Gary Rowett is a manager who is surely living on borrowed time at Stoke City.

They spent big in the summer and were amongst the favourites for a swift return to the Premier League, but they look disjointed and at times, confused this season.

The midfield trio of Clucas, Allen and Woods are surely too similar and whilst they're not amongst the relegation fodder, the progress has been disappointing. Considering Swansea took the option of getting rid of big players and are above the Potters, it is beyond disappointing.

Whenever they look to have turned a corner, there's a set back on the field. Every win is followed by a result they could do without and when they do control a game, they fail to kill it off.

Something has to change soon and one option could be to get rid of Rowett. Martin O'Neill has been touted as a possible replacement, but what if they wanted to go down another route?

Which managers would make a good alternative to O'Neill for Stoke? FLW look at two they might do well to bear in mind.

Appleton is currently out of a job, but is highly regarded in the football world and is clearly waiting for the right opportunity to come around.

He could come packaged with Craig Shakespeare, the former Leicester City boss, a double act with experience of all the divisions and lots of coaching know-how too.

If they wanted to keep spending, but on a manager and not players, surely they must be looking to Nathan Jones at Luton.

The job he's done there is remarkable, he's got them scoring for fun and looking like a Championship side in the making.

He's bulging with potential and you have to wonder if the Kenilworth Road side can match that.