New frontrunner emerges in latest odds to replace Paul Warne as Derby County manager
Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens has emerged as an early frontrunner to replace Paul Warne as Derby County boss.
Warne was dismissed on Friday afternoon after a run of seven successive league defeats had left the Rams in the bottom three and facing a quick return to League One after winning promotion last May.
Early betting had the likes of Steven Gerrard (9/4), Rob Edwards (5/1) and Steve Cooper (5/1) leading the way to take over as Rams boss. But this evening it is Wellens who is the bookies’ choice on at least four sites, listed as evens with BetVictor, Betano, Parimatch and talksSportBet, although some of those sites are linked.
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Sacked Everton boss Sean Dyche is amongst a group at 6/1, alongside Gerrard and Cooper. Ex-Southampton and Swansea boss Russell Martin is next best on 8/1, along with Gary O’Neil, who until recently was in charge of Premier League Wolves.
Warne was installed as Rams manager following the club's relegation to League One in 2022 and he returned them to the Championship at the second time of asking last spring.
While Derby were generally competitive in the first half of the season, since Boxing Day their form has fallen off a cliff; they've lost seven matches on the spin as well as being knocked out of the FA Cup by Wellen’s club Leyton Orient.
Manchester-born Wellens has been Orient boss since March 2022. He signed a new three-year contract in 2023/24 after leading them to 11th in League One - but losing 3-0 twice to Warne’s Rams.
According to SkyBet, former Rams player Lee Carsley was the big mover in their next manager betting, leading the odds at 5/2, while Gerrard was at 4/1, with Edwards and Cooper rated at 5/1 chances. They have Wellens at 7/1/
Matt Hamshaw has been handed the task of helping Derby County avoid an eighth straight defeat when they go to Norwich City tomorrow (3pm).
The Derby County website added: “He will be supported by under-21s lead coach Jake Buxton, assistant under-18s coach Bradley Johnson and first team goalkeeper coach Andy Warrington and the rest of the existing backroom staff.”
The latest Derby County next manager odds from BetVictor
Richie Wellens – 1/1
Sean Dyche – 6/1
Steven Gerrard – 6/1
Steve Cooper – 6/1
Russell Martin – 8/1
Gary O’Neil – 8/1
Des Buckingham – 12/1
Lee Carsley – 12/1
