Bradford City manager twist as ex-Portsmouth and Huddersfield Town man emerges as favourite for vacancy

Former Portsmouth manager Danny Cowley has emerged as the favourite to become the next Bradford City manager, according to the bookmakers.

The odds have been slashed on the ex-Pompey boss in the last 24 hours with Cowley now 1/1 to be appointed. Interim boss Kevin McDonald was the 1/3 favourite earlier in the week as the Bantams take their time over a permanent appointment. McDonald has guided Bradford to two wins and one draw from his three league games in temporary charge, after they claimed an 85th-minute equaliser against Wrexham on Saturday afternoon.

Cowley was among the early favourites for the Bradford position after they sacked Mark Hughes earlier this month but he subsequently dropped down the odds list. However, he has now shot back to favourite. The ex-Huddersfield Town and Lincoln City boss was sacked by Pompey in January after nearly two years in charge.

Speaking earlier this month, Cowley admitted working at Bradford would be a ‘wonderful opportunity.’ Speaking when Sheffield Wednesday were also searching for a new manager, Cowley said: “For Nicky and I, we left Portsmouth eight or nine months ago. “We love football and we miss football every day. It’s the first thing we think about when I wake up and the last thing I think about before I go to bed.

“Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford City are both huge clubs, fantastic football clubs which mean so much to so many people. For Nicky and I, what a wonderful opportunity to be able to work at clubs which mean so much to so many people. The responsibility that you have and influence you can have on something which means so much to so many people. This is incredible and why ultimately we love football.

“So, yes, we’re missing football and looking forward to getting back in. For Nicky and I what’s really important is to try to find a club which is self aware to know where it is today, and has clarity on where it wants to go in the future. Once you know the starting point and the destination, you can then work out if you have the skillset to maybe put stepping stones in place. This is ultimately what we’re looking for and, yes, we’re looking forward to seeing what the coming days and weeks bring.”