Birmingham, Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield could be on alert after Rotherham news: View | OneFootball

Rotherham United announced the surprise sacking of head coach Leam Richardson on Wednesday morning.

Richardson was only appointed Millers boss in December, and while he failed to prevent the club's relegation from the Championship, he looked to be the right man to lead them back next season given his strong track record in League One.

The 44-year-old guided Wigan Athletic to the third tier title in 2022 but he will not have the opportunity to repeat that feat at the New York Stadium after he was dismissed, with Steve Evans making the move from Stevenage to replace him, returning for a second spell in charge of Rotherham.

After an incredibly disappointing season, the Millers were relegated in early April, but it remains to be seen who will be joining them in the third tier next term.

Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield Town are currently in the bottom three, but Birmingham City, Stoke City, Queens Park Rangers, Plymouth Argyle, and Blackburn Rovers are all still in danger with just three games of the season left.

Should Birmingham, Sheffield Wednesday, or Huddersfield be relegated, there is a realistic possibility that there could be managerial changes at those clubs, and Richardson could be in contention for any potential vacancies.

Leam Richardson could be on the radar of relegated Championship clubs this summer

There is no doubt that Richardson's spell at Rotherham was poor, but considering he signed a three-and-a-half-year contract at the club in December, his sacking is harsh.

It was always going to be difficult for the Millers to stay in the Championship given their limited budget, and while Richardson failed to improve their fortunes, he looked well-placed to lead their promotion push in League One next season.

Richardson's achievements at Wigan were impressive, keeping the Latics in the third tier in the 2020-21 campaign amid a backdrop of off-field issues before winning the title the following season.

That record could make Richardson an attractive option for Birmingham, Sheffield Wednesday, or Huddersfield this summer, with uncertainty over the managerial situation at all three clubs.

Gary Rowett is currently in interim charge of Birmingham in the absence of Tony Mowbray, but it remains to be seen whether Mowbray will return to the club this summer after illness, and he may opt to step down if the Blues were relegated to League One.

Danny Rohl has done an outstanding job at Sheffield Wednesday since replacing Xisco Munoz in October, and his work at Hillsborough has not gone unnoticed, with the German said to be on Sunderland's radar as they search for a new manager.

Even if the Black Cats do not make a move for Rohl, he is likely to attract attention from other clubs, and with question marks over whether he will receive the necessary backing from owner Dejphon Chansiri in the transfer market, he could decide to depart Hillsborough in the summer, regardless of the outcome of this season.

Andre Breitenreiter was appointed as Huddersfield boss in February, becoming the club's third manager of the season, but he has won just two of his 10 games in charge so far, drawing four and losing four, and there are question marks over whether Terriers would stick with the 50-year-old in the third tier.

Of course, the problem for Richardson is that while he faced difficult circumstances at Rotherham, his record at the New York Stadium was poor.

He won just two of his 24 games in charge of the Millers, drawing four and losing 18, and a number of those defeats were comprehensive.

That record may be a deterrent to any potential employer, but Richardson does deserve another opportunity in management after his excellent work at Wigan, and if any League One club can look beyond his Rotherham stint, he could prove to be a shrewd choice.