Two big names ruled out as Stoke City interview Championship veterans for vacant managerial post

12/30/2024 09:49 AM

Stoke City have interviewed Mark Robins and David Wagner but Steve Cooper and Lee Carsley are not in the running for the job, as per John Percy.

Stoke City are on the lookout for a new boss after deciding to part ways with Narcis Pelach.

The Potters sacked Steven Schumacher to bring the Spanish coach in earlier this season but the move has far from paid off. The club remain in an underwhelming position towards the lower reaches of the Championship table and as a result, they’re on the hunt for a new manager once again.

Speculation has quickly circulated over who could be the next man challenged with turning around fortunes at the Bet365 Stadium and now, The Telegraph reporter John Percy has offered a fresh update on the search.

Writing on X, Percy revealed that Stoke City are in an ongoing process as they look for their new lead man but two contenders to have been interviewed are former Coventry City boss Mark Robins and David Wagner, who was last of fellow Championship side Norwich City.

However, two names ruled out of the running are the linked Steve Cooper and England U21s boss Lee Carsley.

It is added there is a willingness to pay compensation for the right target but Stoke City are facing restrictions on that front.

An open hunt

Stoke City are still in the early days of their search for a new manager, so it’s not exactly a surprise to see that they’re still very much keeping options open at the moment.

Robins and Wagner are two veterans when it comes to Championship management, indicating a big change in direction after the failed Pelach appointment. Cooper and Carlsey were two big names and perhaps overly ambitious given the position the club finds themselves in.

With the club far from decided on their next boss though, it remains to be seen just who else emerges in contention to replace Pelach. One thing that there is no doubt over is just how important this appointment will be for the direction of their club and potentially the future of the hierarchy at the Bet365 Stadium.

The task ahead

The next Stoke City boss will first and foremost be tasked with leading the club away from the relegation picture. The Potters sit 18th as it stands, four points above the drop.

It had been hoped they would set their sights far higher this season but once again, they’ve seriously underwhelmed in the Championship and look as they’ll have no say whatsoever on the fight further up the table.

The new boss will have to settle quickly and work with what they’ve got, hopefully being given time to settle and embed their ways with results starting to flow.

Then, once this dismal season is eventually out the way, they can start to plan for the long-term again, an ability the club have been almost completely remiss of ever since they dropped from the Premier League.

The post Two big names ruled out as Stoke City interview Championship veterans for vacant managerial post appeared first on The72 - Football League News.