Next Rotherham Manager Odds: 10 names in the frame

EFL pundit Gab Sutton picks 10 managers who could become the new Rotherham United boss following the dismissal of Matt Taylor.

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Chris Wilder

Although Sheffield United are technically Rotherham’s rivals, it’s a rivalry that’s passionate yet neighbourly in nature.

It’s partly because the Blades offered their support for 2006’s “Save Our Millers” campaign by paying the wages of on-loan Stephen Quinn and Jonathan Forte, also donating profits from the beam-back of the Sheffield derby, while supporters chipped in.

That historical context means a Sheffield United legend could manage Rotherham with minimal political challenges, as opposed to a Wednesday legend – who’d get eaten alive at their first press conference.

Chris Wilder has won promotion from the Championship before – and, perhaps more relevantly, League One – but his stock has fallen since leading the Blades to a ninth-placed Premier League finish in 2019-20, enough to be attainable.

Plus, it’s plausible the 56-year-old prefers a less lucrative job at Rotherham that would allow him to stay in Yorkshire, as opposed to a more lucrative job that would further compromise the work-life balance.

Odds correct as of 2023-11-14 17:04 Odds subject to change.

2. Gary Rowett

Rotherham have conceded the joint-most goals in the Championship, 32 in 16, so the appeal of Gary Rowett is he’s been one of the best organisers in the league over the last nine years.

The Millers aren’t playing with loads of confidence right now, so there’s something highly attractive about appointing a manager who knows how to keep the message simple, to begin with at least, and give the players instructions they can implement quickly.

At Millwall, Rowett’s side kept 65 clean sheets in 182 games, a 36% hit rate, on a bottom six budget.

Appoint Rowett, and Rotherham won’t have to be brilliant in possession to churn out a steady flow of points which could help them stabilize in their current situation.

Odds correct as of 2023-11-14 17:04 Odds subject to change.

3. Neil Warnock

Neil Warnock knows how to save a club from relegation in the Championship, having achieved that objective each of the last four times he’s been given the remit, emphatically so with Rotherham in 2016.

The 74-year-old hasn’t officially retired just yet, which suggests he’s open to one last, last, last hurrah, likely with a club close to his heart.

The narrative fits, and he’d certainly galvanize supporters, whilst having the experience to deliver at the crunch points.

Odds correct as of 2023-11-14 17:04 Odds subject to change.

4. John Eustace

While John Eustace is an out-of-work manager, his work at Birmingham should have massively enhanced his reputation.

The 42-year-old got Blues results last season with a wafer-thin squad, steering them to a comfortable 17th-placed finish following a summer of dread, and after being backed by new ownership with 12 new players, he had them in the top six.

By the end, Eustace had the B9 outfit playing high-energy, front-foot football, pressing opponents whilst remaining defensively responsible, sustaining pressure when required whilst being able to threaten in transition.

CEO Garry Cook has a good relationship with Wayne Rooney’s agent, Daniel Stretford, which is why Eustace was sacked in order for Rooney to get the job – it was completely unrelated to managerial performance.

Odds correct as of 2023-11-14 17:04 Odds subject to change.

5. Garry Monk

Garry Monk has proven to be a solid Championship manager, delivering competitive results at this level with Leeds, Middlesbrough and Birmingham, as well as leading Swansea to a ninth-placed Premier League finish in 2014-15, in his only full season.

The only real blotch on the former centre-back’s CV is his time at Sheffield Wednesday, and managing them in the Championship seems to be something of a dead end for many.

Since then, Monk has been out of action amid question marks over his relationship with agent James Featherstone, whom it was alleged had a significant influence over transfer dealings.

Odds correct as of 2023-11-14 17:04 Odds subject to change.

6. Leam Richardson

Rotherham fans want a bit of heart, fight and passion in their team, and Leam Richardson’s sides are strong on the intangibles.

The former long-term assistant to Paul Cook has won numerous promotions below the Championship as a number two, with Chesterfield, Portsmouth and Wigan, before working wonders with the Latics as a number one.

Richardson kept them up in League One in 2020-21 when they had a seven-point deduction and grave financial troubles, before using the spirit and togetherness established in the great escape to win the title the following season.

Odds correct as of 2023-11-14 17:04 Odds subject to change.

7. David Artell

Rotherham have had three attempts at staying in the Championship under Paul Warne, and been relegated each time.

There was nothing wrong with the work ethic or commitment of the team in two of those attempts, but what they were missing was the ability to look after the ball for certain periods and give themselves some oxygen. 

David Artell would encourage this team to do that, and play through the midfield of Cafu, Christ Tiehi and Oli Rathbone, arguably it’s strongest part.

Plus, the 42-year-old’s developmental qualities means he could find a way of getting by without a squad jam-packed with proven senior players, because he can nurture the youngsters.

Artell can improve first team talents like Dexter Lembikisa, Arvin Appiah and Sebastian Revan, as well as homegrown prospects like Ciaran McGuckin, Curtis Durose and Jake Hull.

Previously, Rotherham have struggled to offer pathways to their youth into the first team, but under Artell that could change.

Yorkshire is a county incredibly passionate about football, and there’s players who might drop out of a Leeds or a Sheffield United who could still be valuable to Rotherham, so it makes sense for the club to move in a more academy-led direction as a means of increasing the value of the squad.

Odds correct as of 2023-11-14 17:04 Odds subject to change.

8. Danny Cowley

The Cowley brothers like to build aggressive, high-pressing sides that are always looking to play the ball forward early.

They’re meticulously detail-driven in their work whilst having the people skills to motivate players, manage the media and build connections with supporters. 

The duo have delivered historic success at Concord Rangers, Braintree and Lincoln, as well as competitive results at Huddersfield and Portsmouth, barring an injury-stricken final three months with the latter.

Odds correct as of 2023-11-14 17:04 Odds subject to change.

9. Gareth Ainsworth

Gareth Ainsworth worked miracles at Wycombe, converting them from League Two strugglers to perennial League One Play-Off candidates via 2020-21’s Championship adventure.

‘Wild Thing’s ability to thrive on a budget could be a draw for the Millers board, and the fact he has a similar skillset to Warne in terms of his ability to galvanize people, only in a different way – he’s a beaming ball of positivity.

Ainsworth’s playing style seems to be what supporters would take to, and while his culture-led approach doesn’t always get buy-in, like at QPR, when it does his teams can achieve massively against the odds. 

Odds correct as of 2023-11-14 17:04 Odds subject to change.

10. Dean Holden

Dean Holden feels he can manage in the Championship, having worked at that level as an assistant with Stoke and Bristol City, as well as managing the latter.

The 43-year-old had a 49% win rate with the Severnsiders, and was sacked with the team below seventh only on goal difference after a bad run that came due to a spate of injuries that extended to 15 absentees at it’s worst, with the club subsequently reviewing it’s sports science department.

It’s worth noting that City are in a far healthier position, structurally and financially, than they were when Holden was in charge and it’s still taken them three years to reach a comparable position to the lowest spot of his reign.

The Mancunian also steered Charlton from 11th to 18th last season, and was sacked five games into this campaign, when performances had held some promise despite pre-existing imbalances in the squad that were exacerbated by injuries to key players like Panutche Camara, Scott Fraser and Miles Leaburn.

Holden is an honest yet dignified manager who natives would warm to, and he always commits to delving into the local area of the clubs he manages, despite his own family commitments.

The former right-back will create a positive environment which empowers players and staff to flourish and perform at their best every day.

Odds correct as of 2023-11-14 17:04 Odds subject to change.

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