Burton Field Wide Open As Interviews Approach

Burton Albion are coming ever closer to appointing Gary Rowett`s successor with the application stage now shut and the interviewing of the shortlisted candidates to commence within the week.

Forty-year-old Rowett was Albion`s manager for two years prior to replacing the sacked Lee Clark at Birmingham City last week. The former City defender had previously been Paul Peschisoldio`s assistant at Burton between the years of 2009 and 2012 before taking helm of the League Two side.

Rowett, a former BBC Radio Derby summariser, had shown a certain degree of loyalty to the employers who gave him his first opportunity in football management. The Bromsgrove-born man had turned down the chance to lead Championship strugglers Blackpool, who have since replaced Jose Riga with former Brum man Clark, though the pull of his old stomping ground City seemingly proved too much.

His Birmingham team picked up a valuable point in the battle against relegation in his first game in charge against West Midlands rivals Wolves on Saturday. The point was their first in four games with Rowett making three changes to the team that lost 8-0 to high-flyers Bournemouth.

Burton managed to secure a one all draw at home to Plymouth Argyle at the weekend with caretaker manager Mike Whitlow leading the men out. Alex MacDonald`s tap-in proved to be the difference mid-way through the first half before Reuben Reid added his ninth goal to his tally with a 70th minute penalty to share the spoils.

Whitlow has ruled himself out of the running for the job, something that has seen his price plummet from favouritism to 33/1 with Betvictor. This leaves the door wide open for one of a number of candidates to come in from outside of the club and try to improve on the play-off final finish achieved last season.

Someone all too familiar with the rigors of the play-off lottery is the bookmakers` new favourite Paul Buckle. Buckle was the assistant to Paul Tisdale when Exeter lost in the Conference play-off final to Morecambe back in 2007. The 43 year old also has experience building teams with play-off ability as a manager in his own right. His Torquay United side were promoted through the Conference lottery (2008-09) just a season after losing out in the semi-finals (2007-08). He then took them to the League 2 final in his final season in charge (2010-11).

After an unsuccessful spell at newly relegated Bristol Rovers, it was back to the Conference for Buckle with the league`s big boys Luton Town. Again, the play-off final beckoned for his men, though they came unstuck against York City, losing 2-1 back in 2012.

Despite being last seen in America, the Welwyn Garden City man moving to support the career of his sports broadcaster wife, Betvictor make Buckle the 7/4 favourite to return to Blighty and take the helm of the Brewers.

After starting a Twitter campaign to see his first managerial appointment come to fruition at Albion, Michael Johnson is 3/1 (Betvictor, Skybet) to take to the hotseat.

Unlike Buckle, Nottingham-born Johnson has had limited management experience with his only real opportunity coming as the caretaker boss of hometown club Notts County in 2009. Under Johnson, County picked up four points from two games though he was eventually replaced with Swede Hans Backe. Coincidentally, 41-year-old Johnson is now a coach at Birmingham City.

Joint third in the market at 7/1 are former Premier League strikers James Beattie (Betvictor, Skybet) and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Betvictor). Beattie won plaudits for his 16 month stint in charge of Accrington Stanley, whilst Hasselbaink lead Antwerp to a seventh place finish in the Belgian second division before rejecting an offer of a new contract. Rumours are also rife that Colin Calderwood (33/1 - Betvictor, Skybet) and Brian Laws (50/1 - Skybet) were present at the Pirelli Stadium to witness Burton`s clash against Argyle.

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04/11/2014     © Frixo 2026