Sheffield United legend Chris Wilder is the obvious choice to replace Chris Hughton at Nottingham Forest but, as Ally McCoist has told talkSPORT (16 September, 9am), Eddie Howe should also be in the frame.
If Hughton was under serious pressure before last night’s 2-0 home defeat to an underperforming Middlesbrough side, his position looked nigh-on untenable in the aftermath of a sixth defeat in seven Championship games – a result that leaves Forest nailed to the bottom of the table.
After just 11 months in charge, the ‘promotion specialist’ has been given his marching orders, failing to live up to lofty expectations at a club that appears to suck life out of all those who dare enter.
A warning, then, to Hughton’s replacement – whoever that may be.
As it stands, there’s no suggestion Forest, who hired Hughton just half an hour after sacking Sabri Lamouchi in October 2020, have a replacement waiting in the wings, even if they have been linked with Wilder and former England captain John Terry in recent days.
Wilder and Howe in frame to replace Chris Hughton at Nottingham Forest
“What about Eddie Howe? Eddie’s not got a mention after the Celtic thing,” asks McCoist, throwing the former Bournemouth boss into the frame.
Howe, seen as one of the most exciting up-and-coming coaches in British football not so long ago, has been out of work for a year-and-a-half now, rejecting Scottish giants Celtic in May after being denied the chance to bring in his favoured backroom staff.
Wilder appears to be the leading candidate as it stands, however, despite a disastrous end to his Sheffield United reign.
“(Wilder) is another who will look to get back in. He would be, if not the obvious one, then a good fit, there’s no way of getting away from that,” adds Rangers hero McCoist.
“It would make sense.”
The likes of Frank Lampard, Jonathan Woodgate and Sam Allardyce are also without a club, although it remains to be seen whether Forest will favour a more continental option after Hughton. The former Brighton boss – as safe a ‘safe bet’ as you could hope to imagine – struggled to put his stamp on the club.
Someone like a Diego Martinez perhaps? The 40-year-old Spaniard took Granada from the second tier of Spanish football to the Europa League quarter-finals in the blink of an eye.
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