3787: Managerial merry go-round: Wes

by : Alex Wolstenholme

Paul Sturrock's surprise sacking as Sheffield Wednesday manager on Thursday afternoon has already seen him linked with a return to Scotland to take over as Hibernian manager in place of the newly-departed Tony Mowbray.

The Hibs job is one of the most attractive in the SPL given the history of the club and the exciting young side that is in place.

Sturrock’s stock remains high despite his exit from Sheffield 6, where despite a poor start to the season he had retained the support of the majority of Owls fans.

Mowbray of course was attracted away from Easter Road last week to become the new West Bromwich Albion manager and takes over a side very much in the hunt for promotion back to the Premiership.

This is largely due to the impressive caretaking of Nigel Pearson, formerly assistant to Bryan Robson and the man who in recent weeks has got Albion’s impressive looking squad playing to their full potential.

The arrival of Mowbray and his assistant Mark Venus is likely to mean a Hawthorns exit for Pearson, but his growing reputation in the game (he was very close to getting the Ipswich job in the summer) means a first permanent managerial role cannot be too far away.

As captain of Sheffield Wednesday's 1991 League Cup winning side he would be a popular appointment at Hillsborough and one that would buy under-fire chairman Dave Allen some time with the fans.

Allen’s running of the club has always left room for criticism from a very vocal minority of fans.
Recently, the Owls posted a small profit for the financial year, which was presented as a sign that the chairman’s financial measures had worked.

The club remains saddled with a hefty debt however, and sacking Sturrock just one month into a four-year contract is likely to cost a fair few bob in compensation.

The appointment of a big name or fans favourite looks to be the only way Allen will keep the fans onside.

Gary Megson and Nigel Worthington are the other early names in the frame.