3 Graham Coughlan replacements Newport County must consider ASAP | OneFootball

This trio could all be in the running to become the new boss at Rodney Parade after Thursday's revelation

Newport County are on the hunt for a new boss after the departure of Graham Coughlan, with the 49-year-old leaving the Welsh side by mutual consent.

A statement by County chairman Huw Jenkins says that he wants to ‘take the club and the team in a new direction’ going forward, with the decision made that the former Mansfield Town boss wasn’t the man to do so.

Former Swansea City owner Jenkins took control of the club in January of this year, and will be looking to usher in a new era with a new man at the helm ahead of the 24/25 campaign, as County look to build on their 18th placed finish in the previous campaign.

With that in mind, here we take a look at three potential replacements for Coughlan going forward, and what each can bring to County if they were appointed.

Pete Wild

It will have come as a shock to most when Pete Wild left his post at Barrow at the end of the last campaign, as his Bluebirds side failed to reach the playoffs after a strong season in the fourth tier.

The 39-year-old has a glowing reputation after two stellar years at Holker Street, with back-to-back top half finishes with the Cumbrian side, having joined the club from FC Halifax Town in May 2022.

Before Wild took charge, Barrow were only just managing to scrape by in the fourth tier, with successive finishes in the bottom four of the division; which goes to show what an outstanding job he did to turn them into a promotion-chasing outfit.

The former Oldham Athletic man knows how to set up a side to be hard to beat in League Two, and will be looking to get back into management after a strong start to his life in the dugout.

Financial restraints will play their part at County, but Wild’s enthusiasm and ability to get the most out of his players can more than make up for that, and could be a shrewd appointment going forward.

Gareth Ainsworth

This could be a long shot, but Gareth Ainsworth is a man who knows how to win football matches, and bring a side together that will fight tooth and nail to get three points.

If you take his disastrous spell at Queens Park Rangers out of the equation, ‘Wild Thing’ was one of the EFL’s most-respected managers during his time with Wycombe Wanderers, as he took the Chairboys from the brink of non-league to the Championship during his time at the club.

The 51-year-old had a tight-knit group at Adams Park which he brought together to be more than the sum of its parts, and had them regularly competing at the top end of League One for much of his time before he departed for Loftus Road.

The ex-Preston North End midfielder has had some time out of management since he was axed by the Hoops, and is regularly seen in a punditry role, but a challenge like the one at Newport next season could be one that gets his juices flowing for a return to management next season.

He’s been in a similar position before and has thrived, and although he won’t come cheap he knows how to get results with a side that play direct football as County have in recent seasons.

Kevin Phillips

It seems like only a matter of time before Kevin Phillips gets a chance at a Football League side, with the former Sunderland striker proving to be just as handy in the dugout as he was in front of goal in his playing days.

If the new direction that Jenkins wants for County is in the mould of his pass-heavy Swansea City team that rose through the EFL two decades ago, then the 50-year-old could be exactly what he is looking for.

Phillips has won many plaudits for his emphasis on keeping the ball on the deck during his time with South Shields in non-league, where he took the north east outfit to Northern Premier League promotion in the 22/23 campaign.

A spell at Hartlepool United followed in the most recent campaign, although off the field issues were said to mar his time at the club, with a supposed contract offer being reneged.

That rebuffing could play into County’s hands now that Coughlan needs replacing, because he may not have the experience in the Football League, but he definitely has the potential to succeed given his track record, he just needs a chance to show what he can do.