News: Kevin Keegan's final act at Manchester City was to recommend Stuart Pearce for the job and, temporarily at least, he got his wish. Pearce was put in charge yesterday until the end of the season but there can be no guarantee that he will remain at the club beyond the summer - and the same could be said of Shaun Wright-Phillips.
While Pearce will have to convince City he is a more worthy contender than acclaimed managers such as Martin O'Neill, Iain Dowie and Gordon Strachan, it also transpired that the new man will almost certainly have to get by without Wright-Phillips. John Wardle, the City chairman, said his first priority was to get the club "back in a good financial position" and he squirmed in his seat when asked whether their most prized asset would be sold.
"We've got to look at everything," he said in a resigned tone that, in football-speak, all but confirmed Wright-Phillips would leave. The winger's most likely destination is Arsenal, emulating his stepfather Ian, but several Spanish clubs are also interested in a player with his penetrative forward skills.
His loss would be a debilitating setback but City are also entitled to consider that the vacancy will appeal to some of the most highly regarded managers in the game.
Despite being only 12th in the Premiership they have sold 21,000 season tickets for next season and can reasonably pose the question whether, beyond Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle, there is a more attractive job in the Premiership. Crucially, however, they are also £62 million in debt and, unless Wright-Phillips is sold, the new manager will have no transfer funds.
"We're not looking to move Shaun on but I will have to talk with Stuart if something like that (a big-money bid) happens," said Wardle. "Financially we are not in the best shape."
Strachan is the only obvious candidate, barring Pearce, who is immediately available but, despite their high regard for the former Southampton manager, it is a logical step for City to delay.
In so doing they are not only giving Pearce his opportunity to impress but showing an appreciation of the benefits of waiting until the summer. Three-quarters of the way through the season, it would be impossible to coax the likes of O'Neill or Dowie from their respective clubs, whereas the task would be made considerably easier when the domestic leagues have been concluded.
O'Neill would fit the prototype of the ideal candidate, a man who has been revered at each of his clubs, from Grantham Town to Celtic, with Wycombe Wanderers, Norwich and Leicester City in between. It is debatable, however, whether he would want to leave Scotland for a club with City's financial difficulties.
Yesterday the former Northern Ireland international distanced himself from any speculation linking him with the post He told journalists: "Why would you ask me about this job at this stage of the season when you know we have some important games coming up?
"I have answered the question. I am here and I would imagine that I will be here next week and the week after that."
Pearce was caretaker manager at Nottingham Forest for a six-month spell after Frank Clark's departure midway through the 1996/'97 season and, even though the side were relegated, most of the damage had been done before his arrival.
He was appointed as Keegan's right-hand man last summer and has been credited with tightening their defence and their more organised style of play.
Pearce conducted his first training session yesterday. His first match will be at Tottenham next Saturday.
Guardian Service
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