Next Swansea manager odds: Buckingham wanted in Wales

Independent

18-02-2025

Des Buckingham has only been out of work since December but he is the favourite to replace Luke Williams as manager of Swansea City.
The former Notts County manager was sacked by the Championship side on Monday after a 3-1 defeat by Stoke City left them 17th in the Championship table.
Despite sitting eight points above the relegation zone, after losing seven of their last nine games the Swans board acted now to prevent that points gap closing.
Football betting sites make Buckingham the even-money favourite ahead of caretaker boss Alan Sheehan and former Swans boss Russell Martin.
Buckingham was sacked by Oxford United before Christmas after 13 months in charge of the U's, a decision many felt was a harsh one after he guided them back into the Championship for the first time in 25 years.
He led them to promotion from League One via a play-off final victory at the end of last season but left the club one point clear of the relegation zone.
He previously coached at Stoke City, Wellington Phoenix and the New Zealand U20s and U23s before taking charge of Mumbai City in the Indian Super League.
He won the Indian league in February 2023 after an 18-match unbeaten run and was voted Coach of the Year by the Indian Players Football Association.
Easy option with Sheehan?
Alan Sheehan is second favourite with betting sites, after being placed in charge on an interim basis, for the second time.
He will work alongside coach Kristian O'Leary and goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson, ahead of Saturday's home game with Blackburn Rovers.
The decision was not a popular one though with many Swans fans despite him winning three of his seven games in charge last time around, when he took charge after Michael Duff left the club.
The former Luton Town and Southampton coach has his Pro Licence and has been linked with a range of jobs over the last 12 months.
Martin to return?
Russell Martin left Swansea in 2023, to join Southampton so it's easy to see why bookmakers would have him amongst the favourites for the role.
He only left St Mary's in December so whether he is ready for a return to action yet remains to be seen as does whether he would see the move as a backward step after managing in the Premier League – albeit not very successfully.
He took charge of the Swans 99 times, winning 36 games and losing the same amount as he led them to 15th and 10th place finishes.
England duo in the reckoning
Ryan Lowe and Rob Edwards have been linked with every job going since they left Preston North End and Luton Town respectively.
Lowe might be a good move, after all, he knows the division well after three years with Preston and he also has managerial experience at Bury and Plymouth Argyle.
Edwards is a former Wales international but would come to south Wales having only recently been sacked by the team that now occupy the division's bottom spot.
Two outsiders in the market are former England internationals Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, who might have a tough job convincing the Welsh fan base that they are the right people for the job.
Gerrard, who is 20/1 to take over, is unemployed after leaving Saudi club Al-Ettifaq at the end of last month. He is also 10/1 for the Blackburn job after manager John Eustace left to take over at Derby and also fancied to re-take the Rangers job if under-pressure incumbent Philippe Clement does finally get the boot. After two years in Saudi, he might prefer a club closer to home or even a break from the rigours of management.
Rooney is another name on betting apps at 33/1, but just like Edwards he was sacked by a team below Swansea so is unlikely to be seen as an improvement.
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