It’s far from Christmas cheer at Oxford United as the board announced on Tuesday that Gary Rowett would be leaving his role as manager with immediate effect. It comes after the U’s have picked up just one win in their last 10 and have plummeted into the Championship relegation places.
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat away to Charlton proved to be the final straw for Rowett and assistant head coach Mark Sale. Craig Short has been placed in temporary charge of first team duties, with the markets now open with the latest next Oxford United manager odds ahead of Rowett’s long-term successor.
Latest Odds for the Next Oxford United Manager
BetVictor is one of the first to release the next Oxford United manager odds, and we’ve listed them below. As the market changes, we will keep this updated.
| Manager | Odds | Implied Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Beale | 1/2 | 66.7% |
| Paddy McCarthy | 4/1 | 20.0% |
| Karl Robinson | 8/1 | 11.1% |
| Liam Manning | 8/1 | 11.1% |
| Lee Grant | 10/1 | 9.1% |
| Jon Brady | 12/1 | 7.7% |
| Matt Bloomfield | 12/1 | 7.7% |
| Michael Carrick | 14/1 | 6.7% |
| Russell Martin | 14/1 | 6.7% |
| Gary O’Neil | 14/1 | 6.7% |
*Odds correct at 12:50 GMT on 23/12/2025. Odds subject to change.
Michael Beale
The former QPR, Rangers and Sunderland boss leads the betting for the next Oxford United manager. Michael Beale looks like an appointment that could move quickly, especially given that he’s priced at just 1/2 in the market.
On paper, it looks like a relatively straightforward appointment, given that he’s currently out of work. His best work came at QPR, where he flirted with promotion with a side that, respectively, had no business at the top of the table.
His time at Rangers and Sunderland was mixed, but there’s no doubting the quality that Beale has as the boss. The fact that he’s such a short price so early usually means there is no smoke without fire.
No Expiry Date
Paddy McCarthy
Paddy McCarthy is currently plying his trade as Oliver Glasner’s assistant at Premier League outfit Crystal Palace. His work with the academy has earned him a couple of spells as caretaker with the Eagles, but it’s reported that he would be keen on taking the plunge into management full-time.
It would be a delve into the unknown for Oxford if they were to appoint McCarthy. He’s been described as tactically astute, and given the role that Glasner has done at Palace with the help of McCarthy, there’s no doubt that he will come with a glowing reference from one of the Premier League’s top managers.
The question is whether Oxford want to take a risk right now? It would be a brave move, but if they are looking purely at survival this season, this appointment may carry too much risk.
Karl Robinson
Karl Robinson could make a sensational return to Kassam Stadium after managing the side for five years from 2018 to 2023. He took the U’s to the playoffs twice, narrowly missing promotion both times.
While Robinson generally has a good relationship with the fans, this move would likely split opinions. On one hand, you’ve someone who knows the club inside out, but on the other, the team were in dire form following a run of eight games without a win in February 2023.
It’s also worth noting that Robinson is working at Salford City and doing a decent job. This brings compensation into play and money that Oxford United likely won't want to part with.
