Ryan Giggs, Chris Coleman and Alan Pardew are among the early favourites to take over from Bob Bradley after his sacking by Swansea City.
The club fired Bradley on Tuesday night after just 11 games in charge.
Bradley, the first American to manage in the Premier League, was appointed at the start of October, but he won only two games and Swansea are only above bottom-placed Hull on goal difference following the 4-1 Boxing Day home defeat to West Ham.
The 58-year-old took training on Tuesday morning, but his departure was confirmed in a club statement.
“We are sorry to lose Bob after such a short period of time,” Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins said.
“Unfortunately things haven’t worked out as planned and we felt we had to make the change with half the Premier League season remaining.”
Former United States manager Bradley was a surprise appointment when Swansea chose to dismiss Francesco Guidolin at the start of October.
Guidolin had signed a two-year contract in May, but the veteran Italian was sacked after taking only four points from Swansea’s opening seven games.
Former Manchester United assistant manager Giggs was the bookmakers’ favourite having interviewed for the job, but Bradley was the choice of Swansea’s new American owners.
The USA won the CONCACAF Cup in 2007 and reached the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup under Bradley.
But he was coaching Le Havre in Ligue 2 in France after spells with Stabaek in Norway and the Egypt national team when he landed the Swansea job.
Bradley’s first game – a 3-2 defeat at Arsenal – was a sign of things to come as Swansea shipped goals at an alarming rate.
They lost 3-1 at Stoke, 5-0 at Tottenham, 3-1 at West Brom and 3-0 at Middlesbrough – and then came the Hammers horror show which sealed the American’s fate.
In all, Swansea conceded 29 goals in Bradley’s reign and at least three in eight of his 11 games.
“With the club going through such a tough time, we have to try and find the answers to get ourselves out of trouble,” Jenkins said.
“Personally, I have nothing but praise for Bob.
“He is a good man; a good person who gave everything to the job.
“His work-rate is phenomenal and we wish him well for the future.”
Swansea’s search for their fifth permanent manager in under three years will now begin just days ahead of the January transfer window opening.
First team coaches Paul Williams and Alan Curtis – who was interim manager last season following the sacking of Garry Monk – will take charge in the short term.
Swansea, who are four points from safety, host Bournemouth on Saturday before making the trip to fellow strugglers Crystal Palace next Tuesday.
Next permanent Swansea manager odds (courtesy of SkyBet):
Ryan Giggs: 5/4
Alan Pardew: 9/4
Gary Rowett: 3/1
Chris Coleman: 6/1
Roy Hodgson: 6/1
Jurgen Klinsmann: 8/1
Alan Curtis: 16/1
Harry Redknapp: 18/1
