By Jake Maddaford
Wales’ humiliating 4-0 defeat to Slovakia has piled even more pressure onto manager Rob Page.
Since Wales failed to qualify for this summer’s European Championships, Page’s job has been under massive scrutiny from fans, and this international break has done nothing to help his case.
If anything, it’s done the exact opposite, with many on social media calling for the FAW to get rid of him as soon as possible.
With this reaction, it is natural that fans will have their ideal candidate to replace him, but who should they be=?
Admired and respected by many he is the number one option among some Wales fans. This ex-Swansea and Nottingham Forest coach is still held in high regard among Welsh fans despite his sacking from Forest last year.
During his time at Swansea, Cooper managed to take the side to consecutive top six finishes, losing to Brentford in both ties, once in the semi-final and in the final the following year.
His best work arguably came when he joined Nottingham Forest, arriving at the club when they were rock bottom of the championship in September.
From that moment on, Forest’s fortunes took a remarkable turn as Cooper reached the playoffs for the third season running, beating Sheffield United in the semi-final and Huddersfield in the final to reach the Premier League for the first time in over 20 years.
During his only full season, Cooper masterminded wins against Arsenal and Liverpool and a draw against Manchester City, as Forest secured survival in the league with a game to go.
It’s also worth noting that he spent time in England’s youth setup, managing their under 17’s to world cup glory in 2017.
With this track record and no known interest in his services at the moment, this gives the FAW to get a manager who has worked well with young players ahead of what is a crucial period in Welsh Football
2. Craig Bellamy currently 3/1 with DragonBet
Here’s the wildcard, ex-Wales international Craig Bellamy has been assistant coach to Vincent Kompany for the past 3 years at Anderlecht and Burnley.
However, it has been confirmed that Bellamy will not be joining Kompany and Bayern Munich, leaving his future in the sport up in the air.
Bellamy earned 79 caps for Wales over his nearly 20-year career, earning experience that many current players in the squad would dream of achieving.
While this would be his first managerial gig, giving the reigns to a player who has played for some of the biggest clubs in the UK could prove to be a clever move by the FAW should they choose to do it.
3. Osian Roberts currently the 4/7 fav
A name that will be familiar among the FAW, Osian Roberts is best known in Wales for being Chris Coleman’s assistant during the most fruitful period in Welsh football.
Since then, his career has taken him across the globe, where he has now ended up at Italian side Como, helping them earn promotion to Serie A for the first time since 2003.
His familiarity with the Welsh setup could benefit him massively, despite much of the squad changing since he was last involved.
While managing is not his highest priority, his reputation among the FAW hierarchy could see the powers that be turn to him should they choose to replace Page.
