With Sheffield United now searching for a new manager after the sacking of Nigel Clough, I decided to take a look at five possible candidates for the job.

Three of my picks will be more realistic, taking into account their managing experience, whether they currently have a job and how they have done in League 1 before etc.

I’ll also include two candidates who could be considered ‘longshots’ for the job. But in the world of football, who knows who could end up with the job!

1. Phil Parkinson

The bookies favourite for the job, he currently seems the most likely for the job. He is currently in charge of Bradford – who are also in League 1 – but he may want to jump ship and look for a new managerial challenge after four years in his current job.

He has taken Bradford to the final of the League Cup in 2013 and he has had some good seasons at Valley Parade, getting them promoted from League 2.

He has a decent track record as a manager so far and he could be the man to take Sheffield United that extra step and get them up and into the Championship again after four years.

2. Nigel Adkins

Adkins last job was as Reading manager and although that didn’t end too well – he was sacked with the Royals ten points off a play-off place – he is still a proven manager and could do a good job at Bramall Lane.

He has had three promotions from League 1 before, so he is no stranger to getting a team out of the division – something which Blades chiefs will want. He even took Southampton from League 1 to the Premier League in two seasons!

He has experience of managing teams at this level and with Adkins currently out of job, no compensation would have to be agreed with any club and he could easily join on as the next Sheffield United boss.

3. Karl Robinson

Robinson has been boss of MK Dons since 2010 and it has been his only managerial job so far. However, the job he has done at the stadium:mk has been fantastic.

With Robinson at the helm, the club has made impressive strides forward, making good progress each season and attracting some impressive players. It culminated in him getting the club promoted to the Championship in the 2014/15 season for the first time.

He is a young and talented manager who looks to have a good future in management and he could be just the man that the Blades need – if he does sign on and does do the same job for the Bramall Lane side that he has done for MK Dons, then the clubs fans, owners and players would be more than happy.

4. Sam Allardyce

Yes Big Sam could be one to take over at Bramall Lane. He now finds himself out of a job after leaving West Ham and if Sheffield United make an offer – and Allardyce accepts – he could find that he isn’t out of a job for very long!

He has bags of experience in both the Football League and Premier League, knowledge which would no doubt help the Blades in their quest to return to the Championship.

Sam has managed in the second tier of English football and therefore knows what it takes to play to the standard of that league and his contacts mean that he could bring in some good players as well.

He has achieved promotion at Bolton and West Ham to name two clubs and if he was willing to drop down to League 1, he could try and gain another promotion at Sheffield United, something which everyone linked with the club is desperate for.

As a well known manager in the Premier League and Championship, it would also show that the Blades mean business if they could get him to sign on as their next boss.

He clearly knows what he is doing to have managed Premier League teams – and kept them up no less – and if Sheffield United chiefs decide to approach him (and manage to pull it off and get him in as the next manager) it could prove to be quite a big step forward for the club.

5. Ian Holloway

The barmy, comical and hilarious Ian Holloway could be one for Sheffield United to consider. Despite the three things I previously mentioned, he is also a decent manager who does have a good knowledge of the beautiful game.

When he was in charge of Blackpool, he managed to take the Tangerines up to the Premier League, something which isn’t easily achieved. The Seasiders may have been relegated after just a season but he had them playing some entertaining football and they put up a fight all the way until the end.

He also got Crystal Palace up to the Premier League and all this experience of getting teams to the top tier of English football could massively help the Blades in their bid to return to the Championship if they were to appoint him.

People also forget that even though he was sacked as Millwall boss, he did manage to guide the club to safety in the 2013/14 season and that is another good thing to add to his track record.

He even got QPR promoted to the Championship back in 2004, showing he knows what it takes to get out of League 1 too.

If Sheffield United did make a move for him and signed him on as boss, they would get a manager who can get promotion for a club and has experience of the top three leagues in England, something which would be a great benefit to the club.

Of course they would also be getting some entertainment and madness. After four years in League 1, maybe a little bit of that madness (and knowledge) from Ian Holloway is all they need to get back up to the Championship.

What do you think? Will one of these five candidates end up with the job? Have I missed someone out? Do you agree or disagree with my picks?

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