3 managers Bristol City must consider ASAP after Tommy Elphick blow | OneFootball

Bristol City are seemingly back to the drawing board regarding their manager search following Tommy Elphick's decision to stay at Bournemouth

Bristol City are back to square one regarding their managerial search, as their two leading candidates are reportedly set to stay put at their current clubs.

Last week, Mike McGrath reported that the Robins' hunt for a new head coach had been narrowed down to two preferred candidates, Lincoln City's Michael Skubala and Bournemouth assistant Tommy Elphick.

The day after, John Percy stated that Elphick was set to be named the new man in the dugout, and later reports that Skubala was set to sign a contract extension with the Imps surfaced in the aftermath of that.

However, in the latest turn of events, it looks like Elphick will be staying at the Vitality Stadium as part of new head coach Marco Rose's coaching staff.

Now, Bristol City are once again searching for a new preferred candidate to take over from Roy Hodgson, who departed at the end of the season following a seven-match interim spell in the wake of Gerhard Struber's sacking.

Here are three possible managers the higher-ups at Ashton Gate should consider bringing in after the recent Elphick news.

Dave Challinor

It's unclear what the future holds for Stockport County boss Dave Challinor, following the Hatters' 4-1 defeat in the League One play-off final against Bolton Wanderers.

The 50-year-old has led Stockport through the National League all the way to being on the cusp of the Championship, finishing third in the third tier in back-to-back seasons. Evidently, there's second-tier management in his future, but will it be at his current club?

The winds of change are blowing at Edgeley Park this summer. Simon Wilson, one of the main masterminds behind the rise of the Hatters, has left after six years at the club, where he worked as sporting director and, recently, as chief executive.

And following the Wembley defeat against Bolton on Sunday, Challinor stated that he and the owners "will need time to sit down over the next week and see what things look like" regarding the future of both the squad and himself.

There's no doubt that there'll be Championship clubs eyeing up the 50-year-old over the coming weeks. Perhaps Bristol City should look to get to the front of the queue to try and snap up his services if he does decide to move on.

Slaven Bilic

Slaven Bilic has been out of work for close to two years now, since leaving Saudi side Al-Fateh, but now more than ever, the Croatian has been linked with a return. Not just to management, but a return to an English dugout, too.

The 57-year-old was on the radar for a return to West Ham United after Graham Potter's sacking in late 2025, West Brom fans were clamouring for him to come back to the Hawthorns after Eric Ramsay was dismissed, and he was reportedly on Blackburn Rovers' radar before they moved for Michael O'Neill.

So, perhaps these links over the past year could indicate that Bilic is ready to return to management, and Bristol City should be keen to bring him to Ashton Gate.

Barring a dud spell at Watford, which isn't exactly the managerial yardstick, he's enjoyed success in England, leading West Ham to European qualifying rounds and winning the Championship at West Brom.

The latter should be what makes Bilic attractive to Bristol City, as the Robins look to reclaim their place in the play-offs next season after a down year in 2025/26. The Croatian's experience at the top end of the division could prove vital at Ashton Gate next year.

Jon Dahl Tomasson

There's no doubting Jon Dahl Tomasson's managerial quality, but this one highly depends on how willing owner Steve Lansdown and the rest of the higher-ups at Bristol City are to back him.

Indeed, the Danish legend took Blackburn to within touching distance of the play-offs in his only full campaign in charge at Ewood Park in 2022/23, losing out on goal difference as Sunderland squeezed in ahead of them.

Rovers would then cut back on the playing budget that summer and would sell Adam Wharton in January 2024 for £18 million, which ultimately saw results worsen and the relationship with Tomasson and the board sour, leading to his departure.

Gerhard Struber had to deal with losing Anis Mehmeti and Zak Vyner in January, two key players, and stated that the Robins needed more investment if they were to make strides up the Championship table.

But there is no doubt about the commitment that Steve Lansdown has to Bristol City, having been born in the city and having owned the club for 30 years.

If he can convince someone like Tomasson, who has a title pedigree in Sweden and a near miss in the play-offs under his belt in England, that the right backing can be there, the Dane could be the right man for the job.