Former Portsmouth and Arsenal star Paul Merson has criticised Bristol City for sacking Nigel Pearson last week and admitted that the job is between two candidates right now.
Following a 2-0 defeat away at Cardiff City last weekend, Pearson was relieved from his position after two-and-a-half years in charge at Ashton Gate, with club chief executive Jon Lansdown confirming the decision was results-based in a recent interview with the BBC.
A number of candidates have been linked with the vacant head coach position, including Frank Lampard and even former Birmingham City manager John Eustace, while Oxford United boss Liam Manning has also been in the mix.
Curtis Fleming has been placed in interim charge of the Robins until the club finds a successor for Pearson. However, one man was displeased with City’s decision to part ways with the experienced coach.
Speaking on Sky Sports this afternoon, pundit Paul Merson has compared the situation to Eustace at Birmingham City [quotes via Bristol World]:
“I’m looking at other names, and I’m looking at John Eustace who did a brilliant job at Birmingham City, Manning is doing a brilliant job at Oxford at the moment, and Curtis Fleming is already there. John Terry is on the list as well.
“It does look like it will be between Frank Lampard and John Eustace.
“Nigel was doing a great job and this is what happens. All of a sudden the owner goes: ‘Look at Birmingham. Everybody’s mentioning Birmingham now, Wayne Rooney’s the manager, nobody mentions Bristol City. Now I’m going to get Frank Lampard and there’ll be headlines’.
‘This is what happens. The owners get these players in, these big names. We talk about Birmingham now. Birmingham have lost their third or second game on the trot, but I’m (now) looking at Birmingham’s results. I’ve never looked at Birmingham’s result, now I’m looking because Wayne Rooney’s the manager.
‘Talk doesn’t get you promotion, but what they want is the marquee signing”.
Writer’s View
There is a massive difference between the two situations. Eustace had the Blues inside the playoffs while Bristol City were sitting in the bottom half of the table when Pearson was sacked.
The Robins have teetered around mid-table for several seasons in a row but the hierarchy clearly want to push on and eventually fight for promotion which is why Pearson lost his job.
Deputy Head of Writing
