The New Manager - The Candidates - The Big 5

By Nathan Jackson
October 16 2007

In 24 hours there have been 5 names that have come out as the favourite choices amongst the fans, including two unrealistic targets, one manager who beat us in the playoffs, the son of a legendary manager and one of City's former managers. City are believed to have already recieved over 30 applications from managers around the country, some of whom have a very decent reputation.

Martin Allen has emerged as the name that's mentioned the most when fans are talking about who they want for a new manager. It's not hard to see why he's wanted by the Imps fans after guiding Brentford to two straight playoffs in League One, followed by his trip to the Playoffs with MK Dons last season.

He also has one of the highest winning percentages out of any manager around. Managing 183 at Brentford, MK Dons and Leicester, he has won an impressive 84 games, drawing 48 and losing 51.

However, when he was appointed the manager of MK Dons, he stated that the only reason he joined them was because he was impressed by the potential of the club and the new stadium amongst other things. Having joined Leicester in the summer he showed his ambition of wanting to manager in one of the top two divisions, meaning that he might not be too keen on having another go at League 2 football.

A board member of the club also stated that the club wouldn't be too keen on taking on Martin Allen due to his gung-ho tactics in the transfer market.

Another popular choice amongst City fans, and my personal choice for the new manager would be Peter Jackson. City already know about Jackson after his Huddersfield side beat the Imps in the Playoffs in 2003/4. In his 3 full seasons in charge, he made the Playoffs twice and finished just outside them in the other season.

In his second spell at Huddersfield, he management them for 198 games and won 81 of those, drawing 52 and lost 65, another record that will amongst amongst the best of the applicants.

With an eye for a good player, he turned Huddersfield from a side on the slide with just 8 players, to one of the best sides in the lower leagues and signed some of the big names in lower league football before most others had heard of them, such as Pawel Abbott.

No doubt that if he did turn out to be the new manager then headlines about him would revolve around his namesake's film trilogy. Something like the Lord of the Bank or something similar.

One of the more unrealistic targets is Peter Taylor. In the past he has said that he had a lot of respect for Lincoln and this is probably the only sign of hope for the Imps that he would potentially join City.

He will more than likely have more promotions than any other manager, already securing 3 promotions this century. in 2001/2 with Brighton, as well as 2003/4 and 2004/5 with Hull City.

However, much like Martin Allen he probably believes that he can manage at the Championship level and this means that him applying for the job is unlikely.

Then of course we get to Keith Alexander. Keith quit Sincil Bank just under 18 months ago, citing that he felt he had taken the club as far as he could, so it would be extremely unlikely that he would want to rejoin the Imps.

We all know what to expect with Keith so there's no need to go into a long discussion about him, however it is unlikely that we'll see him in the manager's seat at Sincil Bank again any time soon.

The final of the "Choice 5" is Nigel Clough. The son of the manager who most describe as the best English manager never to manage England, but so far Nigel is far from having the same joy, enjoying several years of midtable mediocrity in the Conference.

In almost 10 years at Burton Albion he's achieved 1 promotion, but other than that they've had a distinctively average time under Clough, although they do sit high up in the Blue Square Premier at this present time.

I'd be lying if I said I would be enthusiastic about Clough being appointed, but then again he's never been given a chance of Football League level, so maybe his fresh approach would be what we need.