Next Brighton Manager Odds: Kieran McKenna Favourite To Replace Roberto De Zerbi
Brighton have begun the search for a new manager and the best betting sites have drawn up a list of contenders for the position.
Roberto De Zerbi took charge of his final match as Albion boss in Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat by Manchester United.
De Zerbi secured European football for the first time in the club’s history, but Brighton’s record in 2024 is mediocre at best and there were disagreements between the manager and the board over recruitment.
Following in De Zerbi’s footsteps will not be easy, but Seagulls fans will take heart from the fact that the Italian successfully replaced Graham Potter, whose own departure was thought to be a huge setback at the time.
Let’s take a look at the names in the frame for the Amex Stadium hot-seat according to football betting sites.
McKenna Heads List Ahead Of Farioli
What a job Kieran McKenna has done at Ipswich. Back-to-back promotions have taken the Tractor Boys from League One to the Premier League in just two years.
The achievement is even more impressive when you consider that this is McKenna’s first ever job in management.
Ipswich will be desperate to keep hold of him and the fact they sealed promotion increases their chances of doing so.
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But Brighton are said to be strong admirers of the former Manchester United coach, who is priced at 6/4 to replace De Zerbi.
Next on the list is Francesco Farioli. The 35-year-old Italian has just led Nice to a fifth-place finish in Ligue 1 and reportedly has the backing of De Zerbi, although Brighton may face competition from Ajax.
Farioli is available at 4/1 with Ladbrokes to succeed his compatriot at the Amex Stadium.
Could Martin Make Move Or Potter Return?
Russell Martin will not be thinking about anything other than this weekend’s Championship play-off final when his Southampton side face Leeds for a shot at the Premier League.
But if the Saints come up short, he could emerge as a leading contender for the Brighton job.
Betting apps currently offer a price of 8/1 on Martin, whose preference for a possession-based style of play would no doubt appeal to Brighton owner Tony Bloom and CEO Paul Barber.
Another thing to note is that Martin is from Brighton and was once part of their youth set-up.
Potter is considered a 14/1 shot to return to Brighton. It is not hard to imagine him going back to the club at some point, but the opportunity may have come too soon this time.
Rosenior And Still Both Looking For New Roles
Eyebrows were raised when Hull parted company with Liam Rosenior earlier this month. The former defender had outperformed expectations to take the Tigers to the brink of the Championship play-offs, only to be sacked soon after their seventh-place finish was confirmed.
Rosenior (14/1) should bounce back pretty quickly, but he is unlikely to get the Brighton job so early in his managerial career.
Will Still (20/1) is also searching for his next job after leaving Reims. However, like Rosenior it is more probable that he ends up in the Championship at this stage of his journey.
Cooper And Frank Have Premier League Experience
Brighton did not seek Premier League experience when they appointed Potter and De Zerbi, so it is unlikely to be a key consideration this time either.
Yet both Steve Cooper and Thomas Frank have plenty more going for them than knowledge of the English game.
Cooper (25/1) was unfortunate to be sacked by Nottingham Forest earlier this season. He deserves another shot at the top flight and he may well be one of the people Brighton are thinking about.
Frank would be more difficult to obtain given he is currently in work with Brentford, a club which he committed his future to last week.
Amorim And Kompany Among The Outsiders
Ruben Amorim and Vincent Kompany are both 25/1 outsiders. Amorim would be an ambitious hire, having been linked with the Liverpool job a few months back and later holding talks with West Ham, but whether he would swap Sporting CP for Brighton is another question.
Kompany’s stock has taken a hit following Burnley’s relegation this season. The former Manchester City captain needs to rebuild his reputation in the second tier next term.
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