Steve Cooper and Ryan Lowe in frame for Stoke City job | OneFootball

Stoke City are thought to be keen on Steve Cooper and Ryan Lowe as they look to appoint a new manager

Steve Cooper and Ryan Lowe have emerged as two potential candidates for the vacant Stoke City job as they search for a Narcis Pelach replacement, according to recent reports.

Pelach was sacked by Stoke after just 19 games, and they're on the lookout for an experienced manager who can lead them out of their current situation which sees them sit just three points away from the relegation zone.

Alan Nixon has reported via his Patreon that the Potters are ready to put the feelers out for an experienced manager like Cooper, while ex-Preston North End boss Ryan Lowe is also in the frame as they look to put a number of poor appointments behind them.

Steve Cooper and Ryan Lowe in frame for Stoke City job

After a number of tried-and-tested managers were unsuccessful at The bet365 Stadium, Stoke went for a different approach with the appointment of Pelach, but the inexperienced 36-year-old was unable to change the club's fortunes, and they're on the lookout for a new manager.

Both Cooper and Lowe are available, and they have plenty of experience at Championship level, making them an attractive candidate for the Potters' hierarchy.

Cooper was recently sacked by Leicester City in the Premier League, but having spent a number of seasons managing in the top-flight with the likes of Nottingham Forest and Leicester, it remains to be seen whether he'd be willing to drop to the Championship, let alone to a side struggling in the lower echelons of the table.

The Welshman was linked with the Cardiff City job at the beginning of December, and it was reported by Wales Online that Cooper was setting his sights higher than a Bluebirds side in a similar predicament to Stoke, so the chances of him appearing in the dugout at The bet365 Stadium anytime soon look slim.

Meanwhile, Lowe has been out of work since the opening weekend of the season when he parted ways with Preston after just one Championship game, but he enjoyed a decent time at Deepdale, leading the Lilywhites to a number of mid-table finishes and developing a reputation as a solid Championship manager.

A move for Cooper would be a very ambitious one, but it feels unlikely given their position in the league table. However, a move for Lowe could be the appointment that stabilises the club, who are currently in free fall after failing to win a game since the beginning of November.

The next managerial appointment is crucial for Stoke City

Stoke have endured a torrid time since being relegated to the Championship in 2018, and none of their six permanent managers have been a huge success.

The Potters haven't finished in the top half of the table since their relegation, a strange situation for a big club who are well-backed by the Coates family and who came down from the Premier League expecting to make an immediate return to the top-flight.

Last season an impressive late run of form saw Stoke paper over the cracks and avoid relegation, but it's clear that they can't keep chopping and changing, and you feel that relegation will soon catch up with them in the coming seasons if they continue their current ways.

Stoke need a manager who can come in and stabilise them this season, taking them away from the relegation zone, before having a long-term plan in place to eventually turn them into a side capable of competing for promotion.

The next manager will be Stoke's third of the season, and it's an appointment they can't afford to get wrong if they wish to pull away from the bottom three and move up the table.