The Bristol Post understands that Championship strugglers Bristol City are closing in on a new permanent successor to Steve Cotterill. The club have supposedly identified their number one choice. Current Barnsley boss Lee Johnson is the heavy odds-on favourite to get the job.
The Robins are said to be favouring a head coach, rather than a manager. With the transfer window finally closed, Operating Officer Mark Ashton, who is taking charge of the managerial search, is now fully focused on replacing Cotterill.
The current interim managemer John Pemberton is second in the betting and whilst he should remain in charge this weekend, alongside Under-21 boss Wade Elliott, the fact they haven’t been named in charge until the end of the season already could be a telling factor.
In the days after Cotterill left the club, high-profile names such as David Moyes, Stuart Pearce, Neil Warnock and Nigel Pearson were all mentioned, albeit briefly, to the vacancy. England Under-21 coach Gareth Southgate and former Swansea manager Garry Monk were others in the reckoning, and they would fit the preferred ‘head coach’ title compared to the others.
Johnson would be following in the footsteps of father Gary, who almost guided the Robins to the Premier League a few seasons back, only for Dean Windass to deny him the opportunity to do so. After a tough start to this season, Johnson Jnr’s Barnsley side are in excellent form and are in the latter stages of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy as well. Recently he denied being approached by Bristol City for the position, but that situation could very much change in the coming days.
