Next Birmingham Manager: Dissecting the five options

Birmingham fared reasonably in Chris Hughton's first run as boss

Michael Lintorn has split some of the leading contenders to replace Lee Clark at Birmingham into five categories...

The Popular Candidate
Gary Rowett @ 2.47/5
When former Birmingham defender Rowett took charge of Burton in 2012, they had only been in League Two for three seasons and their highest finish was 13th. In his first campaign, the Brewers reached the play-off semi-finals. They made the final in his second and hold an automatic promotion place in his third. However, the fact that he hasn't managed higher than the fourth tier is a concern given Lee Clark's struggle to step up when never previously operating above the third.

The Thanks-But-No-Thanks Candidate
Owen Coyle @ 11.010/1
Coyle did a great job in his first Championship gig at Burnley, but the unlikely promotion that he achieved with them was six seasons ago now and he has underperformed twice in the second tier since with ambitious sides, leaving both Bolton and Wigan in the bottom half. If you are going to hire someone perceived to have failed in their last position, it should be someone who did so in the division above rather than at the current level, for instance...

The Safe-Pair-Of-Hands Candidate
Chris Hughton @ 11.010/1
Hughton has worked in the Championship twice before with decent success, uniting a disillusioned Newcastle squad to claim the title with 102 points in 2009/10 before finishing fourth in his initial stint at Birmingham in 2011/12. Things didn't go wonderfully at Norwich last term, yet he left them outside the relegation zone, having achieved their best top-flight finish in 20 years (11th) in 2012/13.

The Brilliant-But-With-Baggage Candidate
Billy Davies @ 13.012/1
Davies is one of the most accomplished Championship managers of the 21st century, delivering for three different teams. He led Preston - now fourth in League One - to a play-off final, took Derby to the Premier League and steered Nottingham Forest into the play-offs twice within three years of their promotion from the third tier. Sadly, that consistent target-meeting is overshadowed by a flair for finding conflict with owners, staff and media which will probably see him be overlooked.

The Wildcard Candidate
Paolo Di Canio @ 11.010/1
A 21-month spell at Swindon followed by an eventful six-month rise and fall at Sunderland hint that Di Canio isn't a man for the long term, but even his fiercest critics couldn't deny his ability to provide a short-term spark. He guided Swindon from League Two to the League One play-offs and pulled Sunderland ashore when sinking in 2012/13. You sense that Birmingham, after a joyless 18 months, are precisely the kind of club who could be positively jolted by Di Canio's force of personality.