Next Swansea Manager Odds: The early contenders to replace Steve Cooper
Steve Cooper is reportedly set to leave Swansea City this week after two years in charge.
The news comes with less than three weeks to go until last season’s beaten Championship play-off finalists kick-off the new 2021/22 campaign away to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday 7th August.
*Since this article was published Cooper has left his post at Swansea*
What’s going on?
The Telegraph’s journalist John Percy was the first to break the Cooper story on Wednesday afternoon.
Percy states that the manager is on the verge of agreeing a mutual termination of his Swansea contract after two years in charge - he was on a three-year deal - with an official announcement expected in the next 24 hours.
Cooper, who achieved back-to-back top-six finishes, is believed to have “concerns over the future direction of the club” with the Welshman unlikely to be given much to spend on new recruits this summer.
Meanwhile, Stuart James from The Athletic reports that there was “some tension behind the scenes”.
Cooper will leave the club with a record of 47 victories from 105 games which equates to a 44.8% win rate.
What next for Swansea?
Considering that there is now just over two weeks to go until the new Championship season gets underway, Swansea can’t afford to twiddle their thumbs.
The Welsh club have got their last two appointments spot on - Graham Potter was the other - and there is every chance they go down a similar route in their search for Cooper’s successor.
In other words; a manager who can develop young players, operate efficiently on a small budget, and employ an entertaining brand of football.
Bet Victor’s next Swansea manager market has just opened its doors, and it features the likes of Eddie Howe, Frank Lampard, and John Terry as early contenders for the new vacancy.
Howe and Lampard have been linked with just about every job in 2021 - so take these two names with a pinch of salt - whereas Aston Villa assistant John Terry is seeking his breakout post in the dugout.
Elsewhere, former Preston boss Alex Neil remains out-of-work, former Swansea player Chris Coleman is priced at 20/1 to return to the club, while Cameron Toshack has been touted.
Alternatively, the likes of Russell Martin, Neil Critchley, Ryan Lowe, and Mark Bonner could be targeted from elsewhere in the EFL.
What next for Cooper?
Cooper’s name sprung up in multiple next manager markets this summer, including Fulham, Crystal Palace, and West Brom.
However, nothing ever came to fruition. Fulham appointed Marco Silva, Palace opted for Patrick Vieira, whereas the Baggies lured Valerien Ismael over from Barnsley.
The Athletic reports that Cooper is now likely to have a break from management. Whatever happens next, the 41-year-old can expect to have a bright future ahead of him in the dugout following two impressive seasons at Swansea and let’s not forget his World Cup triumph with England U17s.
He’s sure to be linked with Premier League and Championship posts as soon as they become available in the upcoming months.
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