Premier League strugglers Swansea yesterday confirmed that they had sacked manager Bob Bradley after just 11 games in charge.
The American replaced Francesco Guidolin on October 3 after the Italian led the Swans to just one win from their opening seven Premier League games, yet 58-year-old Bradley has fared little better.
He won two and drew two of his 11 games in charge at the Liberty Stadium, and his side conceded a staggering 29 goals in his short spell in charge, the most of any side in the same time span.
The Swans’ 4-1 home defeat by West Ham on Boxing Day, their third successive league loss, turned out to be the final straw for Bradley, who leaves with the club 19th in the table and four points adrift of safety.
Attentions now turn to who may replace Bradley at the Liberty Stadium, and here are THREE names who could take over the reins at Swansea in the coming days or weeks…
Alan Pardew
Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.
Recently sacked by Crystal Palace, could Swansea turn to Alan Pardew to get them out of the relegation mire?
The former West Ham and Newcastle manager has plenty of Premier League experience, both nearer the top and the bottom, and when his teams are on a winning run, they are very difficult to stop.
The concern would be his 2016 record with Palace, ultimately the reason for his sacking, but Pardew clearly knows what it takes to do well in the Premier League and, after taking punts on inexperienced bosses, the Swansea hierarchy may turn to a more familiar name.
Ryan Giggs
Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.
Swansea opted against giving Ryan Giggs the job last time in favour of employing Bradley, and they may well look to the Manchester United legend again this time around.
The Welshman has been out of the game since leaving his role as assistant manager at United under Louis van Gaal, and has been touted for several managerial vacancies since then as he looks for his first full-time role as a manager.
His lack of experience must be of concern to the Swansea board, but he would have learnt a lot from his caretaker role at United back in 2014, and indeed his two years alongside van Gaal in the dugout since then.
Chris Coleman
Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.
Currently the bookies favourite, Wales boss Chris Coleman could make the move back to club football with Swansea.
The 46-year-old has done a magnificent job with the national side, firstly by leading the team to their first major tournament since 1958 by reaching Euro 2016, and then by leading them to the semi-finals of the competition in one of the best sporting stories of the year.
A Welshman, a former Swansea player, and well-respected within the game, Coleman could be exactly what Swansea need after a turbulent few years.