JUST NOW: 46-year-old’s stance on Preston North End job revealed

Brian Barry-Murphy has applied for the Preston North End job.

According to the Lancashire Evening Post, 46-year-old Brian Barry-Murphy is keen on taking the top job at Deepdale, despite the significant challenges he would face. Heading into the 2024/25 season, Preston North End appeared to be in a stable position, with Ryan Lowe still in charge and the club having made some signings in the transfer market. However, after a 2-0 home defeat to Sheffield United on the opening night of the season, Lowe departed by mutual consent. Unfortunately, the situation hasn’t improved much since his departure.

Preston North End managed to secure a Carabao Cup victory against Sunderland, but they suffered a 3-0 defeat to Swansea City the following day, with then-caretaker boss Mike Marsh unable to capitalize on the midweek win. After the game at the Swansea.com Stadium, Preston announced Marsh’s departure, leaving the club with much to resolve before their upcoming match against Luton Town.

Although Luton hasn’t had the best start to the season either, earning just one point from a possible six, it may only be a matter of time before they secure their first win, so Preston needs to be well-prepared for the clash. With no midweek matches, Preston can focus entirely on appointing a new manager before facing Rob Edwards’ side, but it remains uncertain whether they can make a quick appointment.

With Marsh also leaving, a new manager may need to be in place sooner rather than later to give the club the best chance of earning some points before the international break.

Brian Barry-Murphy, who previously managed Rochdale, is reportedly interested in the Preston North End job, with the Lancashire Evening Post revealing that he has applied for the position. Currently out of work after leaving Manchester City, it may only be a matter of time before Barry-Murphy secures a new role.

Peter Ridsdale is heavily involved in the managerial recruitment process and has recently narrowed down the list of potential candidates.

Preston North End need to strike the right balance during their managerial recruitment process

Preston North End must find the right person to take over as manager. Failing to do so could have damaging consequences for the rest of the season, which is the last thing they need. With a shaky start to the campaign already, the club could find themselves in serious relegation trouble if the right manager isn’t appointed. This would be a major disappointment, especially since Preston has been a stable Championship club for some time now.

Finding the right manager may take time, but time isn’t on Preston North End’s side. With both Lowe and Marsh having departed, they urgently need to appoint a new manager. Ideally, they’d like to have someone in place before their next match, but it’s uncertain whether that will happen.

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