In recent days around 100 applications have been submitted for the vacant managerial role at Plymouth Argyle – So we’ve put our collective heads together to try and list 100 people who COULD be announced the successor of Steven Schumacher.
Our 5 part series sees us list those who’ve sprung up on the rumour mill, feature in the betting odds, those with experience, the outsiders and the Janners themselves. Including the obvious names, the unlikely lads and some names you may have never heard of.
We’ll aim to drop a new article every day until the new year, but without further ado, here’s a shorter list of former and current greens who could be named top dog:
Who’s missing? Let us know!
Read More: The Rumour Mill | The Experienced | The Janners | The Outsiders
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Joey Barton
Recent Club: Bristol Rovers
Aaron | Absolutely not. Even if you take away his recent exploits on the social media formerly known as Twitter, his vocal hatred of Neil Dewsnip from their collective time at Everton coupled with his lack of actual managerial ability means there’s no future for Joseph in Plymouth – thank god.
0/5
Scott Brown
Last Club: Fleetwood Town
Frazer | One of British football’s most polarising characters, Scott Brown has only managed Fleetwood Town in a short managerial career to date, that has seen him take charge of just 64 games. With a win percentage of less than 30%, and without anything close to the success he enjoyed as a player at Celtic, it’s unlikely that Brown will make the shortlist for the Argyle job. Sacked after only six games at Fleetwood at the start of this season, in which he only won one point, Argyle can set their sights a little higher than Brown. Expect him to pop up somewhere else shortly.
0/5
Steve Cotterill
Recent Club: Shrewsbury Town
Aaron | Ryan Hardie will be suffering enough with his concussion, that’s without having Mustapha Bundu wheeled past him on a stretcher just seconds after his own knock and then his manager choosing Stoke over the Devon coast – Being told that Steve Cotterill has been appointed as manager of Argyle too will surely mean he has awoken in an alternative universe. If this was 2018 I’d be fairly happy with the link, a manager who’s often been quite loyal and tended to stay in roles for a while longer than most. Loyalty is something we’d like to see more of from recent managers and I could see him interviewing well – however, now? In a Championship fight for survival? Personally, I’d pass.
2/5
Robbie Fowler
Previous Club: Al-Qadsiah – Saudi Arabia
Aaron | We’re really scraping the barrel now – apologies. I can’t recall specifics (I’m not Sam) but I vividly remember Robbie Fowler popping up on the back page of the Evening Herald linked to the managerial job way back when, but can’t see it happening now. His managerial career includes stints in Australia, India and Saudi Arabia at Brisbane Roar, SC East Bengal and Al-Qadsiah respectively – the former saw him utilise Macaulay Gillesphey 24 times in a 3-5-2. Could we see the Scouser and the Geordie reunite? I hope not.
1/5
Stephen Kenny
Last Role: Republic of Ireland
Frazer | Stephen Kenny is a name that may be unfamiliar to many have spent most of his managerial career in Ireland. He most recently managed the Republic of Ireland national team, leaving in November, following an unsuccessful campaign to qualify for Euro 2024. In Irish football, he’s one of the most successful domestic league managers of all time having won the League of Ireland Premier Division five times, alongside multiple other domestic competitions and the Irish Manager of the Year four times. Whilst his record in Ireland is impressive, he has limited experience elsewhere, and none in England. Whilst in Scotland with Dunfermline Athletic, the club went to the Scottish Cup Final, but were relegated from the Premier League and subsequently struggled in the First Division, leading to his dismissal. The step up to Championship football is likely to be seen as too much of a leap for Kenny and a risk for Argyle. However, he could present a wildcard option.
2/5
Derek McIness
Current Club: Kilmarnock
Aaron | The last man we hired from Scotland called Derek went pretty well, could lightning strike twice? Well, no. McIness could be tempted at another crack at life in the West-Country after a somewhat indifferent stint at Bristol City – however it did begin with an eight-game unbeaten run which secured their Championship status which might be written in a slightly bigger font on his cv than his later shortcomings. Four jobs in 16 years showcases loyalty and long-term thinking, but most of his successes coming at Aberdeen while chasing the big 2. Can’t see there being much in this one though.
