Manager’s market

With more than a half season in Coca Cola Championship gone, a lot of managers have been victimized by their clubs. In the low patience era among the low tiers, none of the managers are given enough time to prove their worth. there were a lot of hot benches this autumn , some of the coaches got sacked and the others, free managers are still waiting for their chance in some other club. Here are some of the possible combinations and variations about the possible appointments for the free agents in managerial business: Paul Jewell, Alan Pardew, Aidy Boothroyd, Paul Ince, Roy Keane or Alan Curbishley.

Derby County and Blackpool are currently two Championship sides without the full-time managers. Former Derby manager Paul Jewell has bowed his head and admitted the failure with the Rams resigning after the home defeat to Ipswich (0-1). He had left a nightmare year behind him. Spring part of the season saw him failing to score a single win in the Premiership with Rams, while he also failed to bring his team our from the ashes in the Championship after the embarrassing all-time negative score in the Premier League. Derby were suffering and needed a change although Jewell had proved to be an excellent manager and the man of his word. The man who had managed to promote Bradford to Premier League in 1995 and in 2005 to make a stabile Premier League outfit out of Wigan simply cannot be a bad man. Good luck with your career Paul.

Roy Kean, man known to be the huge motivator and short-time miracle-worker would be the perfect solution for Rams’ bench. He didn’t have the best of times with the expensive Sunderland stars, but 2006-07 season saw him making wonders with young Black Cats launching them from the last seat in the Championship to direct promotion. I believe he would fit in perfectly and constant 25.000 Pride Park fans would give him a warm welcome.

At the same time, ideal club for Jewel, in my opinion, would be Norwich City. Glen Roeder is doing great with the Canaries, but Norfolk club has always had huge ambitions. Jewell’s direct and thorough approach would manage to meet their expectations in few years time, and it would be a perfect replacement for Roeder’s aristocratic and calculated fruitless approach so far.

For relatively successful Blackpool, their last manager Simon Grayson had a controversial move to Leeds United, club from his youth. Interesting solution for Blackpool, theoretically speaking, might be Paul Ince. He is the typical example of the manager who could burn out very quickly due to early appointment. After his excellent episode with MK Dons, Blackburn Rovers have rushed to sign him this season and – nothing. He obviously needs more work with the minors and Tangerines would be the right challenge for him at this time. His culture and tranquility would be efficiently combines with the fire and courage always present at Bloomfield Road.

Charlton Athletic have gave a full-time contract to their interim manager Phil Parkinson. Although Parkinson went through a eight games winless run until then, board still trusted him with new contract after Alan Pardew’s departure. Charlton’s agony goes on , 17 straight winless games run have set the all-time worst series and I doubt Parkinson will manage to make some radical change since he is obviously without the authority influence. Same thing had happened when he was with Hull City at the beginning of 2006-07 season, when Phil Brown replaced him after the series of poor results and made Tigers a wonder in the next two seasons.

So, instead of the loser Parkinson, Charlton need a tough man, motivator, which could all be found in Aidy Boothroyd. Regardless of the fact he had been at the helm of their fierce rivals Watford until recently, he would still be the ideal solution. He would definitely give chance to some new Valley kids, get rid of oldies and make order at Valley. Still, it is hard to believe that Boothroyd would agree on coming to impecunious club after the recent like episode in Watford.

Alan Pardew would be the ideal manager for the club with good youth program and with bright prospects, like West Ham three seasons ago when he had promoted them to Premier League. That is why Southampton would be the perfect surroundings for him. The Dutch on the Saints’ bench, Ian Poorvliet’s leaking defense and attacking approach didn’t bring some noticeable results hence he is too on thin ice with Pardew as the perfect replacement.

It appears to me that Nottingham Forest did a great job bringing Billy Davies at helm. Billy had a lot of success with young and inexperienced teams always pulling the best of them and Forest are just the team like that. With Davies on the lead, Preston played play-off two years in the row, and when he came to Derby he had immediately promoted them to Premiership. Immediately and prematurely we might conclude based on the Rams’ already mentioned terrible season. It appears that Forest players are already started to feel the positive influence of this appointment because they managed to kick off great Manchester City 3-0 in FA Cup. Sacked Colin Calderwood failed with respectable Forest side and, I think, he is set for the return to some League One side.

Of all the remaining free agents on the market, I think that Alan Curbishley is too big of a name for the Championship. The reputation he earned working with Charlton (in their best days) and West Ham, is too great for him to work in the second league and I believe he will wait for his new Premier League chance.