Ex-Man City coach interested in Preston North End manager's job as front runner status emerges

Former Manchester City coach Brian Barry-Murphy is interested in becoming Preston North End’s next manager, the Lancashire Post understands.

Over the weekend, the Irishman emerged as the bookies’ favourite for the role - with his odds slashed to evens, having been 12/1 earlier in the week. It’s believed he has applied for the PNE job. Barry-Murphy is out of work, having stepped away from his job managing City’s Elite Development Squad.

The 46-year-old spent three years in the position, but felt he had gone as far as he could with City’s young guns - and wanted to explore a new challenge this summer. Barry-Murphy inherited Enzo Maresca’s double winners and went on to lift successive Premier League 2 titles.

Barry-Murphy has been linked with a handful of jobs up and down the English Football League, in recent years. The former midfielder - born in Cork - played for PNE between 1999 and 2003, before going on to represent Sheffield Wednesday, Bury and Rochdale.

He then managed Dale, taking on the reins as caretaker in March 2019 and landing the full-time gig in April. Rochdale finished 18th in League One during the 2019/20 season and were relegated the campaign after, with Barry-Murphy resigning from his position that summer.

Barry-Murphy was claimed to be one of six names on PNE’s shortlist, on Tuesday. But, the Lancashire Post later reported that the process had not reached that stage. Director Peter Ridsdale then issued an update on Wednesday, stating that a list of 65+ names was being narrowed down.

Following defeat to Swansea City on Saturday evening, the immediate departure of interim boss Mike Marsh was confirmed - after he did not show for the post-match press conference. PNE were beaten 3-0 - the second game taken by Marsh, after North End’s midweek win over Sunderland.

The statement finished: ‘We will now concentrate all our time and energy on appointing a new manager/head coach, and hope to be in a position to make an announcement in the coming days.’