Bristol Rovers manager search latest as club 'talking' to candidates with criteria outlined

Bristol Rovers chief Hussain Al-Saeed insists he and the board are on the hunt to find the right manager to take over from the recently dismissed Joey Barton.

The ex Rovers boss was relieved of his duties on Thursday, after a recent poor run of form.

“I would say young, I would say somebody who’s been in a territory that we haven’t been in yet with that experience,” said Al-Saeed.

“Somebody who’s taken teams from League One to the Championship and somebody perhaps Championship onward.

“We are reviewing this matter, we are talking to people, we are trying to find the right man for this job.”

Barton’s assistant Andy Mangan took charge of the team in the Gas’ home victory versus Northampton Town yesterday and the co-owner was asked whether he could be offered the job permanently.

He said: “We have trust in him and his assistants and I think they can do a good job, we are leaving it for them and we’ll see what they can do.

“We have the criteria we know what we have in mind, the type of coach that would actually fit in our vision and we are looking into it deeply.”

Barton has certainly left his footprint at the club as many of the backroom staff and the vast majority of the current squad were appointed by the 41-year old.

The Rovers chief was asked whether there may be aclear out of staff, since the departure of Barton.

“We would like to make a structure for the sporting side, so that the assistants and the downstream from the manager would be the club staff rather than the manager’s staff,” explained Al-Saeed.

“We have had some approaches but that will not defer our decision.”

The first-round of the FA Cup is up next for Rovers and who knows who will be in charge by next weekend.