Kingmaker Eriksson begins search for next Notts manager

ROBERTO MANCINI

ROBERTO Mancini's agent, Maurizio De Giorgis, has strongly denied reports the former Inter Milan manager could take over at Meadow Lane.

De Giorgis said people have put two and two together because Mancini is a close friend of Sven-Goran Eriksson, having played for the Swede at Sampdoria and Lazio, and come up with five.

Mancini also went into coaching under the guidance of Eriksson, the Magpies' director of football.

De Giorgis denies there has ever been any contact between Mancini and Notts chiefs.

He told the Evening Post: "There is no truth in it whatsoever, with all the respect to Notts County and their project.

"Maybe people have put together Roberto and Notts County because he is good friends with Sven.

"But you have to remember Roberto has managed Inter Milan.

"There has never been any contact. He might have spoken to Sven since he joined Notts County, but that is not unusual because they are good friends."

Mancini became Inter's most successful manager in 30 years after guiding the club to three Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia and two Italian Supercups.

And he has openly declared in the past his wish to coach in England.

But he surely means the Premier League, not League Two, not Notts County, despite the audacity of the vision of the club's new owners, Munto Finance.

But then Eriksson was an impossible appointment before he breezed into Meadow Lane at the end of July, wasn't he?

Maybe Mancini is a possibility, despite the denials.

STEVE COPPELL AND GORDON STRACHAN

THE pair are both looked after by the same agent as Eriksson, Athole Still, whether that makes them likelier candidates for the job or not.

Still, rather unhelpfully, said "no comment" when he was asked about the pair and the vacant hot-seat at Meadow Lane.

But one thing is absolutely certain, either would be a good appointment. Make no mistake.

Let's take Coppell first.

His greatest achievement is guiding Crystal Palace into the old First Division in 1989, in his first managerial position.

He also got the Eagles soaring as they finished in third place in the top-flight in the 1990/91 season, their highest-ever finish and reached the FA Cup final.

He achieved the impressive feat twice with the Selhurst Park club, taking them in the Premier League in 1997, in his third spell with the London club.

But he left Manchester City after only six games and 33 days in 1996, citing pressure as his reason for leaving the club. How would the pressure at Notts compare to that?

Coppell also took Reading into the Premier League in style for the first time in the club's history in 2006.

Having left the Royals in May, he is said to be ready to return to management.

As for Strachan, he spent his managerial career in England largely battling against relegation in the top-flight at both Coventry City and Southampton. He was unable to keep the Blues in the Premier League in 2001 and was subsequently sacked.

Impressively, he led the Saints to 11th and eighth in the Premier League in successive seasons, 2001/02 and 2002/03.

After a break from management, Strachan landed the biggest job of his career, at SPL giants Celtic.

And he enjoyed unbelievable success, winning the Scottish League title three times in four seasons and guiding them into the last 16 of the Champions League. After failing to win the title last season, he stepped down as manager in May.

PETER TAYLOR

THE former England boss would be a sensible successor to Ian McParland.

Crucially, he has a proven track record of success in the Football League, guiding Hull City all the way from the basement division of English Football into the Championship, in a four-year spell between 2002 and 2006.

That would certainly be a tick in his box if the Magpies were considering his credentials, given the stated aim of Munto to rapidly rise through the leagues.

He has also guided Gillingham and Brighton to promotions earlier in his managerial career, and masterminded Wycombe Wanderers' promotion out of League Two in May.

But are Notts going to employ a manager that was sacked by a League One club only last week?

Taylor definitely sounds up for it.

He is a close friend of Eriksson, having met him when the Swede took over as England boss in 2001.

Taylor was caretaker boss of the Three Lions before Eriksson took over – and has also had two spells in charge of England Under-21s.

Asked by the Evening Post if the vacant hot-seat at Meadow Lane was an attractive proposition, despite the searing pressure.

He said: "There has been no contact (with Notts), I'm still finishing with Wycombe.

"Like any manager that is out of work I want to get back into the game.

"I'm sure it would be (attractive), but it's just speculation. Who hasn't been linked with Notts?

"I'm good friends with Sven, I first met him when he first came over to England.

"If something happens I will deal with it then, but I'm just getting over losing my job at Wycombe."

STEVE McCLAREN

STEVE McClaren was considered one of the best coaches in England earlier in his career, having helped Manchester United win the treble in 1999 as No.2 to Sir Alex Ferguson.

He added to his reputation with Middlesbrough, by winning the League Cup in 2004, the club's first major honour, and coming runners-up in the Uefa Cup in 2006.

But his reputation was tarnished by his ultimately unsuccessful short reign as England boss, as successor to Eriksson, having been a coach in the Swede's set-up.

After the Three Lions failed to qualify for Euro 2008, he was sacked by the FA.

He is currently at Dutch side FC Twente but has impressively led them to the top of the Eredivisie after nine games, ahead of PSV Eindhoven and Ajax.

DENNIS WISE

THE former England international has managed at League Two level already in his career, at Swindon Town, albeit briefly.

Wise was only in charge of the Robins for five months, before being lured to Leeds United.

Before that, he had a couple of seasons in charge at Millwall, leading them to an FA Cup Final appearance against Manchester United.

He was in charge at Elland Road during a tumultuous time in the club's history as they struggled financially, went into administration and were relegated into League One in May 2007.

Leeds were docked a staggering 15 points by the Football League ahead of the following campaign but Wise still took them to the top of the third tier table before making the surprise move to Newcastle United as executive director (football) in January 2008, a move that didn't work out.

He made an unlikely return to football at Chalfont St Peter only this week to help promote the non-league club's community initiatives.