SINCE Ian Holloway resigned from his position, bookmakers have seen a huge number of favourites climb to the top of their odds table, with each option ranging in managerial prowess and coaching ability.
We've seen the coming and going of Tony Pulis as a potential boss. We then saw Martin O'Neill become second favourite until he turned the job down (or perhaps refused to discuss it) in favour of the Ireland job.
We've seen Chris Coleman work the market to give himself a better negotiating position in his contract talks with the Welsh FA and we've seen Neil Warnock and Steve Coppell get honourable mentions.
New candidates for the favourite position now include Burnley boss Sean Dyche, former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen (until he took a job at Fulham on Wednesday) and even our favourite bald eagle, Atilio Lombardo.
All of this speculation is indicative of one thing – since Steve Parish and the rest of CPFC2010 bought the club, we rarely find out exactly what is going on until either the announcement is made or the final contracts are being signed. In other words, the club rarely indulge in the kind of speculation that the national media (and the bookmakers) thrive on.
What is certain is that, whether the new manager is experienced or not, they will have to work within a newly-established structure – and with Karanka, Dyche and Lombardo linked to the managerial position, an experienced manager might not actually be what the club are looking for.
Iain Moody's appointment as sporting director (an astute one given his success at Watford and Cardiff) signals the club have possibly had a change of attitudes towards the new appointment.
A more experienced boss is unlikely to feel as comfortable to work within a structure where he might report to a director – the likes of Pulis prefer an autonomous approach to management.
Moody's appointment is a great step in the right direction.
While managers will change frequently (it is rare for a manager to stay at the same club for three years or more) having a technical director can ensure a smooth transition between bosses and a defined policy in terms of squad building and long-term planning.
So, while the odds keep changing, one thing is for certain – whoever comes in will have to be willing to work with Moody.
