Two contenders for Wolves job may move on
Wolves' hunt for a new head coach has been blown off course as two of the top contenders eye other jobs.
Fans favourite Owen Coyle has switched his focus to the vacancy available at Championship outfit Wigan following the exit of Roberto Martinez.
But reports in the North-West have today suggested that Rene Meulensteen is the early favourite for the Latics post, with the Dutchman set to leave his role as first-team coach at Manchester United.
And Kenny Jackett, another of the leading contenders for the Molineux vacancy, is now a prime candidate for the manager's job at another of the ambitious League One clubs Sheffield United.
These developments have thrown a fresh twist into the Molineux job hunt which sees the club still in the throes of deciding on a short-list.
That will come from as many as 10 contenders identified by head of football Kevin Thelwell who is working on the appointment alongside chief executive Jez Moxey.
But their options could now be more limited because of moves elsewhere.
Former Bolton and Burnley boss Coyle met with the Wolves officials at the end of last week and has been seen as one of the main contenders to take up the task of re-vamping the club's football management.
He topped by some distance an Express & Star readers online poll last week, capturing 44 percent of more than 9,000 votes cast.
But the decision by Martinez to head for Everton has thrown into the mix the Wigan opening that Coyle is pondering.
And Jackett is now being seriously courted at Bramall Lane, following the decision of their former favourite and current Motherwell boss Stuart McCall to stay in Scotland.
The Blades board met last night to discuss the findings from a second round of interviews with caretaker boss Chris Morgan, Jackett and former Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate.
Jackett, who resigned at Millwall at the end of the season in pursuit of a "fresh challenge" was the first man to speak to Wolves about the vacancy.
Although the two League One postings are dominated by a demand for promotion, they are on separate paths to reach that objective.
The Sheffield club is spent out and unable to give its new manager much room to manoeuvre on the transfer market.
Wolves are seeking a head coach to lead an across-the-board revamp of the club's football management.
But the club will be able to generate funds from sales and parachute payments, providing an excessive wage bill can be trimmed.
