How Bradford City really feel about appointing Paul Heckingbottom as new manager update emerges | OneFootball

Paul Heckingbottom won't be taking over the Bradford City job, following Graham Alexander's departure to replace him at Preston North End

Former Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom is now out of the running to replace Graham Alexander as Bradford City boss.

The Bantams are in need of a new manager after Alexander departed after nearly three years at the helm, to succeed Heckingbottom as Preston boss. The 54-year-old took the West Yorkshire side from 16th in League Two to atop League One.

Therefore, whoever succeeded Alexander would have big shoes to fill, and Heckingbottom, who earned a promotion and EFL Trophy double in his only managerial campaign at League One level a decade ago at Barnsley, and who spent time as a player at Valley Parade, seemed to fit the bill.

His assistant over his recent jobs at Deepdale and Sheffield United, Stuart McCall, is a Bradford legend, too, having managed the club over three spells after playing close to 400 league games for them.

Paul Heckingbottom out of Bradford City managerial race

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It was reported on Tuesday by Alan Nixon that Bradford had constructed a three-person shortlist of candidates to take over from Graham Alexander, with Heckingbottom being one of the names considered.

However, in an update today from Nixon, the former Preston boss has now "opted out" of the running for the job.

It's reported that Heckingbottom was set for an interview with the West Yorkshire side on Wednesday, but after taking the time to assess the situation, he has decided to take some time away from the dugout before making a return.

This is the 49-year-old's first break from the dugout for over two years, having taken the Preston job in late August 2024. During his time at Deepdale, Heckingbottom oversaw a run to the FA Cup quarter-finals, but his success in league campaigns was limited.

Bradford have spoken to other candidates, including Michael Duff, states Nixon, and the higher-ups at Valley Parade are hopeful of having a replacement in post by Saturday, when they make the trip to Reading.

How fans have reacted to Paul Heckingbottom twist

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The overarching feeling amongst Bradford fans over the prospect of Paul Heckingbottom becoming their new manager has been unenthusiastic. FLW's Bantams fan pundit felt it would be a "backwards step" when discussing the possibility earlier this week.

The reaction to this news has been mixed, with fans from different clubs weighing in on the reports.

One Preston fan was pleased for the Bantams, branding the report a "lucky escape." Evidently, there's no love lost for Heckingbottom in the stands at Deepdale.

"Well, have we got 11k a week to actually spend on his wages?" one Bradford fan questioned, inferring that there wouldn't have been much of a chance at hiring Heckingbottom anyway, due to his demands.

"Hecky only drops to League One for Wednesday or Leicester, and both may have managerial vacancies before too long. Other than that, he'll wait until another Championship club becomes available," another wrote in response, indicating that the ex-Preston boss may be better off waiting until a more "attractive" offer comes in for him.

And then, Bradford fans started to speculate who their new boss would be, if not Heckingbottom. Michael Duff seems to be the only concrete link now, but only time will tell.

"So is it Duff then?" one questioned. "Who’s your money on, Duff?" another commented.

Bradford City will hope for a quick transition from Graham Alexander to their new manager

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Bradford have gotten to this stage in the season off the back of strong work out of possession, limiting chances and stopping opposition from having the freedom to play. That's emphasised by the fact they've scored just seven goals yet sit top of the third tier table.

Going from that brand of football under Alexander to anyone else will provide a bit of a teething process, and the hope is that whoever does take over at Valley Parade can maintain at least a good defensive level while also upping their attacking output, too.

Indeed, there are ways that the current frontrunners can get better, but whoever does end up being their new manager will need to hit the ground running rather quickly, as a failure to do so could bring upon some scrutiny, given the good work Alexander did in the dugout.

It seems like a decision should be made in the coming days if the new manager is set to be in charge at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday.

A win against a strong starter in terms of their underlying numbers could be a good indication that Bradford's strong start won't falter under fresh direction.