Northern Ireland U21 manager Ian Baraclough
His name has emerged as one of the front runners to replace Kenny Shiels was sacked by the Derry City board on Saturday.
The directors wielded the axe on Shiels after Friday night’s embarrassing 5-0 defeat to St Pat’s Athletic leaving the Candystripes languishing in 8th position in the league.
The 47-year-old is currently the manager of Northern Ireland’s U21 team.
Baraclough is no stranger to the League of Ireland having won silverware while managing Sligo Rovers.
In his first season in charge in 2012, he helped Sligo Rover win their first league title in 35 years.
And the winning ways continued in 2013 when Sligo won the FAI Cup followed by the the Setanta Cup in 2014.
But Baraclough and Sligo parted company in June that year and he went on to scout for Huddersfield and later became manager at Motherwell in Scotland.
However, that appointment only lasted a year before Baraclough moved to become Oldham Athletic as assistant manager.
The Irish FA came calling in 2017 and the former Leicester City defender/midfielder took over the reins of the Northern Ireland U21 squad.
But if the Derry City board want him, they will have to move quickly as weekend reports suggest he is “very, very close” to signing a new contract with the Irish FA.
If Baraclough isn’t snapped up in time, then the Derry City board have other options to look at.
Ex-Cliftonville manager Gerard Lyttle could be a possibility as he parted company with Sligo Rovers earlier this month.
The board would not also not have look too far if they fancied Paddy McLaughlin who is currently managing Institute FC.
‘Stute’ are currently playing in the Irish League (sitting in 8th position) and are playing their home games this season at the Brandywell.
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