Sunderland boss Chris Coleman is the latest manager to have been linked with the Town vacancy.
According to the Daily Mirror, Coleman’s future at the Stadium of Light is in doubt following the Black Cats’ relegation to League One, although it’s been reported elsewhere that he wants to stay on, while the Blues are said to see him as a potential target to replace Mick McCarthy.
Coleman, 47, started his management career at Fulham before spells with Real Sociedad, Coventry and Greek side AEL before his hugely successful almost six-year stint in charge of Wales in which he took them to the semi-finals of the 2016 European Championships.
He left the Wales job in November to take over at Sunderland but was unable to prevent the Wearsiders from succumbing to their second successive relegation.
Coleman is just one of a large number of potential bosses understood to have been sounded out by the Blues as they look for a successor to McCarthy. Yesterday, owner Marcus Evans said the process is likely to run to the end of May or start of June.
As previously reported, Tony Mowbray, whose Blackburn side confirmed promotion back to the Championship earlier in the week, is also among those the Blues would like to speak to, but the Mirror reports the former skipper isn’t keen. Mowbray may well have more funds at his disposal at Ewood Park next season than he would were he to move to Town.
Ex-Leicester boss Nigel Pearson, who is now manager of Belgian club OH Leuven and who came close to getting the Town job in 2006, is also said to have declined the opportunity to talk to the Blues.
Luton’s Nathan Jones is another who appears out of the running with the Welshman having recently signed a new contract which runs to 2022 with includes a release clause which is understood to be more than Town would be willing to pay.
In the betting, Wigan’s Paul Cook and Lincoln’s Danny Cowley are now joint-favourites at 5-1 with Bet Victor with Mowbray at 6-1, Shefki Kuqi at 10-1, Shrewsbury’s Paul Hurst at 14-1 along with Mark Warburton and Taiwan boss Gary White, while Steven Gerrard has moved out to 16-1.
We understand the Liverpool legend is someone under serious consideration by the Blues, however, he is currently 3-1 on to take charge at Rangers.