Chris Davies Odds-on Favourite | Next Swansea City Manager Odds

Parimatch UK Editorial Team |

05/01/24
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The EFL Championship sack race continues to gather pace, and we’re not even halfway through the season. Bottom half Swansea City are the latest club to part ways with their manager, with head coach Michael Duff relieved of his duties following the Swans’ disappointing 1-1 home draw with fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town. 

Duff arrived in south Wales to sizeable fanfare, having ably demonstrated his managerial qualities during spells with Cheltenham Town and, more recently, Barnsley. However, Duff’s inability to find consistency from the Swans’ playing squad has cost him his job less than six months into his reign. 

City started the season with a seven-game winless run, culminating in a poor derby defeat to bitter rivals Cardiff City. More recently, Swansea have picked up just six points from their last eight games, leaving City just five points shy of the relegation zone and improving 22nd-placed Queens Park Rangers. 

Below, we’ll assess the four leading candidates to replace Michael Duff in the next Swansea City Manager odds market at Parimatch. 

Nathan Jones

It’s no surprise to see Welshman Nathan Jones sit at the top of the market. The former Southampton and Luton Town boss has been out of work since February after a disastrous spell in charge of the Saints, with just one win in eight Premier League games. Southampton were rooted to the foot of the Premier League upon Jones’ departure, with many deeming the Saints job too much too soon for Jones.

Jones’ best managerial spells came at Luton Town, managing the Hatters on two separate occasions in 2016-2019 and 2020-2022, respectively. During his first spell, he managed a win rate of 51.2%, taking the Hatters from League Two to the dizzy heights of second place in League One. Jones established Luton as a Championship club in his second spell before qualifying for the 2021/22 playoffs, finishing in sixth place.

Chris Davies

38-year-old coach Chris Davies is another front-runner for the vacant Swansea City job. Davies, forced to retire from professional football at 19 due to arthritis in his foot, quickly turned to coaching. Davies began studying for his UEFA coaching license in 2004, at 19, enjoying spells working as a youth coach for Leicester City and the US and New Zealand.

In 2010, Davies was appointed assistant coach of the Swans, working under the managership of Brendan Rodgers. Davies’ speciality was his analytical breakdown of opponents and their tactics. Davies became head of opposition analysis at Liverpool in 2012, moving with Rodgers to Merseyside. Davies bagged his UEFA Pro Licence in 2015 and has spent time as a first-team coach at Reading, Celtic and Leicester City.

Kevin Muscat

Australian Kevin Muscat is said to be considering entering football management in the UK. His managerial stock has risen significantly in recent years, especially after helping Yokohama F. Marinos to the J1 League title in 2022 and a runner-up finish in 2023.

Muscat also enjoyed an impressive managerial reign in his native Australia, managing Melbourne Victory. He landed the A-League Championship twice in 2014/15 and 2017/18 and the A-League Premiership once in 2014/15. Muscat was a strong candidate to replace Michael Beale at Glasgow Rangers and Swansea’s EFL Championship rivals, Millwall, but was overlooked for both positions.

John Eustace

John Eustace had Birmingham City sitting sixth in the Championship before he was unceremoniously removed by the board earlier this month in favour of Wayne Rooney. Eustace did a remarkable job at St Andrew’s under difficult circumstances, keeping the Blues in the league before building a squad to challenge for the playoffs. 

He deserves another crack at the whip at this level, and Swansea would likely be interested in Eustace if they lose patience with Michael Duff.  

Whoever follows Michael Duff at the Liberty Stadium will be tasked with taking the Swans back to the Premier League while playing an attractive brand of football. Keep your eyes peeled for the latest manager odds available at Parimatch to bet on who you think will be in line for a new job in the coming weeks and months of the football season. 

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Luke Williams

42-year-old Londoner Luke Williams manages EFL League Two outfit Notts County. He is the joint-third favourite for the Swansea City vacancy at the time of writing*. Williams spent time working in Essex’s grassroots football after a brief spell in the non-league as a player. He rose through the ranks to become assistant manager to Mark Cooper at League One side Swindon Town in 2013.

Williams then managed the troubled Robins for two years before leaving after their relegation to League Two in 2017. After spells as assistant to Russell Martin at MK Dons and Swansea City, Williams left South Wales in February 2022 to take the Notts County job.

Williams has rejuvenated County, steering the Magpies out of the National League last season, playing an attractive brand of football. Williams currently has a win rate of almost 60% with County, and they’re in contention for back-to-back promotions to League One. Williams also knows the inner workings of Swansea City, having spent six months there with Martin.

Bet on the next Swansea City manager at Parimatch

If you know which manager would best fit for the Swansea City hot seat, check out our competitive odds on the next Swansea City manager market at Parimatch.

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*All odds are correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.