Next Birmingham City Manager Odds: Neil Favourite As Lampard Sees Price Slashed
Birmingham City are searching for a new manager to succeed Tony Mowbray, with Alex Neil currently being the frontrunner according to UK betting sites.
Mowbray took a leave of absence in February for medical treatment, with Gary Rowett taking charge of first team affairs on a temporary basis.
However, Blues confirmed on May 21 that he would not be returning to the role this summer as initially planned.
Despite the efforts of interim boss Rowett, City fell to the third tier of English football for the first time in nearly three decades.
The club will now start their search for a new boss, with several interesting names in the frame to try and return Blues to the Championship.
So with this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the contenders according to football betting sites.
Alex Neil Heads The Betting
Neil is an experienced Championship-level coach who understands what it takes to secure promotion to the second tier and is currently 6/4 favourite to land the Blues job with betting apps.
He successfully guided Sunderland to promotion in 2022 after taking over midway through the season.
According to the Telegraph’s John Percy, Birmingham have held ‘initial talks’ with former Sunderland and Stoke City manager Neil who is seen as a good option having won promotions with Norwich, Sunderland and Scottish side Hamilton.
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Lampard Now Second Favourite
Frank Lampard, who has been out of work for over 12 months following a tough spell managing Everton, has reportedly been interviewed by Blues as they look to replace Tony Mowbray and is now 3/1 second favourite for the role.
His achievements prior to his time at Goodison Park include taking Derby County to the Championship play-off final in 2019 and securing a top-four finish with Chelsea in his first season at Stamford Bridge.
Lampard is also under consideration for the vacancy at Championship side Burnley who are searching for a new manager after Vincent Kompany's move to Bayern Munich.
Rosenior And Rowett In The Running
Liam Rosenior (7/2) was unexpectedly dismissed by Hull City after they finished seventh in the Championship, missing the play-offs by just three points.
He was instrumental in the likes of Jaden Philogene and Fabio Carvalho joining Hull last term and clearly has the respect of ambitious and hungry players.
The major question is whether the 39-year-old would be willing to drop down to League One after performing so well in the Championship.
Gary Rowett (7/2) stepped in to cover for Tony Mowbray following an initial period under assistant Mark Venus and effectively auditioned for the job in the final eight games of last season.
A points tally of 11 from eight games was respectable, and Rowett wasn't to blame for Blues' relegation, making him a strong candidate to get the job on a full-time basis.
Ferguson And Heckingbottom Provide Potential
Darren Ferguson (4/1) enjoyed another successful season with Peterborough United, taking Posh to glory at Wembley in the EFL Trophy against Wycombe Wanderers.
He also narrowly missed out on promotion in the play-offs after being there, or thereabouts, for much of the campaign.
If Birmingham want a young and ambitious coach who is looking for a new challenge then they could do a lot worse than Fergie junior.
If reports are to be believed, former Leeds United and Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom (9/2) is on the Blues' radar.
Heckingbottom has been jobless since leaving the Blades midway through the 2023/24 season, facing Premier League relegation having previously led Sheffield United to automatic promotion with a second-place finish.
Wagner And Cole Waiting In The Wings
Another young and ambitious coach in the frame is Ashley Cole (5/1), who has worked under his former team-mates Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney, joining the latter at Birmingham this season.
Cole remains a coach at Blues months after Rooney was sacked after just 15 games in charge and the hot seat at St Andrew's could be the natural destination for his first managerial job.
Former Norwich and Huddersfield Town boss, David Wagner, has a wealth of experience when it comes to managing teams in the lower reaches.
Wagner (6/1) was appointed Huddersfield Town's head coach in November 2015 with the Terriers 18th in the Championship before winning promotion to the Premier League in his first full season and certainly has the stomach for a fight.
Still And Beale Seek Next Opportunity
Will Still (13/2) has impressed many with his work at Reims, putting him on the radar for a host of English clubs looking for a new manager, not least Birmingham City.
The Belgian-born Englishman left his role at the French top-flight club after a downturn in form saw them register just two wins in 14 games.
Still became an overnight sensation shortly after his appointment as Reims boss after coaching the club despite not having a UEFA Pro Licence.
Michael Beale is probably still licking his wounds after a brief and largely disappointing stint at Sunderland but his track record means he's currently 7/1 with new betting sites.
That's because, despite his recent challenges in the North East, where he managed only four wins in 12 games, Beale's experience at clubs like QPR and Rangers, where he helped guide the club to their 55th league title, makes him a strong candidate to take the Blues back to the Championship.
Parker And Bruce Keen For Return
Former Chelsea midfielder Scott Parker (10/1) boasts an impressive managerial CV, having achieved promotion to the Premier League twice with Fulham and Bournemouth.
He may need to rebuild his reputation following a disappointing end to his tenure at Bournemouth and an average performance with Club Brugge in Belgium. So dropping down a league might be necessary for him to reignite his managerial career.
If you're looking for a longer odds option to use free bets on, then veteran boss Steve Bruce (14/1) is well known to Birmingham City fans having led the club from 2001 to 2007 and taking them to the Premier League for the first time in 16 years.
They were relegated in 2006 but he led them back to the top flight at the first time of asking before departing to take over at Wigan Athletic.
* Reminder: These are hypothetical odds provided by industry experts.
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