Neil Harris is understood to be interested in the Ipswich Town vacancy, with the Blues considering the former Millwall and Cardiff boss.
Town are searching for a new manager after Paul Cook’s sacking on Saturday, with CEO Mark Ashton launching ‘an extensive search’ as the club’s American owners look to make their first appointment since taking control of the club in April.
Ashton has said he will meet a wide range of managers face-to-face as Cook’s replacement is sought, a process which is stepping up as we head into the weekend.
Harris, who has reached the play-offs three times as a manager, including winning one of his two trips to Wembley with the Lions in League One before finishing fifth in the Championship with Cardiff, is understood to be a manager of real interest.
The former striker, who has been out of work since being fired by the Welsh club at the start of this year, is the current favourite in the limited betting markets linked to the Town manager’s job.
The 44-year-old, who is understood to have family links to Suffolk, is also thought to have shown interest in the role before Cook was appointed in March, following Paul Lambert’s sacking.
He watched Ipswich in action at Wycombe recently.
Speaking on Monday, Ashton said he wants to make an appointment as soon as possible but also stressed he is in no rush, instead ‘taking a breath’ and then searching for the right man to lead the Blues forward.
Ipswich continue to receive a steady stream of applications for the role, with Harris just one of a number of names under serious consideration.
Former Chelsea stars Frank Lampard and John Terry have been linked with the role in recent days.
Lampard is a manager admired by the Town hierarchy but the fact the former England midfielder has recently managed in the Champions League with Chelsea means the prospect of convincing him to drop into League One looks an extremely difficult one.
The same applies for Tony Mowbray, the former Town captain and coach who currently has his Blackburn side sitting fourth in the Championship and is another manager admired by those at Portman Road. Convincing him to swap a serious chance at promotion to the Premier League for Ipswich in the third tier, irrespective of his strength of feeling towards the club, is likely to be beyond the Blues at this time.
Lincoln boss Michael Appleton, who has worked under Ashton and chairman Mike O’Leary previously at Oxford, is understood to be another manager in the frame but not a leading contender at this stage.
Former Celtic boss Neil Lennon, who is said to have thrown his hat into the ring for the vacancy, is not understood to be under consideration.
Neither is former Town defender Frank Yallop, the initial betting favourite who previously managed the Ipswich owners’ Phoenix Rising side.
John McGreal remains in caretaker charge of the Blues heading into this weekend’s game with Wigan, having overseen the 2-0 loss at Charlton on Tuesday evening.
McGreal, initially brought to the club in an Under 23 coaching role last week, has said he expects to return to that position when a new manager is appointed.
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