Bristol Rovers are on the hunt for a new manager for the second time since the Kuwaiti takeover in August 2023 after making the decision to sack Matt Taylor.
Rewind just over a year ago when Taylor was appointed and the 42-year-old’s arrival marked the end of an exhausting five-week recruitment period, which suggested that the decision to part company with Joey Barton came with no real succession plan.
This time, the Rovers hierarchy find themselves in a more dire situation than they did then with the Gas just two points above the relegation zone, low on confidence and struggling to produce quality in the final third. Their appointment to replace Taylor has to be spot on otherwise they could end up dealing with a League Two club next season.
However, if they do get it right, there’s plenty of time for the clouds covering this gloomy campaign to disappear and for it to be reflected on as a good season. As is the nature of League One this term, the table remains incredibly congested and, with over half of the league schedule still to play, Rovers have more than enough time to climb away from any trouble.
On the face of things, it’s a good job. The hierarchy have invested and have huge plans for the football club while there are a number of promising players in the squad that haven’t been able to show their qualities on a consistent basis for whatever reason. Admittedly, anyone coming in would likely want more leadership and senior figures but, assuming the board can make an appointment within the next fortnight, January is on the doorstep.
As is often the case with Rovers, no possibility can be ruled out. There have been names such as Ryan Lowe, Steven Schumacher, Aitor Karanka and Mark Robins that just aren’t realistic appointments at this moment in time. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t quality out there.
Sure, with two Championship vacancies open and possibly more to come, the Gas might have to be patient while also missing out on top targets but, with Northampton Town and Burton Albion also still looking for new managers, Rovers should have the greater pull.
No real ethos or attributes have been laid out by the club yet as to what sort of profile they’re looking for, meaning that you can’t fully rule out anyone. With that considered, here are some names out of an extensive list that Bristol Live think could throw themselves into contention and be looked at…
Gary Rowett
Before we go on, this would be a major coup for Bristol Rovers. However, the former Derby County, Birmingham City and Stoke City boss, amongst others, is a name that has been repeatedly mentioned by supporters as their ideal choice.
The 50-year-old has outstanding pedigree and boasts an extremely impressive reputation within the game, one that suggests going to a struggling League One side certainly wouldn’t be a first choice. However, as said above, there is a plan in place that will appeal to managers and coaches and, who knows, could appeal to him.
Rowett has spent the vast majority of his managerial career in the second tier with Birmingham City, Derby County, Stoke City, Millwall and then back to Blues on an interim basis at the end of last season.
He is now often seen working as a pundit for Sky Sports with it unclear how quickly he plans to return to the dugout. There are also two vacancies in the Championship going at this moment in time and could be more on the way.
Lee Cattermole
The possibility of Cattermole getting the job permanently has been discussed amongst fans enough after he was handed interim charge alongside Dave Horseman that it has to be mentioned as a potential route, regardless of how likely it is.
Boasting nearly 300 Premier League appearances, the former midfielder enjoyed an impressive playing career and built up a reputation for being a leader at Sunderland where he spent most of his time.
At 36, Cattermole doesn’t have heaps of coaching experience with this job his first at senior level after a period at Middlesbrough working with their Under-18s. However, all a promising coach needs to shine is an opportunity and perhaps this is the one.
It’s been less than a week since he arrived at Rovers, an appointment that Matt Taylor evidently had no involvement with, so we still know little about him from a coaching perspective but he’s evidently shown enough promise to get a job as a coach.
As popular as Horseman is, it would be a surprise to see him get the job permanently after his last managerial role at Forest Green Rovers in League Two. What will be interesting to see is how the pair work alongside each other during this interim period because, the chances are, they’ll be in charge for at least one game in Wrexham on Saturday.
Kevin Nolan
A name a little bit outside of the box with no association to Bristol Rovers but if the route the Gas go down is hiring a promising coach with a great reputation in the English game, he could well be considered.
The 42-year-old is a West Ham United legend having captained the Hammers as a player to promotion from the Championship before helping them establish themselves in the Premier League. He then was part of David Moyes’ coaching staff that won the Europa Conference League in 2023.
Nolan has had managerial stints in the past at Leyton Orient and Notts County but has mainly been a coach, working with West Ham and, most recently, being part of the England Under-20s set up.
It is understood he has been considered for managerial roles in the Football League since his stint at Notts County ended back in 2018. Could Rovers possibly take a look at him you wonder?
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Andy Mangan
Admittedly, this one does feel unlikely but it would certainly be a popular appointment with Gasheads. Mangan took interim charge of Bristol Rovers on the back of Joey Barton’s sacking in October 2023 and ended up looking after the team for seven games, a run which saw them pick up some pretty strong results.
Although none of their victories were necessarily convincing, bar a 7-2 thrashing of non-league Whitby Town, four wins, two draws and a defeat at eventually promoted Derby County that they should have taken a result from was not a bad string of results by any stretch.
At the time though, Mangan wasn’t ready and fast forward a year, this would still be his first managerial role. However, the 38-year-old’s stock as a coach has risen notably since his departure from BS7.
Mangan linked up with former teammate Dave Challinor and ex-Gas coach Clint Hill at Stockport County, helping see them over the line to win League Two last season while also playing a major role in their impressive adaptation to life in League One.
Additionally, the former Rovers coach was subject to a national news story when a dream move to Real Madrid broke down due to work permit issues with Mangan having a strong relationship with Carlo Ancellotti’s son Davide who is on the Spanish juggernauts’ coaching staff.
It is also understood that Shrewsbury Town considered Mangan for their managerial vacancy before eventually hiring Gareth Ainsworth.
If Los Blacos were looking at Mangan for a coaching role, it cannot be ruled out that the Gas may now see a more experienced Mangan as a gamble worth taking.
Foreign appointment
No, that’s not the name of some unknown gem kicking it about in the Bulgarian second division, it’s more of a general point. Unfortunately, knowledge of lower level leagues abroad aren’t in our forte so we can’t pluck out individuals. However, there have been initial whispers that looking outside of England could be a possibility for Bristol Rovers with the Spanish second division a potential hotbed of coaching talent.
Personally, it would be a major gamble for a hierarchy whose last appointment ended up failing within one year of a three-and-a-half year deal. But, at the same time, it could put Rovers well and truly on the map.
Right now, the Gas aren’t in a position to get this appointment wrong which is why there would be so much caution around looking abroad but, at the same time, it could make Rovers trailblazers as it’s very rare that such an appointment is made in League One.
If an outstanding candidate emerged, perhaps it would be a gamble worth taking but they would have to ensure that communication wasn’t an issue and they had a decent knowledge of English football already. Again, we can’t rule anything out at this stage.