Next Manager Options: Four Managerial Candidates to be Next Queen’s Park Boss
The League One club sacked head coach, Laurie Ellis on Hogmanay with the Spiders having slipped to fourth position in the table and with only one win in nine matches.
Ellis’s sacking came on the back of a disappointing run of results, with the club unable to maintain their impressive form at the start of the season. The club are now 19 points behind league leaders Cove Rangers- albeit with three games in hand, and only two points in front of fifth-place Falkirk.
The Glasgow club were promoted from League Two last year, and currently ground-share with Partick Thistle at Firhill while their new stadium, Lesser Hampden is being developed.
The Spiders earlier this week appointed former Hibernian assistant, John Potter to help assist Gardner Speirs and Peter Grant Jnr. as the board continue to assess managerial candidates.
City Live have selected their options for the vacant hot seat at the League One club….
Jack Ross
The 45-year-old is only just recently out of work having been sacked from Hibernian last month, a mere 10 days before their League Cup final against Celtic.
As well as having previously managed Alloa Athletic, St. Mirren and Sunderland, Ross previously worked under Leeann Dempster at Hibs, who is now Chief Executive of Queen’s Park.
Many may question why Ross would make the step down to a club in the lower leagues, but having the opportunity to work under Dempster for a second time, as well as the ambitions the club have to move higher up the leagues and a quickfire return to management, may it prove too much for him to turn down?
Jack Ross pictured during his time at Hibernian. Source - Getty Images
Stuart Kettlewell
The 37-year-old is also out of work, having been sacked by Ross County in December 2020, after he and co-manager, Steven Ferguson led the Staggies to immediate promotion back to the Premiership in 2019.
Kettlewell also played as a midfielder for the Spiders between 2000-2008 and was also their club captain from 2006-2008.
Kettlewell was reported to have been on the look out for a return to management having shown interest in the Kilmarnock vacancy, so would have a strong interest in making a return to the club where he began his playing career.
With Kettlewell’s history, the board may feel that by appointing a former captain who understands the expectations of the club, it would help rejuvenate their promotion bid.
Stuart Kettlewell during his time as Ross County boss. Source - Getty Images
Jim McIntyre
Another former Ross County manager, McIntyre has been out of work since he was sacked at Dundee in May 2019.
McIntyre has had a successive career in management, having won the First Division title with Dunfermline in 2011 and the 2016 Scottish League Cup with Ross County.
He has been linked to a variety of clubs since leaving Dundee nearly three years ago, such as Alloa Athletic Ayr United and more recently, Falkirk.
The 49-year-old has had success throughout his time in management, and may find an aspirational club like Queen’s Park somewhere he can re-build his reputation and bring success.
Jim McIntyre during his time at Dundee, Source - Getty Images
Neil McCann
The 47-year-old former Rangers winger is currently a pundit at the BBC, Sky and RangersTV.
McCann has previous experience in management having managed Premiership club Dundee from April 2017 to October 2018 as well as Inverness Caledonain Thistle on a caretaker basis last year, while John Robertson was on compassionate leave.
Despite being a left-field option, McCann is continuously linked to Scottish clubs, and with his football experience, knowledge and the resources available at the club, may well find Queen’s Park an attractive proposition to build his career.
Neil McCann during his time in charge of Dundee