Phil SumblerSwans boss Steve Cooper is – according to the rumour mongers at Talksport – on the list of names to replace the sacked Lee Johnson at Bristol City although it is difficult to see why there would be much merit in the rumour even if you should never say never when rumours are raised.
Johnson was sacked by the Robins at the weekend following their defeat in the Severnside derby, a defeat that to all intents and purposes ended their hopes of a late run towards the play offs with them now sitting twelfth in the table.
Four years at the helm is almost a lifetime now in football management but it was not enough to protect Johnson from the sack and they are keen to move quickly on a replacement and have supposedly drawn up a shortlist that also includes Tony Pulis, Mark Robins and Aitor Karanka.
A source close to Bristol City has said: “The club know they need to get this right. The new man will have backing but will also have to deliver quickly.”
Cooper is just one year into a three year contract at the LIberty and has the backing of Trevor Birch who firmly believes that he is the right man for the job despite the team’s indifferent form over much of the season. The play offs remain a distant possibility at the moment although a couple of key wins now and it could just happen despite how unlikely it seems.
He would certainly be the cheaper of the three options also linked – Pulis and Karanka are not known for doing things on a shoestring and Robins has just led his Coventry side back to the Championship.
I would be tempted to file this one under the made up category but you just never know.
