After a run of poor performances in League One recently, the Pirates, or GasHeads as the fans have become affectionately known, have sacked manager Joey Barton. Despite bringing them back to League One after their relegation in the 21/22 season, a 17th place finish last campaign and just four wins from thirteen games, meant that the board unanimously decided to part ways in search of a manager who could elevate them to being a Championship team.
Barton has always cut a contentious figure, with his off-field rants compared to bullying and his player criticisms being a tad extreme on occasion. Just a week ago, after drawing with Stevenage, he described their manager Steve Evans as a ‘fat man’ and a ‘weeble’, but it seems that the board understood this side of him, stating that the decision to sack Joey was purely based on on-field results and performances. While Barton has time to choose his next step, it seems the next Bristol Rovers manager odds are already lighting up with prospective new managers, as the club looks to appoint a quick replacement to continue to accelerate them up the League One table after a 2-1 win against struggling Northampton Town on the weekend just gone, with Andy Mangan having taken the manager’s chair temporarily. For those who are backing Mangan for the permanent role, it seems he is far from favourite with several other names being touted ahead of his.
According to BetVictor, at the time of writing, the Bristol Rovers manager odds have Mangan sitting 5th at 12/1*, just ahead of Steve Cotterill at 8/1, but three names appear higher in the pecking order. First in the list, at 2/1* and delivering a £30 return on a £10 bet, is Garry Monk. Having not managed since 2020 for Sheffield Wednesday, his Championship experience may prove to be the deciding factor for owner Hussain AlSaeed. At 5/1* and sharing second-place with a potential £60 return on a £10 bet, are Neil Harris and Ian Holloway. Harris, having recently been sacked from Gillingham, seems like a step backwards on paper but his work at Cardiff City from 2019-2021 does show experience in managing a Championship side. Holloway, having not managed since 2020 and having declared a diminished appetite for managing after his stint at Grimsby Town, did manage Championship side QPR between 2016-18, so has also had experience at the league above which could prove useful if he was appointed.
Whatever choices are made next and whoever lands the coveted managerial role, 16 points off of top of the table Portsmouth and 7 points off 6th place Stevenage, the next appointment will have a fight on their hand to try secure a playoff position and give Bristol Rovers a chance at Championship football in the 2024/25 season. In the meantime, while we wait to hear more, stay tuned for further updates and keep an eye on the next football manager odds here at BetVictor.
*All odds are correct at time of writing and are subject to change.
