Middlesbrough have been forced into the managerial market after Rob Edwards acrimoniously upped sticks for Wolves.
Edwards departs a Championship side enjoying an excellent start to the season with 29 points from their opening 15 matches, leaving them second only to Coventry in the table.
In contrast, Wolves remain winless in the Premier League, having collected just two points from their first 11 games.
EFL expert Gab Sutton assesses five potential candidates who could take the reins at the Riverside.
Next Middlesbrough manager odds
| Manager | Odds |
|---|---|
| Gary O’Neil | 2/1 |
| Tony Mowbray | 4/1 |
| Carlos Corberan | 4/1 |
| Steven Gerrard | 5/1 |
| Brian Barry-Murphy | 6/1 |
| Gareth Southgate | 8/1 |
| Steven Schumacher | 16/1 |
| Alex Neil | 20/1 |
| Paul Heckingbottom | 20/1 |
| David Challinor | 33/1 |
Odds courtesy of BetVictor and are correct as of 11/11/2025.
Gary O’Neil
The former Portsmouth midfielder has had a positive start to life in management, keeping Bournemouth and Wolves in the Premier League in difficult circumstances.
Despite this, Gary O’Neil hasn’t had the opportunities he might argue his contributions have deserved, so a promotion-chasing Championship club may be the level he would pitch himself at.
The 42-year-old’s shrewd adaptability has been his big selling point so far, which could make him a good fit for an in-season appointment.
Tony Mowbray
Tony Mowbray has an emotional connection with Middlesbrough, the club he grew up supporting, and represented for nine years as a player and three as a manager.
At a time when fans feel wounded and deceived, due to the circumstances of Rob Edwards’ exit, that tug of the heartstrings could get natives invested once again.
On the other side of that, Mowbray has had his health challenges in recent years, and may not be looking to commit to anything long-term (nor was Edwards, as it turned out!).
Mowbray could be an option until the end of the season, but more progressive appointments lie elsewhere.
Brian Barry-Murphy
Brian Barry-Murphy is establishing himself as an extremely talented coach with elite potential, having done excellent developmental work at Rochdale, Man City EDS, and his current employers, Cardiff.
That aspect of his work might appeal to Middlesbrough, who boast an excellent academy and a talented squad, including – for now – players like Hayden Hackney whom BBM would love to work with.
However, Boro owner Steve Gibson is yet to appoint a manager in-post at another club in 30 years, and is unlikely to break that tradition now, perhaps especially in light of the nature of Edwards’ exit.
Brendan Rodgers
Brendan Rodgers is available, after resigning from his post at Celtic, but would represent an ambitious move for Middlesbrough.
The Northern Irishman has led Liverpool to a Premier League title challenge, and Leicester to a sustained Champions League pursuit, both times somewhat against the odds, so it’s hard to see a manager of his calibre jumping at a Championship job – he’ll feel he can get Premier League offers.
Carlos Corberan
Carlos Corberan has shown his class in the Championship before, both with Huddersfield in 2021-22, leading them to the Play-Off Final, and recently with West Brom, keeping a decent to middling squad in Play-Off form, as they achieved a top six finish in 2023-24.
The Spaniard’s stint at Valencia hasn’t gone to plan, and there’s a fair likelihood that he may be sacked by Ches, in which case Boro can swoop for a manager of his calibre without paying compensation.
The 42-year-old is an exquisite tactician, meticulously detail-driven and builds extremely fit teams that can create a steady flow of chances, whilst remaining well-organised with a responsible defensive shape.
Of the potential candidates, Corberan looks the strongest.