Mowbray was sacked by Sunderland in December after 15 months in charge at the Stadium of Light. Having replaced Alex Neil in August 2023, Mowbray led Sunderland to the play-offs last season where they lost to Luton in the semi-finals. The Black Cats started this season strongly but a run of one victory in five matches that saw them drop out of the top six was enough for the club’s hierarchy to take the decision to part company with the 60-year-old. The decision seemed harsh from the outside looking in. Mowbray is an experienced Championship campaigner who led West Bromwich Albion to the title in 2008 and guided Blackburn Rovers to promotion from League One a decade later. In a managerial career of 858 games, his win rate stands at 41.26 per cent (Image: 2023 Getty Images)1 of 6
Cooper would be a popular choice with fans and has already been linked with replacing Rooney in the national press. The 44-year-old’s stock is high despite his sacking by Nottingham Forest midway through December. Having taken over at the City Ground with Forest bottom of the Championship in September 2021, Cooper led the East Midlands side to promotion eight months later and kept them in the Premier League last season. There was another huge turnover of players in the summer transfer window and Cooper was axed after a run on one win in 13 matches. The former Swansea City manager won the Under-17 World Cup with England in 2017 and his managerial win rate is 48.08 per cent from 287 games, which includes youth fixtures with England’s age group sides. Cooper has admirers in the Premier League, with Crystal Palace believed to be lining him up as a successor to Roy Hodgson. (Image: James Baylis - AMA/Getty Images)2 of 6
Veteran Championship firefighter Warnock is also sure to be connected with the job, as he would with any available position in the division. Warnock announced his retirement in April 2022 but performed a U-turn on that decision to take over at Huddersfield Town in February. The Terriers were seven points from safety at that stage but Warnock oversaw a run of six wins from their final nine matches to stay up. Warnock then committed for another season but left Huddersfield by mutual consent in September. Having confirmed after that he would not be retiring again just yet, Warnock is now open to managing the 17th club of his long career. Having been a manager for almost 1,900 matches from non league to the Premier League, his win rate stands at 40.21 per cent, with four second tier promotions to boot. (Image: Gareth Evans/News Images)3 of 6