Owner flying in for talks
long-term prospects of Pearson who remains on a short-term contract until the end of the campaign having taken over from Holden in February. Pearson has repeatedly spoken of his desire to remain at the club beyond the conclusion of the 2020/21 season.
And despite concerns among some supporters that the downturn in results and level of issues that need resolving in BS3 has led the former Watford and Leicester City boss to reassess his options, Bristol Live understands he is committed to the prospect of leading a long-term plan in BS3.
Pearson believes it could take up to five transfer windows to turn City into consistent and credible Championship promotion challengers and wants a contract to reflect that length of time.
The 57-year-old has praised the infrastructure at the club and shown a commitment to the future by handing debuts and first-team involvement to many academy players, with midfielder Sam Pearson starting against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
However, after the initial honeymoon period, results have been mixed with two wins and two draws from nine matches and even though Pearson has the support of the majority of the fanbase - desperate to see an established manager - it’s unclear if that’s reflected in the boardroom.
Indeed, speaking earlier this month to fans podcast 3 Peaps, Lansdown, perhaps tellingly, revealed the club had considered other options in the wake of dismissing Holden but they were, unlike Pearson, unwilling to accept a short-term deal.
The Sun on Sunday reported at the weekend that Coventry City manager Mark Robins is of interest to City should they wish to change manager once again, having led the Sky Blues to promotion from League One and given them a strong chance of staying in the division. The former City striker enjoyed a successful short loan spell at the club in 2003. Derek McInnes pipped him to the top post in 2011.
Lansdown had previously stated he could not give a definitive verdict on whether Pearson was the right man before they had met “face to face”, something that should happen this week.
Another major issue that has plagued City’s season has been the volume of injuries, with absentees in double figures since autumn. Six players have been ruled out for the rest of the season - Joe Williams, Liam Walsh, Jamie Paterson, Marley Watkins, Sam Bell and Hakeeb Adelakun, with serious doubts over Taylor Moore, Callum O’Dowda and Chris Martin’s involvement. Jay Dasilva, Andi Weimann and Nathan Baker have all returned to training after long-term injuries but only the former has been met with optimism from Pearson in terms of returning between now and May 8. It is unclear if the club have held an inquiry into the injuries with concern from some at the club over treatment issued.