Middlesbrough sack Chris Wilder - ex-Bristol City man considered and sacked Watford man to be interviewed

Middlesbrough have become the latest club to part ways with their manager after sacking Chris Wilder, less than ayear in charge.

He becomes the seventh manager to be sacked from his job at second tier with not even a quarter of the campaign gone, though his team had been stuggling.

Wilder’s departure has Boro in 22nd in the league standings, inside the relegation zone on goal difference, which is below the early season expectations of promotion.

His last act was to oversee a 1-0 defeat to Coventry City - Bristol City’s opponents on Tuesday, who are bottom of the league but have up to three games in hand over most clubs.

A statement published on their website read: “Middlesbrough Football Club have terminated the contract of manager Chris Wilder with immediate effect. Leo Percovich will take over first team affairs in the interim basis, assisted by Craig Liddle, Mark Tinkler and Lee Cattermole.

“The club would like to place on record its thanks to Chris and his staff for all their hard work over the past 11 months.”

Middlesbrough are the second club inside a four-day period to sack their boss after Hull City sacked Shota Arveladze. Hull, like Rotherham United and Cardiff City, are looking for a new boss.

As to who could replace Wilder at the Riverside Stadium, Telegraph journalist John Percy says that Rob Edwards, who was sacked from his job at Watford and replaced by Slaven Bilic, will be interviewed. He is viewed as a ‘strong contender’ to replace Wilder, despite his short spell at Vicarage Road.

Gary O’Neil, currently in caretaker charge of AFC Bournemouth, is also a situation ‘worth keeping an eye on’ said Percy.

O’Neill played for Middlesbrough from 2007 to 2011, featuring in the Premier League for two campaigns, before two seasons in the Championship with the Teeside club.

He moved to Bristol City as his penultimate club, making 36 appearances across two seasons, but later joined Bolton Wanderers before retiring in 2019, taking up a coaching role at Liverpool.

O'Neill then become first-team coach to Jonathan Woodgate at Bournemouth and later Scott Parker, but has since taken interim charge at the Vitality Stadium.

City play Boro at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday, November 5, in what is their penultimate league fixture before the break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.