Next Rotherham manager odds: Steve Evans favourite for return

Steve Evans has seen his odds slashed by online betting sites to become the next Rotherham United manager eight years after leaving the club. 

The Millers sacked Matt Taylor two weeks ago after suffering a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Watford in their Championship clash, leaving them four points adrift of safety in the relegation zone. 

Taylor had steered the club to safety in his first season in charge following the departure of Paul Warne earlier in the campaign. However, Rotherham won only two of their opening 16 matches this term, prompting the club’s hierarchy to sack the 41-year-old.

Evans has seen his odds reduced drastically from 16/1 when the market opened into 3/1, while the initial frontrunner Chris Wilder has drifted to 14/1, suggesting that he will not be entering the New York Stadium dugout. 

However, there are other candidates in the running, including former Millwall manager Gary Rowett and ex-Wigan boss Leam Richardson.

Next Rotherham Manager odds:

Steve Evans – 3/1 

Gary Rowett – 4/1 

Leam Richardson – 4/1 

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – 10/1

Neil Lennon – 10/1

Ryan Cresswell – 12/1 

Chris Wilder – 14/1 

Karl Robinson – 16/1 

Nathan Jones – 20/1 

Neil Warnock – 25/1

John Eustace – 25/1 

Evans to make Rotherham return? 

Evans spent three years with the Millers between 2012 and 2015 and enjoyed great success during his tenure. 

Rotherham were in League Two when Evans arrived at the club, but he delivered back-to-back promotions to guide them into the Championship.  

Evans battled to keep the Millers in the second tier in the 2014/15 season and a four-match unbeaten run at the climax of the campaign was enough to secure their Championship status, despite being deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player. 

However, Evans’ exploits caught the attention of Leeds United, resulting in his departure. 

After failing to recapture his old magic at Leeds, Mansfield, Peterborough and Gillingham, Evans has excelled at his latest club Stevenage, leading them away from relegation before lifting them into League One in just 12 months. 

Stevenage are now placed in the play-off spots in the third tier, but the Millers could come calling.  

Evans is priced at 3/1 with football betting sites to make a return to the New York Stadium. 

And although he has Stevenage trending in the right direction, the lure of the Championship and a romantic return to the club could be too good to turn down. 

Rowett and Richardson have strong credentials 

Rowett is a shade behind Evans in the betting odds at 4/1 with BetVictor. His four-year tenure at Millwall ended earlier this season after the east London outfit made a slow start to the term. 

The Lions recorded four straight top half finishes with Rowett in the dugout, although they collapsed towards the end of the last campaign to miss out on a play-off berth.  

However, Rowett would be a safe pair of hands for the Millers to remove them from their predicament at the bottom end of the table. The 49-year-old has experience and a functional way of playing that may suit Rotherham’s need to scrap for points.

Richardson has been out of work since being sacked by Wigan in November 2022. 

The 44-year-old had performed miracles to keep the club in League One in his first season in charge before leading the Latics up the table on a promotion charge to return them to the Championship. 

However, Richardson was sacked 20 games into the season with the club three points adrift of safety in the second tier. 

A move for Richardson could be considered more of a risk given his lack of experience, especially in the heat of a relegation battle. Wigan’s decision may also influence the Millers’ call.

Bold calls 

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is an outside call at 10/1, although his odds are notably shorter than many of the established guard such as Chris Wilder and Neil Warnock. 

The former Netherlands international had a standout first spell at Burton Albion, winning League One to take the club into the Championship in the 2014/15 campaign.  

But, since then Hasselbaink has endured more lows than highs in his managerial career. He has been sacked by Queens Park Rangers and Northampton Town and resigned from his second spell at Burton with the club languishing in the League One relegation zone last year. 

In March 2023, he replaced Chris Powell on England’s coaching staff. Whether he could be lured away from the Three Lions might be an obstacle for the Millers.

Neil Lennon is also a 10/1 shout after emerging as a contender in the betting odds. He has limited experience in England, but has won several Scottish Premiership titles with Celtic and steered Hibernian into the Europa League. 

However, Lennon is the favourite for the Republic of Ireland job should Stephen Kenny leave his post.

An even bolder call for Rotherham would be to move for Sheffield FC manager Ryan Cresswell. A Rotherham native, the 35-year-old made 43 appearances for the club between 2010 and 2012. 

Cresswell has been manager of Sheffield FC since 2021, although they are currently bottom of the Northern Premier League - East Division after six games this term. Cresswell is 12/1 with Parimatch to make the move up six tiers to manage the Millers. 

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