Former Newcastle United assistant boss Nigel Pearson is in the frame for the Coventry City job after Iain Dowie's departure.

The Mirror says Coventry owner Ray Ranson hopes to recruit former Newcastle coach Pearson as the club's new manager after sacking Iain Dowie yesterday.

Ranson's vision for City differed to Dowie's, with the outgoing boss preferring more short-term solutions like ageing duo Arjan De Zeeuw and Michael Hughes.

But Pearson, who had a short stint managing Carlisle from 1998, is used to working with youngsters and is highly-regarded in the game following his appointment as Stuart Pearce's assistant coach with England Under-21s a year ago.