Just days after emphasising how the future looked bright for a Coventry City squad full of young and promising players, manager Iain Dowie has been sacked.

A surprise candidate emerged as favourite to replace him last night as reports emerged linking former Fulham and Real Sociedad boss Chris Coleman with the vacancy.

It is believed that a difference of opinion with new chairman Ray Ranson about the way the Sky Blues should play is the root cause of the decision to dismiss the former Northern Ireland international. He left immediately along with two members of his backroom staff, assistant manager Tim Flowers and Dowie's brother, Bob.

Dowie's was a short and difficult tenure at the Sky Blues, given that the club's financial resources have been less than secure since he took over.

At times his side showed real promise, as when they defeated Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers in cup competitions, but their inability to reproduce such form at a consistent level in the Coca-Cola Champion-ship was glaring and, ultimately, his undoing.

Dowie's overall record 49 games, 20 wins, 21 losses and eight draws is hardly convincing and with the side struggling in 19th in the Championship, just four points above the relegation zone, the statistics suggest his departure is not too much of a surprise.

Financial and political uncertainty at the club dogged Dowie's 12-month reign. The transfer funds he was promised never materialised and the threat of falling into administration, prior to Ranson's takeover, was clearly a hindrance.

Flowers, a lifelong City fan, confirmed: "This is the first time of being on this side of the fence for me, but perhaps testament to the spirit we have built at the club is the fact that plenty of players came up to us, one by one, to say how gutted they were."

Such gestures will offer little consolation to Dowie, whose reputation as one of the country's brightest managers has taken a beating since he left Crystal Palace for Charlton Athletic two years ago.

He was only in that job for six months and in the Coventry job for a year but despite developing and securing some talented young play-ers, his new chairman decided that a new manager will be in place to see if they blossom.

Frankie Bunn and John Harbin have been placed in charge of team affairs for tonight's league match at home to Cardiff City.

Other names to be linked with the vacancy include Walsall manager Richard Money, who is a former head of youth at the Sky Blues, MK Dons' Paul Ince and Nigel Pearson, who recently left Newcastle United.