Oxford United next manager: Big Will Still update emerges on Wednesday
Will Still is reportedly not in line to become Oxford United’s next manager despite being the odds-on favourite to be Gary Rowett’s permanent successor.
Rowett was sacked by Oxford last month after they had slipped into the Championship relegation zone, having won just one of their previous 10 games.
The former Derby and Birmingham boss had led the U’s to second-tier safety last season, as they avoided the drop by four points, but their owners felt a change had to be made to survive this time around.
Football Insider revealed following the decision that Liam Manning had emerged as a frontrunner to return to Oxford, but the likelihood of such a move taking place has since been played down.
Former Southampton manager Still has also been touted to become Oxford’s new boss, but that also now looks unlikely after a new report.
Still to Oxford has ‘nothing’ in it despite short odds
Southampton appointed Still in May following relegation to the Championship, with many expecting him to be a success after impressive stints in charge of Ligue 1 sides Reims and Lens.
The 33-year-old was unable to guide the Saints to a successful start to the campaign, however, and he was dismissed in November with just four wins from his 16 games at the helm.
Still recently emerged as the favourite to become Oxford’s next manager at 2/7, according to one of the UK’s leading bookmakers, but rumours of such a move have now been quashed.
George Elek, of the Not The Top 20 Podcast, has taken to X to state that there is “nothing” in the links between the U’s and Still, so supporters can seemingly rule him out as a potential candidate to succeed Rowett.
Who could become Oxford’s next manager after Rowett?
Still remains the bookies’ favourite to take the job, but ex-Swansea boss Alan Sheehan is close behind him at odds of 2/1, which have been slashed in the last 24 hours from 5/1.
Matt Bloomfield is the third favourite at 9/4, with Manning at 12/1, while former Rangers manager Michael Beale has been linked to the Oxford job and is priced at 16/1 to take over from interim boss Craig Short.
Chelsea legend John Terry recently ruled himself out of the running, but Football Insider have revealed that Oxford have Steve Bruce on their shortlist of potential appointments.
The U’s currently look set for relegation back to the third tier as it stands, after a run of one win in seven games, so they certainly need someone new in soon to help them to safety in the second half of the season.