MOYES MAN FOR THE JOB
Ex-United boss is No.1 Stoke target
DAVID MOYES is the front-runner to take over at Stoke – and could be installed before the end of the week.
The Championship club are looking for their third manager in less than 12 months following the sacking of Gary Rowett yesterday.
Rowett (below) was axed after only eight months in charge after a disappointing spell which saw him claim just nine wins in 29 matches.
He will walk away with a £1m pay-off after agreeing a three-year contract last May.
Stoke, the pre-season favourites to win the Championship, sit 14th in the table despite spending £49m last summer in the hope of making an instant return to the top flight.
Owner Peter Coates expects to make a swift appointment.
Former Manchester United and Everton boss Moyes, 55, left West Ham at the end of last season despite keeping them up.
He took over with the Hammers in the bottom three but managed to lead them to a 13th-place finish, nine points clear of the relegation zone. That went some way to restoring a reputation tarnished since being given the boot by United in 2014.
He was sacked by Real Sociedad after a dismal time in Spain and then resigned from Sunderland after relegation from the Premier League in 2017. Moyes fits the bill for what Stoke are looking for and was approached by owner Coates when former boss Mark Hughes was sacked a year ago.
The Scot might find the job more appealing now with little realistic chance of him landing a top-flight job. Stoke are struggling but have a squad that could be turned around.
Coates has a track record of appointing British managers and wants someone who can make an instant impact.
Supporter unrest prompted the gambling tycoon to sack Rowett – who knew the writing was on the wall – three days after their FA Cup third-round draw with League One Shrewsbury.
Such was the depth of feeling from fans that Coates had little alternative than to let Rowett go.
Former England manager Sam Allardyce and ex-Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic have been sounded out but are not thought to be interested in the job.