Derby County's preparations ahead of the new season will take another blow with assistant and former Bristol City academy product Liam Rosenior to accept the vacant Blackpool job.
Rosenior has won the race to take his first steps into management after the club held a series of interviews last week. Alan Nixon reports the deal has almost been tied up with Rosenior informing Derby boss Wayne Rooney of his intentions to step back into the Championship.
Rosenior, 37, has seen his reputation as a coach grow during his time at the Rams despite their relegation to League One last season. He was appointed specialist first team coach to Phillip Cocu in July 2019 before being promoted to Rooney's assistant in January 2021.
Blackpool were looking for a young up-and-coming manager and Rosenior fits the bill. Another former City player Micky Mellon, now manager of Tranmere, was also firmly in the running.
The Tangerines have been on the lookout to appoint a new man in the dugout after Neil Critchley's shock move to join Steven Gerrard as assistant at Aston Villa at the beginning of June.
Rosenior's footballing career began with the Robins having come through the academy and spent one season at Ashton Gate as a senior first-team player during the 2002/03 campaign in the second division making 27 appearances across the before joining Fulham.
Following playing stints with Reading, Hull and eventually Brighton, Rosenior hung up his boots in 2018 and moved into a coaching role with the Seagulls.
Cheltenham boss Michael Duff was one of the club's key targets and he held an interview with the club hierarchy last week, initially catapulting himself as favourite in the betting to take role.
However the 44-year-old, who achieved promotion with Cheltenham in the 2020/21 season before guiding them to 15th last season, the club's highest-ever finish, will take over at league rivals Barnsley, as reported by Gloucestershire Live.
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