MK Dons are on the lookout for a new manager following the sacking of Liam Manning after their 2-1 home defeat to Fleetwood Town.
At present, the League One outfit are 23rd in the League One table with just 15 points from 20 matches and will have to make an astute decision in their next appointment so that they avoid being relegated to League Two.
Former Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson is the bookmakers’ favourite on this list of potential candidates for the vacancy at Stadium: MK.
The 50-year-old Glaswegian manager resigned from MK’s rivals last season following dismal results that left Peterborough firmly in the Championship’s relegation zone.
Ferguson is an experienced manager at League One level, as he has earned two promotions from League One with Posh in 2008/09 and 2020/21, as well as managing two from League Two with both Peterborough and Doncaster Rovers in 2008 and 2017, showing that he has good pedigree towards the lower end of the Football League.
Ferguson is priced at 4/1 to make a controversial move to MK Dons.
Recently sacked Wigan Athletic manager Leam Richardson is also being considered for the role at MK Dons
The 43-year-old had done a good job at the DW Stadium, having saved the club from relegation in League One in 2020/21, before getting the Latics promoted to the Championship last season as they won the league title after a cash injection the following summer.
But, having gone on a run of six losses in seven games this season, seeing Wigan sit in the Championship’s relegation zone, Richardson was sacked last month to the disappointment of many Wigan fans. Richardson ended his time at Wigan with 49 wins and 30 draws from 117 matches across all competitions, equating to a 42% win rate.
Former Millwall and QPR midfielder Marc Bircham is also in the frame to become MK’s next manager - the 44-year-old is currently assistant manager of Serie B side Como where he coaches the likes of Cesc Fabregas.
The QPR legend has had several roles across his career since his playing days, having been a caretaker manager and coach at the Loftus Road club, as well as having spells as an assistant manager of Milwall, Chicago Fire and Arizona United.
Bircham’s last two jobs prior to his role at Como have been intriguing ones, having been the Technical Director of the Bahamas between 2020 and 2021, before managing Waterford, where he won 13 and drew six matches of the 29 he took charge of, rescuing the side from the relegation zone in the League of Ireland - but, following a dispute with the club’s board, he wasn’t allowed to take charge of the relegation play-out.
Former Norwich City striker Steve Morison is also on this list of managers that could replace Manning.
Morison had been in charge of Cardiff City since October 2021 after the dismissal of Mick McCarthy and oversaw a major squad rebuild at the Cardiff City Stadium, signing 17 new players in the summer. But, following just 11 points from their opening 10 league games, the 39-year-old was sacked.
The former Wales international left the Welsh capital with a win percentage of 36.36% having won 16 and drawn eight of his 44 matches at the helm. Prior to his time as manager of the Bluebirds, he had been their Under 23s coach.
Former Stoke City coach and caretaker manager Dean Holden is the final manager on this list of those who could fill the vacancy at MK, having departed the Potters in the aftermath of Michael O’Neill’s sacking earlier in the current campaign.
The 42-year-old had worked for Stoke between April 2021 and last August following his sacking as manager of Bristol City where he won 18 of his 41 matches in charge. His other previous experience in the dugout came at Oldham Athletic in 2015 where he oversaw just three wins in 15 games.
Holden took charge of one game during his time at Stoke, as a caretaker manager of the club between the managerial reigns of O’Neill and Alex Neil - he won this match against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park via a 1-0 scoreline.
