Lincoln City boss Danny Cowley has become the first manager to distance himself from the Town job which will become vacant in the summer when Mick McCarthy departs, news which the club confirmed this morning.

Cowley, whose then-Vanarama National League Imps beat the Blues in the FA Cup last season before winning promotion to League Two, quickly emerged as the early bookies' favourite to succeed McCarthy.

At time of writing the one-time Braintree Town boss is the 13/8 favourite with SkyBet ahead of former Blues skipper and coach Tony Mowbray, who is currently in charge at Blackburn, at 5/2, then the currently unattached Shefki Kuqi at 3/1, ex-England manager Steve McClaren, who was linked by one of Sunday’s tabloids, at 9/1, Colchester boss and ex-Blues defender John McGreal at 10/1 along with VVV-Venlo boss Maurice Steijn, who was the subject of Town rumours last summer.

Ex-Brentford and Rangers manager Mark Warburton is 16/1 and former Reading boss Jaap Stam 22/1 with Luton’s Nathan Jones and the much-travelled Uwe Rosler.

Quizzed on the links with the Town job Cowley said he and his brother and assistant Nicky are purely concentrating on matters at Sincil Bank, at least for the moment.

“Our focus remains wholeheartedly here,” he told Lincolnshire Live We’re eternally thankful for the opportunity we’ve been given here.

“We’ve been shown great loyalty by the people of Lincoln. When we’re shown loyalty we always like to reciprocate.

“Our total focus is here. We’re at the business end of the season. We’ve worked very, very hard since the end of last season to put ourselves in this position.

“It would be crazy of us to think of anything else but Lincoln City and what we’re doing between now and hopefully the end of May [when the play-off final will take place].”

Photo: TWTD

leftie1972 added 18:50 - Mar 29 Sounds really bad if he's distancing himself already!
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TB42 added 18:56 - Mar 29 Tony MOWBRAY for me .... Noted the following on the BBC website related to Blackurn Rovers and MOWBRAY's view of fans following a bit of booing. Rovers, coincidentally have a current goal difference of 35 - can't remember, have we ever made it to double figures under Mick? Blackburn Rovers were spurred on to beat Bury after being booed by their own fans at the end of the first half, says boss Tony Mowbray. The 2-0 win that put Rovers top of League One followed second-half goals by Danny Graham and Adam Armstrong. "I think it's disappointing but you don't want to criticise the fans," Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire. "They come to see us win and be entertaining and generally at home so far this year we have." The 54-year-old continued: "As the players went down the tunnel at half-time, the fans were booing and I told them that's the expectations of the football club. "If anything it proved a motivation for the team to go and get the job done."

4

Suffolkboy added 18:57 - Mar 29 We need a pitch makeover before anyone can contemplate playing passing football ; spend some money Mikne on this and the ground itself !
1

TimmyH added 19:10 - Mar 29 Should have sacked Mick in January before either the Cowley Bros. or even Gary Monk signed a new deals/contract then we might have got one of them.
1

Swn98 added 19:15 - Mar 29 Essexn Blue no good for here then the fans don't like managers who say it how it is.
-2

WirralBlue added 19:18 - Mar 29 Kevin Nolan or the Cowley Brothers
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broseleyblue added 19:27 - Mar 29 Paul Cook no.1 choice, Nathan Jones 2 and Paul Hurst 3. definitely not the Cowleys yet.
6

BlueandTruesince82 added 19:54 - Mar 29 That list does not inspire. Having thought about it I'm lese adverse to a punt ob Stam than I was. Think Cowleys are happy where they are. McGreal not yet. Mugga, no. Frankly any us should have Blackburn top of lge 1, legend and might prove inspired if it happened but just not convinced yet. Kuqi not yet but maybe one day. Luton chap, maybe Warburton seems most likely Know nothing about the VVV chap. Would be open to cook too.

1

ChrisFelix added 20:00 - Mar 29 Mccarthy never played a direct route, he played the defensive route. Often no shots on target even at home. Midfielders who never ever entered the opponents box.Bring on attacking football even if it's direct.
4

baxter7 added 20:52 - Mar 29 How about Clough decent manager and plays attacking footie
10

blueheartXT added 22:11 - Mar 29 The one thing for sure we first need a proven manager to keep us in the championship we can not afford to go down despite what some people think. we also need an improved budget and at least 23 quality players ,for the last few years we have 5 or so injurys and dont have the real quality to replace them , this needs addressing
2

Woodbridgian added 23:30 - Mar 29 To those who say the Cowleys aren't ready I'm sure that was said of Ramsey and Robson but history proved the doubters wrong. We have to go for a young progressive manager and build from the bottom up. Equally Paul Cook,Nathan Jones and Paul Hurst all good options as well. As for McClaren NOOOOOOOOOOOO
4

muhrensweet4thijssen added 05:44 - Mar 30 Brian Klug
3

muhrensweet4thijssen added 05:49 - Mar 30 Oh my god. I've just done the poll vote on eadt for who should be next manager. The leader is Danny cowley. His brand of football is exactly the same one the majority of fans have been moaning about for the last 5 years!! Wow you really can't educate pork!
2

melbs_itfc added 06:00 - Mar 30 Sorry Woodbridgian I down voted you by mistake! I agree with your post 100%.
0

dugoutdave added 07:38 - Mar 30 I commented a couple of week ago that Paul Cook would be my favourite. I was given to understand he was approched just before he took Wigan job.
1

therein61 added 07:41 - Mar 30 Leftie1972, I would not say he is distancing himself he is under contract and his team are still in with a shout of promotion so his focus remains on that.
2

PortmanTerrorist added 08:06 - Mar 30 Nathan Jones all day....we need a winner in the building! Almost local, connection with Downes who he could build a team around and cue Portman road bouncing around to a bananarama (Almost) classic tune. However suspect this will be a prize job of Evans commits funds to a new manager on top of existing squad and money from sale of Bart.
1

runaround added 08:28 - Mar 30 He's hardly distancing himself too far away from it is he?! Will be interesting who is on Evans list
1

pegasus added 08:45 - Mar 30 Agree with Mark and Suffolkboy: get the playing surface sorted and appoint a manager/coach who encourages and achieves accurate passing football.
1

martin587 added 08:46 - Mar 30 I cannot see any point in MM staying till the end of the season.We should put BK in charge until then.I doubt very much a manager will be named while MM is still in charge.It just looks a bit pear shaped to me.Will this deter season ticket sales,Possibly.🤔
2

Dissboyitfc added 09:01 - Mar 30 Chrishants.... very true.... some of the football displayed under MM has been the most boring and most negative i have ever witnessed at portman rd. Under McCarthy it was always about stopping the other team! There was an occasion last season when this was not the case and we just went for it, that occasion was Newcastle at home. Great game and a great victory. But once a season is not enough! Paul Tisdale, Nathan Jones, Jap Stam, Mauric Steijn..try to enjoy the anticipation everyone, be positive better times are a coming!

5

tractorboybig added 09:03 - Mar 30 I know who I would like,, a Mcgreal/stewart partnership. However if true to form Evans has his own mind set and rest assured it will not be the right man for this club.
0

dirtydingusmagee added 09:36 - Mar 30 Evans likes a ''name'' , and knows sod all about football. Perhaps that's where Milne will put his 10 penneth in ,God help us .
1

SUPERBLUE59 added 10:03 - Mar 30 Paul cook, currently at wigan would be my 1st choice, also did a good job at portsmouth on even less budget than mm.
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