Hunt to find Albion's new boss (From The Argus)

Hunt to find Albion's new boss

9:50am Monday 2nd November 2009

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Albion chairman Tony Bloom has drawn up a shortlist of candidates to become manager after sacking Russell Slade.

Dennis Wise and Gareth Southgate are thought to be among the favourites as the hunt begins for the Seagulls’ fifth boss in three years.

The new man may not be in place for Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Wycombe Wanderers, so former boss Martin Hinshelwood could take the team at Adams Park.

Your Vote

Who should be the next manager of Brighton and Hove Albion?

Dennis Wise:
5%

Gareth Southgate:
11%

Steve Coppell:
54%

Iain Dowie:
3%

Alan Curbishley:
27%

Hinshelwood, now director of football, has been handed caretaker charge, with youth coach Steve Brown and ex-captain Charlie Oatway as his assistants, after Slade, his No. 2 Dean White and Bob Booker were all axed in the wake of Saturday’s 3-3 home draw against Hartlepool.

Bloom revealed: “We have got some people in mind, that is all at this stage. I am pretty open minded right now.

“It’s an absolutely critical decision and, although we want to do it as quickly as possible, by far the most important thing is to get the right person in.

“We are working hard to secure the right manager for the club. We cannot put a timescale on it. We may have a manager in by Saturday, we may not, we really do have no idea.

“Martin, with Steve and Charlie assisting him, is taking training on Monday and the first thing they are doing is preparing for the Wycombe game.

“They have got to work as if they are going to be there and if anything changes beforehand then so be it.”

Former Leeds chief and Newcastle director of football Wise has been linked with the post before.

He is a good friend of Albion’s managing director Ken Brown after they worked together at Millwall.

Southgate, brought up in Crawley, was sacked last month by Middlesbrough. He is also believed to be the type of manager wanted by the Albion Board to lead the club into their new Falmer stadium the season after next.

Other names likely to be discussed include ex-Albion manager Steve Coppell, the club’s former midfielder Alan Curbishley and Iain Dowie.

The decision to dismiss Slade was taken during an emergency Board meeting following Saturday’s result, which left Albion just outside the League One relegation zone.

Bloom said: “It was a very tough decision and a decision we haven’t made lightly. Russell worked really hard to make it work and try to turn things around.

“We are desperate to be in the Championship by the time we get to Falmer. We haven’t yet written off this season for that, although it is obviously looking very tough.

“We have got to think in our own minds, have we got the right people, the right set-up to do that? We are looking at the longer term future, who could get us there, who could keep us there and push us on, and we decided to change things.

It’s not on one game, it’s on everything; results, performances, certain aspects of everything, there is not one thing.”

Sacking the long-serving White and Booker as well is a departure from the policy of former chairman Dick Knight, who normally retained the backroom staff when appointing a new manager.

Bloom said: “This allows us a clean slate to find a manager who can then choose who he believes are the right people to assist him in reaching our goals”.

We decided that was the right thing to do, because it can sometimes be difficult for a new person to come in and not have that flexibility.”

Jake Wright resumes training today after ankle trouble and loan signings Gavin Hoyte and Matt Thornhill are both available for Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Wycombe Wanderers.

Albion are waiting for permission to play Thornhill’s Nottingham Forest team-mate Arron Davies.

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