the cup win.
In the 2017–18 season, Johnson led the club to the semi-finals of the EFL Cup, defeating several Premier League clubs in the lead up, notably defeating José Mourinho’s Manchester United. During the semis, Bristol City exited the competition after a 3–5 aggregate defeat to eventual champions Manchester City, a game in which saw Pep Guardiola praise Johnson for his side’s style of play.
In May 2019, he signed a new four-year contract with the Robins, keeping him until the summer of 2023.
He has guided the club to finishes of 18th (15/16), 17th (16/17), 11th (17/18) and 8th (18/19) – and this season, they currently sit 12th in the Championship table, just nine points off the playoffs with five games remaining.
Current odds according to Sky Bet: 8/1
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Chris Hughton
Hughton is a contender for the Bournemouth job, however he is for many others as well, though did express an interest in taking over at Bristol City and Watford, according to Sky Sports.
He has been out of work for 14 months having been sacked by Brighton & Hove Albion after just about managing to keep them up last season.
He was most recently the favourite for the vacancy at Birmingham City, who are still yet to appoint a new manager with Pep Clotet stepping down at the end of the season.
Hughton had his contract terminated by the Seagulls – the team he won came Championship runners up with in 2017 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).
Current odds according to Sky Bet: 6/1
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Jason Tindall
Tindall is the Cherries assistant manager Jason Tindall, has despite the departure of Eddie Howe, he along with the rest of the club’s coaching staff, will still continue in their current roles at present, the Daily Echo understands.
In an open letter on the club website, Howe thanked the likes of Tindall, as well as coaches Neil Moss, Simon Weatherstone, Steve Fletcher and Stephen Purches for their help during his time in charge.
Tindall is currently in charge on an interim basis with less than three weeks remaining until players return for pre-season on August 17.
Current odds according to Sky Bet: 4/7
Former assistant Jason Tindall has been installed as the bookies’ favourite to replace Eddie Howe…
Who should they get?
? #AFCB
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) August 2, 2020
Now you know the top six favourites to become next Bournemouth manager, who do you want it to be?
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