
Eight names in the frame to replace Ben Garner at Colchester

EFL pundit Gab Sutton puts forward eight names to replace Ben Garner at Colchester United.
1. Matthew Etherington
As caretaker, Matt Etherington naturally has the best interview process of any of the candidates, because the club can see him in action first-hand and how he rubs off on the players.
If Etherington thrives during the interim period, the 42-year-old will come into the equation, and his experience of working with the Under-21s will help him in a squad that has five promoted youngsters in its first-team squad.
2. Liam Bailey
Bailey has an even longer history with Colchester’s young talent than Etherington, whom he’s assisted with the U21s.
The talented coach worked his way up every age group with the U’s youth and led the Under-18s to a 3-0 victory over Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup in 2021.
An internal appointment might not be the first thing supporters want, seeing as Robbie Cowling has been criticised for going down that route previously, and the club isn’t in a position that lends itself to heavy risk-taking.
Nonetheless, Bailey, with an experienced mentor, could continue to further the link between the first team and the academy, as the club is bringing through arguably its most talent generation since the mid-2010s.
3. David Artell
This appointment gives Colchester a dilemma.
On the one hand, they want experience, someone they can be confident will take them out of their current predicament, and someone who has achieved success at this level before.
On the other, they want someone who’s passionate about youth development and excels when it comes to nurturing individuals in order to raise the financial value of the squad as well as enhance the team's performance.
There’s only a handful of available managers who come into the sweet spot, and Artell is arguably the one who meets both requirements most emphatically.
The 42-year-old has delivered progress or success in five seasons out of six at another academy-oriented club in Crewe Alexandra, and his experience as well as time out of work to rest and reflect, has made him far more wizened than he was when he first took that job.
4. Andy Woodman
A larger-than-life character, the former goalkeeper has thrived at Bromley, leading them to a top-10 finish in his first season, then a Play-Off spot the following year, and has them flying high in fourth this term, losing just three in 16.
Woodman has kept the Ravens solid and competitive on a modest budget, whilst continuing to develop homegrown talent which can be tough in Non-League.
5. Adam Hinshelwood
Another Non-League pick, but clubs are happy to give opportunities to coaches from the U21s scene, so why not take a chance on someone proven to deliver in a competitive environment?
In 2021-22, Hinshelwood’s third full season with Worthing, he led them to the Isthmian League title, scoring a stunning 100 goals, and the following year, they reached the National League South Play-Offs, scoring 92.
The 39-year-old has recruited superbly with The Rebels and has this week persuaded anchor man Glen Rea – who could easily have got a League Two move but wanted regular starts and to find fitness close to home – to join up, through his connection with him from their time at Brighton, and the attacking style he encourages.
Plus, Hinshelwood’s knowledge of the local Non-League scene could be very helpful when it comes to identifying talent.
6. Shannon Ruth
Brighton’s Under-21s group is a goldmine of talent, and players from there on loan to EFL clubs have an excellent record of success, with Ed Turns, James Beadle and Marc Leonard starring at Leyton Orient, Oxford and Northampton respectively – all were in League Two last season.
Becoming too reliant on the loan market can be risky, and sometimes it can damage a team’s chances of building more of a synergy among its own players because you have to replace them every six or 12 months.
Nonetheless, if Colchester can get 2-3 stars from Brighton, it could be the difference between midtable and Play-Offs, or Play-Offs and automatics.
Shannon Ruth has an excellent reputation at the AMEX Stadium and has worked his way into that position over the last seven years, which coincides with the transformation in the club’s capacity to develop.
If Ruth wants a new challenge, and to establish himself in the senior game, Colchester may be able to offer him the opportunity.
7. Darren Powell
Similarly, Powell’s work over the last eight years has made a serious difference to the standard of youth development at Crystal Palace, which has gone from being a little dry to celebrating the production of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Tyrick Mitchell, plus many more coming through more recently.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Scott Banks, Killian Phillips and Kofi Balmer have all thrived on loan in the EFL after working with Powell, while Tayo Adaramola is very highly regarded too, while the Development Squad has finished fifth and fourth in the PL2 in recent seasons.
8. Jack Wilshere
Jack Wilshere didn’t achieve what he could have done in his playing career, due to injuries, which may theoretically fuel his desire to become a manager.
The former midfielder has already had a year at Arsenal, working with the Under-18s, and there’s a possible pathway into first-team coaching with his beloved club.
Nonetheless, he may feel he needs to prove himself in senior football somewhere else, and moving to Colchester could be a way to kick his managerial career into life.
The U’s, meanwhile, could benefit from not only Wilshere’s coaching talent but also the marketing and commercial opportunities they’d get from appointing him through the extra media attention.
There are a lot of Arsenal fans who live in Colchester, and appointing Wilshere would pique their curiosity.
Of course, Tranmere’s appointment of John Barnes, and Stevenage’s of Teddy Sheringham proves that going for the high-profile ex-player as a manager doesn’t always work out, so the club would have to do their due diligence on Wilshere to check his ability and credentials are up to scratch, but if they are then there’s other potential benefits to the appointment.

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