Former Carlisle United boss Chris Beech has been named among the early frontrunners for the Rochdale job.
Beech, who is currently director of football at AFC Fylde, is priced 8/1 to replace Jim Bentley at Spotland.
That makes former Rochdale player, coach and assistant boss Beech joint third favourite in the early odds.
Caretaker Jim McNulty is 3/1 favourite with BetVictor, with Graham Alexander, Nigel Adkins, Keith Hill and David Artell at 6/1.
Beech, United’s head coach from 2019-21 is currently working at Fylde in National League North, where the manager is another former Blues figure in Adam Murray.
They are five points clear at the top of the table after 38 games and look well placed for promotion.
Another contender for the Dale job, according to the bookmakers, is ex-United defender Clint Hill, who is currently assistant manager at Stockport County.
He is also 8/1 – whilst also being 14/1 for the vacancy at his old club Tranmere Rovers.
Former United manager Keith Curle, recently sacked by Hartlepool United, is 14/1 for the Rochdale post, while John Sheridan is 16/1.
Ex-Carlisle coach Nathan Rooney, who is currently head coach of Gibraltar outfit Bruno’s Magpies, is 25/1.
Bentley and assistant Nick Chadwick were sacked on Monday evening with Rochdale ten points adrift of safety at the bottom of League Two.
The former Morecambe and Fylde boss was appointed last August but has failed to guide Rochdale out of serious relegation danger.
With eight games to go, they are odds-on to fall into the National League.
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