Next Brighton Manager Odds: Kjetil Knutsen, Ange Postecoglou and Nathan Jones attracting early interest
Graham Potter has become the new Chelsea manager following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel, meaning there's yet another Premier League vacancy up for grabs - the third already this season - with Paddy Power subsequently releasing the next Brighton manager odds.
While it’s an outcome Brighton certainly wouldn’t have wanted given the superb work Potter has done on the south coast, it’s an outcome that the meticulous club would have planned for. After all, the impressive Potter has long been linked with a top Premier League job; few would begrudge his step up the managerial ladder.
Tony Bloom and co will already have a selection of names that they’ll be interested in talking to as they prepare to open up the search for Potter’s replacement. It’s a position that won’t be short of interested parties considering how extremely well run and progressive the club is, coupled with their fine start to the season.
Below, we take a look at the early odds and throw our own names in the frame to fill Potter’s big shoes…
Over the past year Kjetil Knutsen has frequented many a next manager market, particularly in regards to the Premier League, Scottish Premiership, and top end Championship posts: from Norwich and Rangers, to Burnley and Blackburn.
Like Potter, Knutsen improves players, elevates clubs to new levels, and recovers swiftly from the loss of star players. Not only is the three-time Norwegian Coach of the Year a successful and excellent manager who employs an attractive and forward-thinking brand of football at current club Bodø/Glimt, but his profile has deservedly soared following his side’s memorable runs in European competition last season: most notably the 6-1 spanking of Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
I’m biassed, but I’d love to see Knutsen wave his managerial wand in England’s top-flight. He seems like an ideal fit to continue Potter's fantastic work, and at 4/1 he’s been installed as one of the early frontrunners for the post. Despite plenty of reported interest, he’s not yet been lured away by another club, but a call from Brighton could well change his stance.
Current Premier League managers nestled in the early odds include Nottingham Forest’s Steve Cooper (6/1) - who replaced Potter at Swansea - plus Brentford’s Thomas Frank (15/2) and Leicester’s Brendan Rodgers (12/1). All three are obviously all in work, although Rodgers might not be for too much longer…
Bloom is likely to have managers in other European leagues firmly pinned on his radar. Names he may be considering include Julien Stephan (Strasbourg) and Matthias Jaissle (Red Bull Salzburg). Sporting’s top young coach Ruben Amorim has attracted attaention from many a club in the last year, although he would require a hefty reported buyout clause of €30m. The recently departed RB Leipzig boss Domenico Tedesco and the exciting ex-Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk coach Roberto De Zerbi are both available for hire: The latter is certainly not afraid to take risks, preferring an ambitious, entertaining, and expansive style of play.
Felice Mazzu (Anderlecht) and Karel Geraerts (Union SG) both feature in the betting, however they have only been in their new jobs for a matter of months.
As attractive a job as Brighton is, Mauricio Pochettino is probably an unrealistic target. The Argentine previously thrived on the south coast with Southampton, before stepping up to manage Tottenham, and most recently PSG. He is, however, available and known to be interested in a return to the Premier League, while it goes without saying that it would be a stunning statement of intent from the club. Yet at just 12/1 it’s a price that seems rather short.
One manager who could fit the bill is Ange Postecoglou, a 12/1 shot with Paddy Power. A football purist, his entertaining and attacking brand of football have been a huge hit at Celtic; who won the league in his first season, are now playing in the Champions League main draw, and recently pummelled rivals Rangers 4-0. While we saw Steven Gerrard swap Rangers for Aston Villa last season, it’s difficult to see Postecoglou leave the Hoops at this moment in time. Not out of the question though.
Brighton dipped into the Championship’s managerial pool when appointing Potter, could they do so again in the search for his replacement?
Nathan Jones, who is also being linked to Bournemouth, has attracted some early interest in the Brighton market at 9/1. The passionate and fiery Welshman is currently in his second spell at Luton, with whom he impressively led into the play-offs last season. He did previously test himself away from the Hatters in what was unfortunately a pretty disastrous stint at Stoke, but he’s bounced back from that setback in an admirable and impressive fashion. Unlikely to be Brighton’s No.1 target, but worth keeping an eye on.
Meanwhile, it’s probably a job too soon for Plymouth’s Ryan Lowe and Swansea's Russell Martin who can both be found at 12/1.
Full odds can be found below...
