Roy Keane yesterday confirmed his departure from Nottingham Forest .
After five months as the club's assistant manager, the 47-year-old has amicably split from long-term managerial partner Martin O'Neill ahead of the new season.
The Manchester United legend will now look to return to first-team management, eight years on from leaving Ipswich Town.
Currently, there are only five clubs in England without a manager - Newcastle, Chelsea, Birmingham, Bury and Doncaster - and with Keane unlikely to relocate abroad, his options are far from wide open this summer.
So where does his future lie?
Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers started their search for a new manager on Friday.
Grant McCann, who steered them to a top six finish last season, was appointed as Hull City boss last week, leaving Donny in the lurch just six weeks before the new season.
The ex-Peterborough chief has taken his assistant, Cliff Byrne, with him to the KCOM Stadium, allowing whoever takes charge at the Keepmoat Stadium the hire their own backroom staff.
Last season, Doncaster were narrowly beaten by eventual promotion winners Charlton in the play-off semi-final and have already made a number of signings ahead of next year, including Sunderland defender Reece James.
And at Donny, Keane would take charge of a side in an immediate position to yet again challenge for promotion to the Championship.
He is fifth favourite in the odds for the job at 10/1.
Birmingham City
Possibly the most attractive of the limited managerial vacancies at the moment, Birmingham City sacked boss Garry Monk last week after just over a season in charge at St Andrews.
His assistant, Pep Clotet, has been named as the club's caretaker head coach ahead of the new season after a meeting with CEO Xuandong Ren, but owner Paul Suen Cho Hung have never been afraid to spring a surprise.
During his time as owner he has brought in Harry Redknapp and Gianfranco Zola in, appointments that raised eyebrows, with the latter leaving 24 games later with a dismal 8.3 per cent win ratio.
Despite losing midfielder Jota to rivals Aston Villa, Keane could fancy his chances of steering Blues' talented squad to a surprise promotion back to the Premier League, but with plenty going on behind the scenes at the Small Heath club, you could not blame him if he chose to steer well clear.
Newcastle United
Newcastle United have today (Monday) confirmed that manager Rafa Benitez will leave the club upon the expiry of his contract on June 30.
The Magpies say they worked hard to try and keep the ex-Liverpool boss, but were not able to.
Keane, a former Sunderland boss, does have links to the north east, but he isn't the most popular character at St James' Park.
His 2014 autobiography slammed the club's supporters as being "an arrogant bunch" for a side that has won very little silverware, with a few choice words thrown in.
"[St James' Park] wasn’t a bad place to play," he said. "But as for the Toon Army, the Geordies and the hostile reception – I never fell for all that.”
While a spell as Magpies boss remains improbable, this could spark the managerial merry-go-round that he so desperately needs.
Bury
Bury are another club in turmoil at the moment.
Their staff have complained about the way they have been treated under the current owners, who last week had a winding up petition temporarily adjourned.
And they are on the look out for a new manager, after former player Ryan Lowe, who managed to drag them to League Two promotion last term, walked out to join Plymouth Argyle.
But could Keano really be tempted to take a risk on a club under such a cloud? It's unlikely.
Derby County
This would make quite the story.
Current Derby County boss Frank Lampard remains heavily linked with a move to managerless Chelsea ahead of next season.
And should he depart to reuinte with the club where he became a legend, he would leave quite an attractive managerial opening down the A52.
The Rams were play-off finalists last season, narrowly edged to promotion by Aston Villa, and have been fighting at the right end of the Championship for six years on the spin now.
Last week, Derby were fleetingly rumoured to be chasing John Terry to fill any void left by Lampard in what would have been a brave move - braver than a gamble on Keane.
After all, the former Reds midfielder took Sunderland to promotion during his debut season as a manager.
