Preston are now hunting for a new boss having parted company with Alex Neil on Sunday afternoon.
North End were beaten 1-0 by Luton Town on Saturday afternoon, and that proved to be Neil’s final game in charge following a disappointing run.
Three straight defeats without scoring a goal proved to be the end for Neil, and Preston will seemingly wait until the summer to find themselves a long-term successor.
But what are Preston now seeking? Some of the names suggested from bookmakers are frankly hilarious.
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Tony Pulis, Garry Monk, Neil Lennon, Neil Harris… this just isn’t what North End need or want right now.
We understand that Preston will instead be looking for a head coach rather than a manager, and the ideal candidate is likely to be somebody with a record of developing young players.
With Ben Pearson and Ben Davies now gone, Preston need to replenish their ranks with players who can be sold on for profit in the future, having struggled with this in recent transfer windows.
The idea is that a head coach can focus on developing young players and potentially selling them on for profit, and North End have dropped a couple of hints about this change.
Firstly, the arrival of James Beet as a recruitment analyst. Beet has arrived from Barnsley, and whilst Preston may not exactly copy the Tykes and their approach, there may now be a greater focus placed on ‘club signings’ for a head coach to develop.
Additionally, when Neil’s departure was confirmed, North End announced Frankie McAvoy as his short-term replacement, putting him into the position of ‘interim head coach’.
That change in terminology, given that Neil was first team manager, hints that Preston are looking to change the way the club is set up from this summer and beyond.
That’s why we’re recommending to ignore random links to the likes of Pulis and others who don’t fit the head coach mould, unless Preston have a change of plans in the near future.
Instead, look for young, up-and-coming managers to be considered. We believe a number of League One managers are under consideration, though there won’t be an immediate appointment as North End look to their time and get this move right.