Bogarde joins manager job queue

Reporter: Matthew Chambers
Date published: 03 March 2015


Former Netherlands international Winston Bogarde is believed to have applied for the vacant Athletic manager's job.

The 44-year-old, who once won a Champions League title with Ajax, believes he is the man to steer Athletic towards glory.

Bogarde’s bid is among the more unusual applications to have piled up on the desks of Athletic bosses looking for a replacement for Lee Johnson. More than 70 serious expressions of interest have been received so far.

Yesterday’s national press linked former West Brom, Preston and Sheffield Wednesday manager Alan Irvine with the vacancy. Another possible candidate is said to be Shrewsbury manager Micky Mellon.

Chairman Simon Corney last night said he plans to meet former Athletic boss Iain Dowie this weekend.

“It is probably the strongest set of applications since I have been around,” said Corney, who also confirmed caretaker-incumbents Dean Holden and Adam Lockwood haven’t been ruled out.

“We know what Iain Dowie brings to the table. He would without doubt at this level be fantastic for us. We have spoken and exchanged texts.

“He would have to think long and hard, but it is certainly not out of the question.”

Talks have also taken place with Paul Scholes, Corney confirmed, with more planned.

But the belief is that a management role for the ex-Manchester United star is more likely in the future.

Bogarde, who also represented AC Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea during a career which ran aground in controversial circumstances, once earned £40,000 a week at Stamford Bridge.

He applied for the manager’s job at Motherwell last November after Stuart McCall’s departure and has more recently been linked with a coaching role at Western United in the Soloman Islands.