Bristol Metropolis have appointed Oxford United boss Liam Manning as head coach.
The 38-year-old succeeds Nigel Pearson, who was sacked final month with the membership fifteenth within the Championship after a run of 5 losses in his final seven video games.
Manning leaves Oxford second in League One and three factors behind leaders Portsmouth after 15 matches, having spent simply eight months answerable for the membership.
He has beforehand managed Milton Keynes Dons and Belgian facet Lommel.
“It is a terrific alternative and one which I am actually wanting ahead to,” Manning, who has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract at Ashton Gate, told the Bristol City website.
“In case you take a look at the imaginative and prescient of the membership and the place they need to get to and the way they need to get there I believe there’s actually good match and alignment with my journey and the place I need to get to.”
Manning ‘an ideal match’ for Robins
Manning, who shall be assisted on the Robins by his quantity two at Oxford, Chris Hogg, has impressed since succeeding Karl Robinson as U’s boss – the membership have been 18th in League One and three factors off the relegation locations when he took over in March.
He stored Oxford up final season thanks to 2 wins of their closing three matches, earlier than masterminding a superb begin of this season which has seen the U’s lose simply two league video games because the opening day of the season.
“Liam is a good match for the membership and the type of play we wish”, Bristol Metropolis Chairman Jon Lansdown stated.
“He has a really detailed strategy to teaching, enhancing gamers and getting the most effective out of them as his document at MK Dons and Oxford United reveals.
“As quickly as we made the change Liam was our first alternative and we’re grateful to Oxford United for the extraordinarily skilled manner they’ve approached the departure of somebody who was doing a unbelievable job for them.”
U’s start managerial search
Oxford chairman Grant Ferguson stated the U’s had “reluctantly” given Manning permission to talk to Bristol Metropolis, including that the membership did “every part it might to maintain him”.
Chief govt Tim Williams added: “I’m vastly disenchanted. Nevertheless, we now have already begun the method of securing the absolute best candidate to exchange Liam.
“It is a unbelievable membership with nice coaching services and an thrilling future – I’ve little doubt we may have big curiosity within the position.”
First-team coach Craig Quick will tackle the position of interim head coach for Oxford, and shall be assisted by academy coach Chris Hackett.
After taking up from Russell Martin at MK Dons in August 2021, Manning led the membership to a third-placed end in League One, earlier than being knocked out of the play-offs on the semi-final stage by Wycombe Wanderers.
He misplaced his job in December final 12 months after a run of 1 win in his closing 11 league video games left the membership second-from-bottom.
Manning a ‘summertime fling’ – evaluation
BBC Radio Oxford’s Oxford United commentator, Jerome Sale
Every week in the past, Oxford United had gained at Lincoln and have been again to inside three factors of the League One lead and all appeared nicely on and off the sphere.
Seven days later and the league place hasn’t modified, however there’s turmoil. The truth that Liam Manning has jumped ship simply 241 days into his tenure as head coach leaves supporters sore – and judging by Oxford’s assertion – lots contained in the membership too.
However Manning’s brief time was transformative. He is taken them from a struggling relegation-threatened crew to 1 that look severe promotion contenders.
United are completely appropriate that the sphere of potential replacements shall be deeper for a prime two facet than a backside six one.
Although the wants and speedy ambitions are completely different this time, they’d do nicely to stay to the identical processes that so efficiently led to Manning’s appointment. I say that although it turned out to be little greater than an intense summertime fling quite than a long-term relationship.