On the heels of the surprise sacking of Des Buckingham by Oxford United, there is an urgency to find his replacement before a daunting trip to Elland Road to face Leeds United.
Among some of the favourites are the likes of John Terry, Mark Robins, and Steven Schumacher. However, the Oxford United board seems to have their eyes set on a candidate who has a wealth of Championship experience.
Former Birmingham City Manager Targeted
According to John Percy, Oxford United is in advanced talks with Gary Rowett to become the next manager at the Kassam Stadium. Rowett, who was a defender for the likes of Everton, Derby County, Leicester City, and Birmingham City in his playing career, has also had an extensive managerial career.
Rowett started his first managerial job at Burton Albion in 2012 and was there until 2014 when Birmingham City swooped in to have their former player manage the club. After a short time at Birmingham City, Rowett then took his abilities to Derby County and subsequently Stoke City. When he failed to get Stoke City into a position to challenge for promotion, Rowett was promptly sacked in January 2019.
Millwall acquired Rowett’s services in October of 2019. Rowett was the Millwall manager for four years before leaving by mutual consent in 2023. When Birmingham City were mired in relegation trouble during the 2023/2024 season, they asked Rowett to interim as Tony Mowbrey had to step away from the club due to medical reasons. Rowett left after failing to keep Birmingham City in the Championship despite a win on the final day.
What Can Oxford United Expect?
Gary Rowett is a very pragmatic and incredibly respected tactical genius. One cannot take the defensive instincts out of the former defender and Rowett set his team up accordingly. He is very well known for his ability to turn teams around and instil a sense of defensive discipline in those teams. While his win record is not the flashiest, it proves Rowett is a steady pair of hands.
While most managers are known for a signature formation they prefer to use, Gary Rowett stands out because of how flexible he is willing to be. Rowett enjoys a counter-attacking style but tends to build his formations based on the players available to him. This kind of flexibility helps him figure out the best possible approach for him to be able to consistently gain points and has served him well throughout the years. His formations and approach are incredibly simple but effective which makes it easy for players to learn and adapt to his philosophy.
Another interesting facet of the Gary Rowett style is how Rowett can use psychology to gain an edge. He tries to instil a philosophy of hard work, a reliance on pace and directness, and a desire to connect to the fanbase so that they too can believe in the work being done. It is quite a nuanced approach, but it can hardly be called simplistic or boring as some would like to label Rowett.
Despite how sudden and abrupt the change in manager has been for Oxford United, the board has the desire to find a steady pair of hands who can keep the club in the Championship and maybe instil a bit more of a defensive mentality. If that is the case, Gary Rowett is the man with those particular set of skills.