Steve Cooper lined up for return to management with Championship club – but would have to accept big drop from Prem

STOKE are ready to sound out the experienced Steve Cooper as they look for a managerial saviour.

The Potters axed Narcis Pelach, 36, on Thursday after a nightmare nine-match winless run.

Pelach only took charge in September and won just three of his 19 games.

Cooper, 45, is available after his short Leicester spell — and he previously did well at Nottingham Forest and Swansea.

But it is a big drop for him to take on Stoke, who are 19th in the second tier.

Ryan Lowe is in the frame but is similar to Steven Schumacher, who was axed by Stoke in September.

Lowe left Preston in August but does not have the depth of Cooper’s CV.

Cooper has a Championship promotion under his belt having guided Forest to the Prem in 2022.

He also kept them in the top flight before he was sacked in December 2023.

Prior to that he spent two years at Swansea where he boasted a 45 per cent win ratio.

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Stoke are on the search for their seventh manager in six years, having already sacked Schumacher as well as Pelach this season.

The club have reportedly fielded "a lot of interest from high calibre" candidates, with Mark Robins and Russell Martin amongst those linked.