Northampton Town have whittled down their managerial search to the final few contenders as they gear up towards a permanent appointment.
The Cobblers are on the lookout for a new manager heading into their first campaign back in League Two, having sacked Kevin Nolan and replaced him with Technical Director Colin Calderwood in an interim capacity.
Thomas Provides Search Update
The prospective new manager at Sixfields has a big task ahead of them over the summer, needing to restructure the squad to compete at the top of the fourth tier, a job which could be made easier if the reported fresh investment arrives soon.
The club’s retained list has already been decided by the club prior to any official appointment, with six players released and club captain Jon Guthrie tied down to a further year in claret.
Giving an update as to the current state of play in their hunt for a new chief to BBC Radio Northampton, Cobblers chair Kelvin Thomas said:
“We are down to our last three or four candidates, we are due another conversation this coming week and then hopefully an announcement can be made. There are other clubs to consider with some candidates and some availability issues to consider but we hope to announce this coming week or if not then the week after. We are looking forward to getting things finalised.
“The candidates are a mixture of some currently in work and out of work. The decision comes down to who we feel is the best candidate for the job. Some of this has been dictated by how and when seasons have or will finish. Some candidates have really impressed us through the recruitment process.
“Some managers are under contract at other clubs and we have to weigh up the costs of buying them out, which come out of the budget and the costs we are allowed to spend in League Two. There is a balance between getting the right manager and buying one out that is very expensive and taking away from the playing budget.
“We will make the right decision for the best interests of the club.Even if we appoint someone who has been out of work it has been important to go through the detailed process over the last couple of months and talk to managers who are in work and that couldn’t be done until the end of the season. That’s the right process to follow.”
Hints Rule Out Candidates
While no names have been revealed in Kelvin Thomas’ update towards their next manager, his answer does hint at a few potential faces who might not be in the final four choices.
Given that timing has been a factor in their decision-making to finalise candidates, it could be assumed that managers who have been involved in recent playoff matches may not have made it to the advanced stage, such as Scunthorpe United‘s Andy Butler or Boreham Wood boss Luke Garrard.
That could also knock out Kevin Maher if he was in the frame, as he will lead his Southend United side at Wembley in the FA Trophy final in the coming weeks. Crucially though, it does leave previously-linked Andy Woodman still on the board should they be able to tempt him from Bromley.
With out-of-work managers also considered, they could either reach high and try and convince managers who have been in the Championship recently such as Alan Sheehan or Ryan Lowe, or perhaps someone who has been competitive at the top of League Two like Mat Sadler, fresh from his exit at Walsall.
