Bradford City are once again looking for a new manager after they parted company with David Hopkin.
The 48-year-old resigned from the League One strugglers following a 3-2 home defeat at the hands of 10-man Walsall. It leaves the Bantams in search of a third manager of the season already with the club having already sacked Michael Collins earlier in the campaign.
During his time at the club he took charge of 35 matches in total, but only managed to win seven of those. The new manager will be tasked with keeping the West Yorkshire side up, but it will not be easy with Hopkin leaving them in 23rd place in League One and three points adrift of safety.
Speaking after leaving the club, Hopkin said: "I have given my all over the past six months. I took on a tough job and have left no stone unturned in my efforts to help us climb the table. The club means a great deal to me as a former player and that is why I have made this decision - with a quarter of the season remaining."
We have taken a look at the odds for who replace Hopkin as the fourth permanent Bradford City since February 2018.
Could Phil Parkinson return to Bradford City?
The early favourite with the bookmakers to take over at Valley Parade is their former manager, Phil Parkinson. The 51-year-old left the Bantams in 2016 to take over at Bolton Wanderers after five successful years with the club.
He ended up guiding the Trotters to promotion from League One in his first season, and he is still at the Macron Stadium trying to help the club avoid relegation from the Championship. Most would accept that Parkinson has done a good job with the Lancashire club due to having his hands firmly tied by financial issues. But there are rumours that if Ken Anderson manages to sell the club the new owners could look to appoint their own manager, leaving the 51-year-old without a club and therefore potentially available for hire.
That may then be why Sky Bet are offering odds of 9/4 for him to return to Bradford City, where the fans would surely welcome him back with open arms. In his first stint he became the only manager to take an English fourth-tier club to the final of a major cup competition and he also led them to promotion from League Two, could he go and work his magic in West Yorkshire for a second time?
Who else is in contention?
Martin Drury is also in contention for the role, with Sky Bet offering odds of 6/1. The 32-year-old is the man who has been put in temporary charge following Hopkin's departure and he will be assisted by Anton McElhone.
Since May 2018 Drury has been in charge of the progression and development of the Bantams young players, but he has in fact been at the club since 2016. The one thing that would work against him if he did want the job on a full-time basis would be the fact that he currently has no prior experience as a first team manager.
Steve Evans' odds to become the next Bradford manager are 8/1 and that could be a good appointment for the club. The Scot is an experienced manager at League One level, having previously taken charge of the likes of Peterborough United and Rotherham United and achieved promotion to the Championship with the latter. He is currently out of work after being sacked by the Posh earlier in the year, but that hasn't stopped several City fans calling for the club to appoint him on social media. Could he be tempted back in by the Bantams?
Paul Hurst (6/1) and Gary Bowyer (7/2) could also both be in contention according to the bookmakers, with both currently out of work after leaving Ipswich Town and Blackpool respectively in the 2018/19 campaign.
Full next Bradford manager odds:
(All odds with Sky Bet)
- Phil Parkinson - 5/2
- Gary Bowyer - 7/2
- Mark Bower - 9/2
- Martin Drury - 6/1
- Paul Hurst - 6/1
- Steve Evans - 8/1
- Gary Bowyer - 10/1
- Michael Flynn - 12/1
- Gary Waddock - 14/1
- Danny Cowley - 16/1
- Ian Holloway - 16/1
- Kevin Nolan - 16/1
- Mark Warburton - 16/1
