Bradford City boss Graham Alexander tipped for Preston North End move | OneFootball

EFL podcaster Callum Fowler feels Graham Alexander would be the perfect candidate to succeed Paul Heckingbttom in the Preston dugout

EFL podcaster Callum Fowler believes Preston North End should bring in Bradford City boss and Lilywhites legend Graham Alexander to replace Paul Heckingbottom, and that Alexander should take the offer if it comes, too.

Heckingbottom became the first managerial casualty of the Championship campaign this past weekend, after a home defeat against Lincoln City left Preston with just one win and six defeats in the opening seven games.

It came less than two weeks after the closure of what had been an uncharacteristic transfer window in terms of the amount spent at Deepdale. Indeed, the club smashed their transfer record and spent over £15 million throughout the summer.

Evidently, the higher-ups at Preston are looking to be a bit more ambitious, and the start to the campaign hadn't aligned with expectations. North End now find themselves looking for a new head coach, and Graham Alexander seems the most logical choice.

Callum Fowler urges Preston North End to move for Graham Alexander, but thinks they'll settle for Dave Challinor

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Speaking on the latest episode of The Pyramid Podcast, EFL podcaster Callum Fowler spoke on the potential candidates to replace Paul Heckingbottom in the Preston dugout.

Fowler feels that former Stockport County boss Dave Challinor will be given the role, given he could be seen as the easier choice, with the 50-year-old currently out of work after taking a break following the Hatters' defeat in the League One play-off final back in May.

But the Barnsley supporter doesn't think Challinor should be the first choice option, and despite the potential of Graham Alexander's current club, Bradford, to become a Championship club very soon, he thinks Alexander should take the opportunity to manage in the second tier now.

"I think they'll go for Challinor, who was the Stockport manager, but I think they should go for Graham Alexander, though," he said.

In response, co-host Tom Garrett questioned the aspirations surrounding that potential decision, stating, "To me, I'd look at that and go, 'at the minute, I'd rather be at Bradford.' I think the project's better; it's just as big a club, or at least on the same level.

"It's like the Rob Edwards from Middlesbrough to Wolves thing; why do it?"

"What potential does Bradford have more than Preston?" Fowler questioned Garratt. "Being in the Championship next season," he responded.

"Well, Preston are in it now, we're seven games in," Fowler added. "I don't think Preston are staying up, but there's no guarantee Bradford will go up either."

"I think they go for Challinor, though; he doesn't cost anything, fairly local too, but I do think they're in trouble."

Graham Alexander to Preston North End does make sense

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Graham Alexander, to many, is a modern-day Preston legend. The Lilywhites' all-time appearance list is dominated by those who made the club one of the best in the country back in the early 1900s, but in the top 10 is the current Bradford boss.

Indeed, Alexander made 421 appearances over two spells at Deepdale, the first seeing him make exactly 400 over eight years at the club. He made a name for himself as a goalscoring full-back and played every minute in their third-tier winning campaign in 1999/2000.

Even after a spell at Burnley, he was welcomed back to Preston in 2011 to end his playing career, and scored a free kick with what was the final touch before retirement.

His 14-year managerial career has seen him bounce around the lower leagues in England alongside a stint in Scotland at Motherwell. It's not seen him manage in the Championship, and it's not seen him return to Deepdale.

The opportunity to coach at the highest level he's been at with the club he made so many memories as a player with may be too difficult to turn down, even with the current project at Bradford looking very positive.

Graham Alexander would need to leave a good position at Bradford City if he were to join Preston North End

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Ultimately, that's the dilemma that Alexander would face if Preston approached him for the new dugout role. You'd expect that they would, given his history with the club and the fact he's been one of the best coaches in League One in the last 12 months.

His Bradford side is incredibly well organised. Perhaps not as exciting going forward as some of their third-tier peers, but with a defence that's one of, if not the best, in the league currently.

In terms of positioning in the pyramid, the Bantams are only four places behind Preston, sitting third in League One compared to the Lilywhites' 23rd position in the Championship.

So, while the opportunity to manage in the second tier for the first time would be achieved at Deepdale, there's the possibility that Alexander could get there with the West Yorkshire-based side in eight months. And if he does so at Valley Parade, you'd imagine they'd have the momentum and the good feeling around them to maintain their position.

At Preston, the feeling is a lot more negative, and many don't feel they'll be able to survive the drop. That being said, that negativity and relegation outlook can be turned around if Alexander hits the ground running.

It'd be a risk, but with 39 games remaining, there's plenty of time for that risk to pay off.