FORMER Colchester United head coach John McGreal has been strongly linked with the vacant managerial job at Rochdale.

McGreal is looking for another role having left troubled Swindon Town last month, after only a month in charge.

McGreal, along with former U's coach Rene Gilmartin who had been appointed as Robins assistant, released a joint statement suggesting issues behind the scenes at the County Ground had made their positions "untenable", after they agreed to mutually terminate their contracts with the League Two club.

But following Brian Barry-Murphy's exit as Rochdale manager, McGreal has now been installed by BetVictor as second favourite to take over at Spotland, behind current Halifax Town boss Pete Wild.

McGreal's role at Swindon was his first since leaving Colchester, last summer.

He spent a total of 11 years as a coach at the JobServe Community Stadium, including four years as head coach.

He led the U's to the League Two play-offs and League Cup quarter-finals for only the second time in their history, last season.

McGreal also helped the U’s compete for a top-seven finish in his first three years in charge, along with helping a number of talented players progress to a higher level, after shining under his management.

He parted company with Colchester last summer, with his assistant Steve Ball succeeding him as head coach.

McGreal is currently 3/1 for the Rochdale job with Wild, who has experience managing in the region after taking charge of Dale's neighbour Oldham Athletic, 9/4 favourite.

Keith Hill, who began his managerial career at Rochdale, is given competitive odds of 8/1 to make a return to Spotland.

Meanwhile, the club's academy manager Tony Elis is an outsider for the job at 12/1 with Blackpool's lead youth development phase coach Lee Thorpe also given the same odds.

You can view all the latest next Rochdale manager odds at https://www.betvictor.com/en-gb/sports/240/sections/custom-list/9/group/0/item/0