Swansea City are searching for a new head coach following the departure of Alan Sheehan, who was sacked after six months in the permanent job.
Sheehan leaves the club 18th in the Championship with four wins from 15 matches so far this season.
The Swans will now use November’s international break to contemplate potential candidates for the vacancy, which could include Kim Hellberg, who has emerged as the early favourite in the betting.
Next Swansea City manager odds
| Manager | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kim Hellberg | 2/7 |
| Brendan Rodgers | 7/2 |
| Michael Carrick | 10/1 |
| Gary O’Neil | 10/1 |
| Russell Martin | 25/1 |
| Laim Manning | 25/1 |
| Will Still | 25/1 |
| Wayne Rooney | 25/1 |
| Carlos Corberan | 25/1 |
| Michael Beale | 25/1 |
Odds courtesy of BetVictor and are correct as of 13/11/2025.
Beware the high-performing caretaker
Alan Sheehan made an enormous impact at Swansea in an interim capacity, and his record at the Liberty Stadium is rather impressive if you include his record in temporary charge.
Nonetheless, for the Swans to have dropped to 18th with one win in seven is somewhat disappointing after a summer of reasonable investment, and whether or not that justifies the ultimate decision, the club have opted for change.
The caretaker can feel like the best option when they’re maximising the squad and the form is electric, but Sheehan didn’t have an enormous coaching pedigree, nor managerial experience, so it’s understandable that the club looked elsewhere.
Kim Hellberg the early favourite
The hot odds-on 2/7 frontrunner to replace the former Luton defender is Kim Hellberg, who’s impressing with Hammarby IF, after they finished runners-up to Mjallby AIF in the Allsvenskan last season
Coaches who have enjoyed a meteoric rise in their careers always carry a degree of curiosity and excitement – they almost appeal from a romantic perspective sometimes as much as a practical one.
In Hellberg’s case, he began his journey at 23 in 2011 with Kimstad GoIF, winning the Division Five (Swedish 7th-tier) title in his first season, and the rest stemmed from there.
Hellberg’s tactical style and principles
One huge advantage of appointing a coach who has worked with nearly every level of footballer, presumably down to the amateur game, is that they’ve already demonstrated outstanding adaptability.
They can improve anyone, they know how to implement their ideas in a realistic way, and there’s no challenge you can throw at them that would faze them, because they’ve been a dogsbody at other clubs.
Plus, Danny Rohl has got Sheffield Wednesday challenging for the top six with a bottom six squad on paper, with a 2-3-5 in-possession system.
In summary, Hellberg’s sides strategise in response to the opposition: one action for them = another action for us, but there are certain principles of play that remain constant.
For instance, his IFK Varnamo side – a modestly-supported Swedish club with a history in the lower leagues, whom he led to 5th in the Allsvenskan in 2023 – liked their ‘artificial transitions’.
They responded to the press by playing a slower initial pass to draw the press on further, two quicker ones to unhinge their opponents, followed by one ball that really opens the game up – whether it’s a through ball or a Crossfield diagonal.
That approach could fit nicely with the technical but dynamic midfield Swansea possess, with the likes of Ethan Galbraith and Melker Widell.
Hellberg is also not a believer in formations, as opposed to shapes, and he likes to change his shapes to combat opponents, but always with the intention of controlling central spaces.
We can deduce from this that the 35-year-old has an agile mind, and prides himself on strong in-game management; Hellberg’s flexibility, underpinned by a set of core principles, makes him a hugely attractive proposition.
Other potential options for the Swans
As for the other candidates? A return for Brendan Rodgers at 7/2 seems a tad optimistic, as the Northern Irishman could fancy himself for a Premier League job. Even if his stock has taken a slight hit from his second stint at Celtic – depending on whether you think his grievances over the way they’re run internally hold water.
Talking of former managers coming back, Russell Martin is available at 25/1, which oddly feels likelier than Rodgers. The best stint of his managerial career so far came at the Liberty, he seemed to be well-liked by the Jack Army, and he’s won promotion from this level with Southampton, albeit with a far bigger budget.
Michael Carrick at 10/1 could be a realistic option too. He fits with the stylistic ethos of the club, and with successful Championship experience, having led Middlesbrough — who are also searching for a new manager — into play-off and promotion contention in the last three seasons, despite an underwhelming conclusion to his reign there.
Liam Manning at 25/1 would be a tough sell, after an ill-fated stint at Norwich, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks a fun outside shout at 33/1, with the developmental promise he showed at Manchester United – he relegated Cardiff City in 2014, which would make him an instant hit.