Next Oxford United Manager Odds: Aaron Ramsey Favourite To Replace Matt Bloomfield
Next Oxford United manager odds are now available after the club made the surprise decision to part company with Matt Bloomfield ahead of the new League One season.
The timing has caught many supporters off guard, with the summer transfer window already open and the squad due back for pre-season training in the coming weeks.
Bloomfield had only taken charge in January, replacing Gary Rowett, but was unable to keep Oxford in the Championship.
The early market is headed by a genuinely eye-catching name, with a mix of an exciting rookie option, a familiar face and a couple of experienced operators in behind.
Here at Freebets.com, we take a closer look at the leading candidates and the latest next Oxford United manager odds.
Next Oxford United Manager Odds
The betting sites have moved quickly since Bloomfield's exit, and one candidate has already pulled clear at the head of the market.
| Candidate | Next Oxford United Manager Odds |
| Aaron Ramsey | 4/7 |
| Karl Robinson | 7/4 |
| Alan Sheehan | 8/1 |
| Craig Short | 10/1 |
| Andy Woodman | 10/1 |
Odds correct as of Monday, 22 June, 3:00pm - courtesy of BetVictor
Aaron Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey heads the betting and would be one of the most eye-catching managerial appointments in the EFL this summer.
The former Wales captain, 35, called time on his playing career in April after a short stint with Mexican side UNAM, drawing a line under a career that took in Arsenal, Juventus, Rangers, Nice and Cardiff City. Now he looks set to step straight into management.
The Oxford Mail report that the club have been impressed by Ramsey and have already held talks, with senior figures encouraged by his ideas and his potential in the dugout.
Wales boss Craig Bellamy has also backed him to go right to the top of the profession.
The only concern is the lack of experience. Ramsey has never managed before, and handing a complete rookie a club expected to push for promotion would be a sizeable gamble, however exciting it looks on paper.
Karl Robinson
Karl Robinson is the candidate who knows Oxford best, having spent close to five years in charge at the Kassam Stadium before leaving in February 2023.
The 45-year-old did plenty of good work in that spell, keeping the U's in and around the League One play-off picture, and his understanding of the club and its supporters is an obvious plus.
He is also available, having been let go by Salford City in early June following a League Two play-off final defeat to Notts County. Before his time at Oxford, he managed MK Dons and Charlton Athletic.
The question is whether a reunion feels like progress or a backwards step. His departures from both Oxford and Salford came during difficult runs, and supporters are likely to be split on the idea of bringing him back.
Alan Sheehan
Alan Sheehan is the type of young, up-and-coming coach Oxford could turn to if they decide to back potential over a proven CV.
The former defender, who turned out for Luton Town, Leeds United and Notts County among others, has earned a strong coaching reputation since retiring, including a spell at Swansea City, where he took caretaker charge before leaving late last year.
His name has been cropping up in next manager markets more and more, a sign of the growing feeling in the game that he is ready to lead a club of his own.
The stumbling block is that he has yet to hold a permanent managerial post, and Oxford may decide the job calls for someone with more senior experience.
Craig Short
Craig Short is the inside man, already part of Oxford United's coaching staff.
The former Notts County, Derby County, Everton, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United defender has stepped in as caretaker on more than one occasion, and few people know the modern-day club better than he does.
He has also shown he will trust youth, handing a debut to 15-year-old Leo Snowden during one of his interim spells, which has gone down well with sections of the fanbase.
The catch is appetite. Short has made it clear in the past that he has little interest in the job permanently, which explains why he sits among the market outsiders.
Andy Woodman
Andy Woodman completes the leading names as a candidate with genuine promotion-winning experience at this level.
The former goalkeeper spent years as a well-regarded goalkeeping coach, including a stint working under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, before moving into management with Bromley and taking them into the Football League.
That track record of building a competitive side on a tight budget is exactly the sort of profile Oxford might fancy as they look to go straight back up.
The complication is that Woodman is still in charge at Bromley, so any move would mean prising him away from his own project rather than landing a free agent.
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