‘Wonderful opportunity’: Former Portsmouth, Huddersfield Town and Lincoln City boss on return at Bradford City and Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford City are both on the lookout for the new bosses, after they parted with Xisco Munoz and Mark Hughes respectively last night.

Cowley, who was sacked by Pompey in January after nearly two years in charge, has been made bookies’ favourite for the Valley Parade post.

Meanwhile, Wednesday have had a nightmare start following their League One play-off success, with former Blues defender Darren Moore leaving in the summer but Munoz struggling with his bottom of the table.

Cowley told Sky Sports News he’s hungry for a return to the game and waiting for the right opportunity to arise. And the chance to guide the likes the Owls and Bantams forward is one which appeals to the 44-year-old and brother Nicky.

He 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.’