Two former Premier League managers on five-man shortlist for Doncaster job

Two former Premier League managers on five-man shortlist for the Doncaster Rovers job with the club struggling this season.

The League One outfit got rid of Richie Wellens at the beginning of the month with Gary McSheffrey placed in temporary charge as they seek someone to guide them out of the relegation zone and up to safety.

Reports have now emerged from the Yorkshire Post, claiming that progress has been made as Donny plot to have the situation resolved by the end of 2021.

Those included in the five-man shortlist are expected to be interviewed next week after around 130 applications in total were sent in.

Gary McSheffrey applied for the permanent role at the club’s request after he claimed a victory in his first game in charge with a 1-0 victory over Shrewsbury Town last weekend.

Yorkshire Post state that two of the reported candidates have managed in the Premier League while others have been charge of clubs in the EFL.

It also adds that Graham Coughlan, who is the current bookmakers’ favourite, along with ex-Newport County chief Michael Flynn, who at one point was also leading, are not on the shortlist.

According to BetVictor these are the top five favourites as of Wednesday morning…

Graham Coughlan – 2/1
Gary McSheffrey – 3/1
Nigel Adkins – 5/1
Mick McCarthy – 8/1
Michael Flynn – 8/1

Others listed by the bookmakers are the likes of Anthony Barry, John Eustace, Jonathan Woodgate, John Terry, Neil Lennon and Warren Joyce.

Chief executive Gavin Baldwin has stressed Doncaster’s owners do not take any money out of the club, and reiterated his promise the new manager will get financial backing in January to pull them out of the League One relegation zone.

“Every penny that has come into this club has gone back into the playing budget,” said Baldwin at a “Meet the Owners” event.

Money had been found for January partly thanks to a brighter off-field picture and partly because of August’s failures.

“Every month we’ve been paying significant monies off to cover debts,” said Baldwin. “They won’t be needed from January.

“The company is exceeding financially on all budgets. We’ll have two concerts and they weren’t in the budget at the start of the year.

“The situation (in August) on the striker front was that we brought a lad in from Watford (Tiago Cukur) and we also had (Fejiri) Okenabirhie who we thought was going to be free from injury. We brought (Joe) Dodoo in as well.

“Will Grigg had agreed to come, we’d agreed a deal with Sunderland but they did not want it to be done until deadline day. But Rotherham came in and the player decided that deal had more appeal.

“The finances were signed off two weeks beforehand.”

Twitter users reacted with two former Premier League managers reportedly on five-man shortlist for the Doncaster job…

@aaron_picko: Let’s be honest, as much as we’re wanting our owners to sell up etc.. out of the last 4 managers only 1 in Ritchie hasn’t worked out, got faith in whoever is appointed #drfc

@Lee_Hodgkinson: How can we not know what route we want to go down?! Surely you set the search for exactly what you’re after. Coach or manager, then interview on that basis. So scattergun.

@EdwardTroth: Because our board haven’t got a clue.

@Chrishartshor18: If they get this wrong the backlash will be massive. Mcsheffrey done well so far but I think experience is what we need with situation we’re in. Would of loved Flynn though think he’d of been the perfect fit

@AnthonyOgden98: Was hoping for Flynn but it’s not to be, just hoping we don’t give it mcsheffrey full time, his time will come but that’s not right now

@j17_jj: Interesting, can go to work happy knowing Coughlin isn’t going to get it 😂

@10Sbailey: Hopefully they choose the experience .it’s what’s need at the Moment. I’m quite sure GmS time will come #Rtwd

@berksrover: Agree that experience is key, ideally in the lower leagues, fingers crossed the process is completed sooner rather than later and we can sort January transfers out

@will87589: Seems fairly promising. Let’s see if they back up what they say

@LiamPurdy: “All four have decent experience in management” #shambles

@SmellyFerrettuk: Mick McCarthy’s barmy army 🎉

@johnevans1977: Joke of a club. 140 applications apparently and they keep mcsheffrey in the final 4 😂😂🤬🤬. And people still back this board delusional

@Orrie2014: Agreed I just don’t know why no one said anything to them on Monday. Missed opportunity

@callumrjb: Very underwhelming if we give McSheffrey the job

@Jake_laughton: Whys the interviews being done on Monday. Why not this week, the shortlist was done on Monday!!! why’s everything so dragged out for it to be given to Mcsheffrey anyway by sounds. Just like Wellens. Guy was unemployed and it took about 261 weeks to appoint him. #DRFC🔴⚪️

The two people i was hoping would be in the running for the job never even applied ffs🤣 #drfc https://t.co/Ek1K7IPW6B pic.twitter.com/VE1U6P3aEp

— Ross Walshe (@drfc_ross) December 15, 2021