1/5
Rob Page
Current Club: Wales National Team
Sam | When it comes to club management, Page is relatively inexperienced. He had an 18 month tenure managing Port Vale where he performed capably enough to be poached by upwardly mobile Northampton. He was sacked a little harshly by the Cobblers and got a job in the Welsh coaching set up. After the legal issues of Ryan Giggs, he was promoted to manager and soon silenced the doubters. Impressively, he got Wales to the last 16 of the euros and then took them to their first World Cup since 1958 (let’s not talk too much about how they did when they got there). That said, the skillset for international level is very different to club management. Page’s success feels more based around vibes than tactical expertise. Would be a risk and probably wouldn’t leave Wales ahead of their Euro 2024 play off game.
0/5
Karl Robinson
Last Club: Leeds United (Assistant)
Last Managerial Role: Oxford United
Aaron | Another Scouser, anyone? It’s a good job we’ve recently acquired a whole lot of land, we’re going to need it for his endless filling cabinets. Like a several on this list, Robinson may have excited me far more when we were mid-to-lower League One, however I’m not sure he’s earned a step up to the hot seat of a Championship club. His first tenure in management came at MK Dons at the expense of Paul Ince, his appointment making him the youngest manager in the EFL at the time and though he worked wonders getting everyone’s second favourite club to the Championship – the subsequent relegation and lack of success at Charlton and Oxford mean he’s only found his way back to the second tier as an assistant to Sam Allardyce. Can I see him applying, interviewing well, and giving the board a taste of that Merseyside-twang in which they love? Yes to all.
2/5
Wayne Rooney
Current Club: Birmingham City
Aaron | Sorry, what? Why is Rooney on this list? Reports circulating the national press that Tom Brady and Co are already lining up Steve Cooper as Rooney’s successor, which leaves Rooney on the scrap heap. His recent conduct, ignoring his own fans outside the Mayflower aside, with the way he spoke about Stansfield’s celebration won a few green-tinted plaudits (namely on our own podcast) but I’m not sure he’s done enough to earn our top job. If you’d have told me when we were in the doldrums of English football we’d happily ignore Wayne-Bloody-Rooney, I’d have thought you were mad. We’ve moved on and so should he. Put your feet up Wayne, you’ve earned it. Stop tarnishing your playing career.
0/5
Rubén Sellés
Current Club: Reading
Frazer | Rubén Sellés is currently the Head Coach of Reading, having previously managed at Southampton and Valencia Under 18s. With a coaching career than spans Europe, Sellés joined English football as assistant manager to Ralph Hasenhüttl at Southampton in 2022. He was in caretaker charge for two spells, before being given the manager’s job, but wouldn’t have his contract renewed when the club were relegated. Now at League One and crisis-ridden club Reading, who have been docked a total of 16 points in less than two years, Sellés has the club sitting inside the relegation zone. Whilst an unenviable task at Reading, and despite an extensive coaching career and big belief in data driven decision that would work well with Simon Hallett’s ethos, his time in England has been marred with disappointment. This one seems extremely unlikely.
1/5
Paul Tisdale
Last Club: Stevenage
Role: Manager
Frazer | Once manager of ‘those up the road’ Paul Tisdale was at one time the hottest managerial prospect in the Football League. He was routinely linked to jobs far beyond Exeter City’s position on account of his exciting brand of football, the ability to work wonders with a small squad and even smaller budget, and his nurturing ability when it came to young players. Hanging on for too long at City though, those opportunities dried up and a few uninspiring stints at MK Dons, Bristol Rovers, Colchester and Stevenage, have left many wondering how it could have been so different for Paul Tisdale. In another life, his style, brand and ethos would match perfectly with Simon Hallett’s but Tisdale’s trajectory has gone in the opposite direction of Argyle’s since his impressive days in Devon.
0/5