Bristol Rovers considering ex-West Ham coach for managerial vacancy | OneFootball

Former West Ham coach Kevin Nolan is reportedly in the frame to replace Matt Taylor at Bristol Rovers.

Former West Ham United coach Kevin Nolan is reportedly in contention for the vacant managerial position at Bristol Rovers.

That's according to Football Insider, who claim that Nolan is one of the names under consideration by Bristol Rovers as they continue their search for a replacement for Matt Taylor following his sacking on Monday.

Taylor arrived at the Memorial Stadium last December, but he struggled to make an impact during his tenure, and after weeks of speculation over his future, he was dismissed after his side suffered their third consecutive defeat as they were beaten 2-0 at Birmingham City on Saturday.

The 42-year-old won 19 of his 57 games in charge of the Gas, drawing seven and losing 31, and he departs with the club sitting 20th in the League One table, just two points clear of the relegation zone.

Lee Cattermole and David Horseman will take charge of Rovers on an interim basis when they host Wrexham on Saturday, but the hunt for Taylor's permanent successor is well underway, and it seems Nolan is in the frame.

Kevin Nolan under consideration for Bristol Rovers job

After an illustrious career that saw him represent the likes of Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United and West Ham, Nolan took his first steps into management as he was appointed player-manager of League Two side Leyton Orient in January 2016.

However, despite winning seven of his 15 games at the helm, Nolan was sacked by controversial owner Francesco Becchetti after just three months in charge in April with the club sitting just outside the play-off places.

Nolan returned to management with Notts County in January 2017, and after keeping the club in League Two in the 2016-17 campaign, he guided his side to a fifth-placed finish the following season, but they were beaten by Coventry City in the play-off semi-finals.

After picking up just one point from the first five games of the 2018-19 season, Nolan was dismissed by the Magpies in August 2018, but the club may regret that decision as they went on to be relegated to the National League under Neal Ardley.

Nolan returned to West Ham in February 2020 to become first-team coach under David Moyes, and he went on to enjoy a successful four-year spell at the London Stadium, helping the Hammers win the Europa Conference League in 2023, but he left the club this summer following the arrival of new manager Julen Lopetegui.

The 42-year-old has been acting as the interim assistant head coach of England under-20's since August, but he is believed to be keen to become a number one again, and he could be set to be given that opportunity with Bristol Rovers.

Kevin Nolan appointment would be a gamble for Bristol Rovers

With Bristol Rovers sitting just above the relegation zone, the board cannot afford to get this appointment wrong.

Nolan showed plenty of potential as a manager during his spells at Leyton Orient and Notts County, and he was arguably unlucky to be sacked on both occasions, while he will no doubt have learned a lot from working under David Moyes at West Ham, so he could prove to be a shrewd choice.

However, given that Nolan's last managerial role came in League Two over six years ago, it would be a big gamble for Rovers to give him the job, and he may be too much of a risk for them to take in their current predicament.