Next Middlesbrough Manager Odds: Steven Gerrard shoots to the top of the list
Will Jackson 
Steven Gerrard has edged ahead of Steve Cooper to stand top of the next Middlesbrough manager odds in the race to replace Michael Carrick.
Online betting sites did have Cooper - who achieved promotion with Nottingham Forest in 2022 - as favourite after Carrick was dismissed on June 4, but former Rangers boss Gerrard and Rob Edwards have since edged ahead.
Free Bets have had a look at the rest of the candidates for the Middlesbrough job.
Next Middlesbrough Manager Odds
| Manager | Odds |
| Steven Gerrard | 6/4 |
| Rob Edwards | 5/2 |
| Steve Cooper | 3/1 |
| Sean Dyche | 6/1 |
| Danny Rohl | 12/1 |
Steven Gerrard
Only a couple of weeks ago it appeared certain that Steven Gerrard would be reappointed the next Rangers manager, but he missed out on that and has now shot to the top of the Boro manager list.
It's been a strange managerial career so far for Gerrard, who disrupted Celtic's dominance in the Scottish Premiership with a title for Rangers and generally did a very good job north of the border, but has struggled everywhere else he has been.
There was a brief time when it looked like it was going well at Aston Villa but that subsided pretty quickly and their success since has reflected poorly on him, and the spell in Saudi Arabia has done no favours for his reputation, especially considering it didn't exactly go to plan.
In truth, Middlesbrough would be a result for Gerrard and there would probably be a few managers who could feel hard done by if they were to be pipped by the former England international, but it would be a bit of a risk for a club chasing promotion this season.
It could be one last chance to prove himself as a manager before he really has to work his way up from the bottom, but you wouldn't blame Boro fans from being excited by this one if it comes through - his spell at Rangers has shown that he can inspire and motivate players.
Steve Cooper
Steve Cooper would be a very sensible appointment for Boro, and it is no surprise to see him move to the top of the betting markets.
It feels as though Cooper has been waiting for the right opportunity to return to management after a short-lived spell at Leicester last season, and it would be no surprise to see him return to the Championship with a promotion-chasing club.
Carrick failed after delivering an entertaining and attractive style of play but failing to get results, so the more pragmatic approach of Cooper may appease frustrated Boro fans and be a more realistic way to chase promotion in the short term.
After the Leicester job, it looks as though Cooper will have to settle for a high-end Championship role and with the backing that Boro can provide, it should be an attractive proposition for anyone and a good project for Cooper to undertake - not too dissimilar to the job he did at Nottingham Forest when he got them promoted.
Rob Edwards
Even though he played a major part in the successive relegations for Luton, Rob Edwards' stock is still high and he finds himself linked to a number of Championship roles this summer.
Of course, there is very little blame attached to Edwards for the Premier League relegation but the manner in which they plummeted in the Championship last season leaves a bit of a question mark over his name.
He does however still have credit in the bank for taking Luton up in the first place and the job he did before at Forest Green, so he would still be considered a good, young coach at this level and a job at a stable club like Boro should be very appealing to Edwards.
Whether or not he is the man they need after Carrick when they need results and a promotion push right away, remains to be seen. He would likely be more of the same, whereas someone like a Sean Dyche or a Steve Cooper would bring a bit more pragmatism.
Danny Rohl
Danny Rohl is one of the most exciting young coaches in English football, having turned Sheffield Wednesday’s fortunes around with an energetic, tactically fluid style.
His experience as an assistant to Hansi Flick and Ralph Hasenhüttl gave him a strong grounding in high-pressing, fast-tempo football and he has quickly earned a good reputation in League One and now the Championship with Wednesday, where they have punched above their weight despite chaotic ongoings off the pitch.
Rohl’s teams are aggressive out of possession but disciplined in structure—fitting traits for a Middlesbrough side seeking to return to the top six. His ability to work with young players and implement complex ideas quickly makes him a strong long-term option.
He has been very strongly linked with a number of good Championship roles so far this summer and it remains a surprise that he hasn't already moved on, and a parting of the ways seems only inevitable at this stage so a relatively short move further north makes perfect sense, with both club and manager retaining Premier League ambitions.
Sean Dyche
Sean Dyche would be a safe, experienced pair of hands for Middlesbrough if they want a promotion-hardened leader.
With years of Premier League and Championship experience - most notably his success at Burnley - Dyche is known for building resilient, physically dominant teams that are hard to beat.
His no-nonsense style may not mirror Michael Carrick’s more fluid, technical approach, but it could be exactly what Boro need if they feel they’ve underachieved over the past couple of years.
Dyche brings structure, standards, and clarity—qualities that could transform Boro into a relentless, top-six outfit. However, fans and players accustomed to a more possession-based game might take time to adjust to Dyche’s directness.
Whether Dyche would be open to a return to the Championship also depends on his Premier League market. Still, if Boro want a manager with a proven promotion formula, Dyche is a ready-made solution - albeit one that would likely bring a stylistic reset.
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