Former Forest Green Rovers manager Rob Edwards is among the names linked with the vacant Southampton position after the Premier League club sacked Ralph Hasenhuttl on Monday.
Edwards was most recently at Watford after leaving Rovers in controversial circumstances for Vicarage Road, but lasted just four months into the job.
Austrian Hasenhuttl was dismissed by the Saints after his side dropped into the relegation zone following a 4-1 defeat at home to Newcastle on Sunday.
Edwards, 39, led Forest Green to promotion in his first EFL managerial job last season and is currently 33/1 to take the job at St Mary’s.
The former England under-16 coach left Rovers in the summer under a cloud after Watford made an approach to appoint him without asking permission from the League One club.
The club issued a cold statement announcing his departure, saying they were “disappointed” that Edwards broke their “loyalty and honesty”, going on to add that the situation gave football “a bad name”.
The Hornets have gained a reputation for their hire and fire approach to managers, with the club not convinced that Edwards was the man to take them back to the Premier League after being relegated last campaign.
After winning two of his first three Championship games in charge, things stagnated in the back end of the summer and the team could only manage one more victory before the Pozzos’ patience ran out.
Nathan Jones is the odds-on favourite to take the role. The Luton boss has done wonders with the Hatters since returning in 2020, taking them to the play offs last season.
Sean Dyche, who left Burnley in May after almost a decade in the role, is also on the radar as are former Premier League managers Mauricio Pochettino and Nuno Espirito Santo.
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Hassenhuttl is the fifth manager to lose his job in the Premier League this season, with first team coach Ruben Selles taking interim charge while the club look for a replacement.
