Jack Ross and Paul Hurst remain leading contenders for the Ipswich Town managerial vacancy – but the search for a new boss is not yet a two-horse race.
St Mirren boss Ross is believed to have held talks with the club this week after the Blues were granted permission to speak to the Scot, with the 41-year-old the odds-on favourite with the bookmakers after his odds shortened dramatically to 1/4 last night.
But Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst remains a serious contender for the position, although Blues owner Marcus Evans would need to wait until after the League One play-off final on May 27, in which the Shrews face Rotherham, to make a formal approach.
That would fit with Evans’ timeline of appointing a boss ‘at the end of May or beginning of June’ as stated in his address to the club’s supporters earlier this month, which he is believed to still be working to, with no appointment imminent.
Reports in Scotland have suggested the search for the next Ipswich Town manager is down to a two-horse race between Ross and Hurst but this is not believed to be the case, with further candidates thought to be lined up to attend initial interviews for the vacancy.
Evans is believed to favour a younger manager, although he is thought to have spoken to a wide range of candidates as he bids to replace former boss Mick McCarthy.
MORE: Odds shorten dramatically on St Mirren boss Jack Ross taking over at Ipswich Town
Both Tim Sherwood and Scott Parker have been reported to have been interviewed by Evans, with talks likely to have taken place in London, rather than Ipswich, while former Sunderland boss Simon Grayson is another to have been contacted. He is not expected to be a serious contender for the job, however.
Ross has previously stated he would ‘listen to what Ipswich have to say’ when asked about the links to Portman Road at the end of last week, while Hurst insisted he was flattered to be in the discussion but that his mind was firmly on his current club’s bid to win promotion to the second tier.
“I can’t honestly answer that – it would be wrong for me to sit here and say that,” Hurst said when asked if he could guarantee he would be at Shrewsbury next season. “I don’t know what’s going to happen between now and then.
“All I can say is that I enjoy it here, I’ve got a good relationship with pretty much everyone here and I want to try and take this club to the Championship.”
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