Mystery man forces delay

A mystery late candidate has forced a further delay in the appointment of Walsall’s next manager.

Owner and chairman Jeff Bonser will have talks with the un-named contender later this week but admits that his arrival has thrown a fresh dimension into the race to succeed Richard Money.

Bonser had been hoping to name the new man by last weekend from a shortlist of candidates he believes is one of the strongest ever assembled for the post. And it has now got even stronger, Bonser suggested today.

“I’ve got a very good shortlist with people applying for the job who I would not have imagined would be applying,” said the Saddlers owner.

“Now there is a new name which has cropped up which I think is someone who has all the right credentials for the job. We have spoken on the phone but, owing to commitments, I cannot see him face to face until later in the week.

“I think it’s very important to meet all the candidates ‘in the flesh’ so we can both get a better measure of each other.

“But it does mean that there will be a delay on the appointment, although I would not want it to go beyond the middle of next week.”

Bonser is in a hurry to get his new man in because of the major recruitment drive which is required after the widespread clear-out of the squad which challenged but then faded in the League One promotion race.

At the moment, Money’s No 2 Jimmy Mullen is holding the reins and is among the ‘four or five’ names on Bonser’s shortlist.

“We really do have some very, very good applicants,” added Bonser. “And obviously I am very, very conscious that we need to get on with this process because the new man will be wanting to bring in players.

“We can’t make much progress with that until he is in here. 

“I can see that the weekend will be the time for us to make our decision with hopefully an announcement by next Wednesday.”

There has been no shortage of speculation about the contenders although two of the names to have emerged in recent weeks, Mickey Adams and Peter Taylor, have subsequently taken postings at other clubs.