Following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Colchester – a result that meant the O’s are without a league win in six games – the club announced that interim manager Ross Embleton, would be stepping down from the hotseat and returning to his previous role as assistant manager.
Embleton did a fine job in exceptionally difficult circumstances, but the timing now feels right to get a more experienced man in and in this piece we’ll look to run the rule over five possible contenders for the role.
Sol Campbell
Previous Club: Macclesfield Town
Age: 45
After previously complaining about the lack of managerial opportunities for BAME coaches, Campbell started his coaching career right at the bottom of the Football League, taking over at Macclesfield last November.
By all accounts, the former Arsenal defender did an exceptional job in guiding the Silkmen to safety, earning 33 points from 28 games with a very much unfancied squad.
This season, Campbell looked to build on his remarkable great escape last time out, and the early signs were positive after a promising performance in a 1-0 loss away at Exeter and a 3-0 win against Orient at Moss Rose.
However, following financial difficulties that had become a theme of his tenure, and reportedly led to him not being paid for four months, Campbell left the club via a mutual agreement on August 15th.
Campbell proves somewhat of a divisive figure amongst football fans, stretching back to his controversial departure from Spurs, but he’s shown in his short managerial career so far that he has more than enough nous and experience to make an impact at this level.
Derek Adams
Previous Clubs: Ross County and Plymouth Argyle
Age: 44
At the age of 32, Derek Adams cut his managerial teeth as player/coach at Ross County. He made an immediate impact at Victoria Park winning the Scottish Second Division title in his first season in charge.
Two seasons later, he then led the side to the Scottish Cup Final, knocking out Hibernian and Celtic on the way, before eventually succumbing to a 3-0 defeat to Dundee United at Hampden Park.
The following season, Adams left the club to join Hibs as assistant manager to Colin Calderwood but made a swift return to County just six months later and carried on where he had previously left off; winning the Scottish First Division title in his first season back and claiming the PFA Scottish Manager of the Year Award in the process.
After two successful seasons keeping Ross County in the SPL, Adams left the club and joined Plymouth Argyle in 2015. In his first season at Home Park he guided Argyle to the League Two Playoff Final, losing out to AFC Wimbledon at Wembley.
He then went one better in the 2017, when he guided the side to second place and automatic promotion. He followed that up by narrowly missing out on the League One playoff places in 2018 but was relieved of his duties in Devon in April as his side were hurtling towards relegation back to League Two.
Adams, who has often cited his mentorship from Sir Alex Ferguson in interviews, is known for his driven and demanding attitude, whilst his win percentage of 42% throughout his career shows that his approach to management can quite clearly provide success.
Kevin Nolan
Previous Clubs: Leyton Orient and Notts County
Age: 37
Orient fans will remember that Nolan was one of the eight managers previous owner Francesco Becchetti appointed during his disastrous tenure in charge of the club.
The former West Ham midfielder won 7 of the 15 games he took charge of at Brisbane Road, before being shown the door by Becchetti following a 3-0 defeat away at Barnet.
He continued his coaching career in January 2017, taking over at Notts County, where he eased the club’s relegation fears, before guiding the Magpies to a 5th place finish and a spot in the playoffs.
County lost out in those playoffs to Coventry and after spending heavily during the summer, Nolan was relieved of his duties in August 2018 after failing to pick up a win in any of the first six games of the campaign.
Since then, he’s been overlooked for a role at former club Bolton, as he looks to make a return to management. He definitely showed potential in his first spell at Brisbane Road and you feel he’d certainly welcome any approach for his services that could see him return to E10.
Steve Cotterill
Previous Clubs: Sligo Rovers, Cheltenham Town, Stoke City, Burnley, Notts County, Portsmouth, Nottingham Forest, Bristol City, Birmingham City
Age: 55
Cotterill started his career at Sligo Rovers before moving onto a host of clubs throughout the early to late 00s, with differing levels of success.
He last managed at League Two level in 2010 with Notts County, where – after taking over mid-way through the season – he guided the Magpies to the league title, winning 14 of his 18 games in charge.
His success at Meadow Lane was enough to procure the interest of Portsmouth, where he did admirably to steer the club through turbulent times off the field, and he eventually left the club to join Nottingham Forest.
Cotterill’s most recent successful spell as a manager came mid-way through this decade with Bristol City. In his first full season in charge at Ashton Gate, he managed to win both the League One title and the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, playing some very attractive football along the way.
The 55-year-old is probably the most ambitious name on this list and could certainly perceive Orient to be a step below his level. However, he has now been out of work since leaving Birmingham City in March 2018, so perhaps Martin Ling and the board could entice him to East London with assurances of their ambition for the future of the club.
Chris Powell
Previous Clubs: Charlton Athletic, Huddersfield Town, Southend United
Age: 50
A former Chairman of the PFA, Powell has obtained a reputation as one of the nicest men in football over his three decades in the game so far, but to just class him as a friendly bloke would be to do a disservice to his achievements as both a manager and a player.
Powell took his first coaching role at the club where he had two spells as a player, Charlton Athletic. In his first full season at the helm, the Addicks gained promotion to the Championship by winning the League One title and then followed that up by earning a more than respectable 9th place finish in their first season back in the second tier.
The former England defender, then left the club in March 2014, following reports of a rift between him and owner Roland Duchatelet.
Somewhat turbulent spells at Huddersfield and Southend have followed, but you get the sense that given the required time and a real project to sink his teeth into, Powell could still be an exceptional manager at this level.
A stumbling block, however, could be that he has recently just joined Gareth Southgate’s backroom staff with a deal that expires after this summer’s European Championship. Whether Powell would be keen to give that opportunity up to join Orient remains to be seen.
