Oxford united FC
Ex-Arsenal star favourite to become next Oxford United manager
The U’s parted ways with head coach Matt Bloomfield on Saturday almost two months after suffering relegation to League One late in the Championship season.
Bloomfield took over in January after Gary Rowett was sacked two days before Christmas and oversaw an upturn in form, but was unable to find enough points to guide Oxford to safety.
The club’s search for a new head coach is underway, with former Wales international Ramsey emerging as the bookmakers’ favourite to lead the Yellows into the 2026/27 season.
The Oxford Mail understands that there is longer-standing interest in Ramsey with the 35-year-old impressing the club’s higher-ups in an earlier meeting between the two parties.
After retiring from professional football in April of this year, it is understood that the three-time FA Cup winner is on the lookout for his first managerial role.
Ramsey has taken charge of a club briefly, receiving the reins at Cardiff City for a span of three games in 2025 after Omer Riza was dismissed by the Welsh outfit, seeing the Bluebirds relegated at the end of the 2024/25 season.
The Caerphilly-born Welshman began his career at Cardiff before moving to Arsenal as a 17-year-old.
He spent 11 years with the Gunners, becoming a club hero, winning three FA Cups and two Community Shields.
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A move to Italian giants Juventus in 2019 saw him become a league title winner in his first season before spells at Rangers, OGC Nice, Cardiff and Mexican club UNAM closed out his impressive career.
If Ramsey were to be appointed Oxford boss, it would be follow the trend of young, big name managers taking over in League One along with former teammate Jack Wilshere at Luton Town and ex-Manchester United man Tom Cleverley at Plymouth Argyle.
Ramsey’s lack of head coach experience means it would come with its risks, however it would be a statement of intent and a bold move from head of football operations Ed Waldron, new chairman Dusan Bogdanovic and owner Erick Thohir.
United are currently looking for their fifth boss in three years with the aim of staying in the second tier meaning the club moved to a more pragmatic style of football under Rowett.
They then acted again when the former Yellows head coach began last season poorly, bringing in Bloomfield in an attempt to replicate the impact that his predecessor had in the previous campaign.
Bloomfield was dismissed by the U’s on Saturday almost two months after failing to keep the club in the Championship.
The club parted ways with the 42-year-old after just 162 days in charge, Bloomfield joining the club in January, taking over from Gary Rowett.
The timing of the decision has brought up questions amongst supporters, with the United squad is set to report back in OX4 for pre-season before the end of the month.
Earlier this month, Yellows assistant Mike Dodds was rumoured to be heading to Blackburn Rovers to reunite with former colleague and new Rovers boss Tony Mowbray.
The two worked together at Sunderland during Mowbray’s 16-month long spell in charge of the Black Cats.
According to reporter Alan Nixon, Dodd’s potential move to Blackburn has been aided by the surprise sacking of Bloomfield.
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When asked on X of the impact of the Yellows head coach’s on the progress of Dodds’ transfer, he replied: “It helps.”
Dodds joined Oxford alongside Bloomfield in January.
The 40-year-old was previously in charge of Wycombe Wanderers seven months in his head coach role to date as he was sacked in September 2025.
He was previously a coach at Sunderland for four years and Birmingham City before that where he was credited as having a positive impact on the development of Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham.
U’s supporter Andy is one of three football fans travelling to the United States of America to watch England play at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Three Lions got off to a flying start in the tournament on Wednesday, Thomas Tuchel’s team triumphing 4-2 over 2018 finalists Croatia.
They play Ghana next on June 23 before a final group game against Panama on June 27.
“It is an absolute dream and a pinch-myself moment to realise on Saturday morning that I’ll be flying out to see England play in a World Cup,” Oxford fan Andy told BBC Oxfordshire.
“I’m not only at a World Cup but the third group game, seeing England play in New York, it just seems unfathomable to be able to do that. But I’m so excited. I can’t wait.”
The supporter is travelling to the USA with a St George’s flag donning the badge of non-league Oxfordshire club Didcot Town.
The Railwaymen compete in the Southern League Division One Central, the eighth tier of English football.
The reason behind the flag not representing League One side Oxford is due to Andy travelling with a supporter of one of the U’s big rivals.
“One of the lads that I’m going with is unfortunately a Swindon Town fan,” he continued.
“One of the lads I’m going with, unfortunately, is a Swindon Town fan” 🤣 Oxford United fan Andy is travelling from Didcot to the World Cup! ⚽️ #OUFC
🔊 Tap the link to listen on BBC Sounds ⤵️https://t.co/NbxlQGNzSB pic.twitter.com/VwWj4pVkJs
— BBC Oxfordshire (@BBCOxford) June 17, 2026
“We can’t have Oxford United and Swindon on the St George’s flag, that wouldn’t be very good. We’ve put the Didcot Town name on and at least it gives Didcot a bit more publicity for them.”
The ‘Three Boys’, as the travelling trio call themselves, first starting following England at the last major tournament, the European Championships in Germany, driving eight hours together to Cologne to follow the Three Lions.
Since then, they have joined the England Supporters Club and accumulated points from their matches attended.
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There has been a lot of noise away from the on-pitch action about the price of tickets for this year’s tournament set by FIFA.
Prices are significantly higher for 2026 than in previous years, with many supporters outraged and some seats seemingly left empty.
“We’re lucky enough to have enough points to be able to apply for tickets,” Andy told the BBC .
“They’re still expensive, but they’re more affordable than what I’ve read in the press. We’ve paid nowhere near to what some of the reported figures are.”
England will kick-off against Ghana next Tuesday at 9PM UK time.
I had just left the house to get a coffee when the embargoed announcement came through. Safe to say that plan was abandoned.
As has the Bloomfield project.
The consensus when he came through doors was that the ex-Luton Town and Wycombe Wanderers man was going to be trusted in the long term. That was even more so assumed with Bloomfield still in charge about a month and a half after the finale of the Championship season despite the U’s getting relegated.
So, to sack the head coach this late in the day is strange and harsh, with a positive pre-season at risk.
Bloomfield did oversee an upturn in form which, over the course of an entire season, would have kept Oxford up and its timing will be disappointing, to say the least, for the now former boss.
It has already been a summer of change with Dusan Bogdanovic coming in as chairman, replacing Grant Ferguson and head of recruitment Scott Mitchell leaving for Leyton Orient.
Early thoughts on the Matt Bloomfield sacking decision 💭
Not a whole load of answers at this point but feels a pivotal moment now for Oxford United. The next appointment needs to come with identity and stability.
Will also have an opinion piece out soon. #oufc (1/2) 🧵 pic.twitter.com/AgWnCCgEs7
— malachi (@MalachiObrey) June 20, 2026
Reasons for the sacking are hard to find at this point, but it would be natural to assume that the decision is – at least partly – the influence of the new chairman who is an ex-professional footballer and agent apparently keen to bring a data-driven player recruitment system to the club.
It felt like Bloomfield was very much head of football operations Ed Waldron’s man when appointed which begs the question: was this Waldron’s decision or Bogdanovic’s?
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Did data tell the new chairman that Bloomfield is not the man to take them forward after disappointing with Luton in League One?
The club must believe that there is someone better out there.
Given all the changes higher up the food chain, perhaps this is the final action needed to complete a reset in the footballing side of things. Questions still remain over why this was not done earlier.
But this moment feels pivotal for Oxford United.
The club strayed from its previous identity with the appointment of Gary Rowett 18 months ago and has now had three sackings in 18 months.
Now is a crucial moment to re-establish that identity with a fresh start after relegation.
Oxford must now make an appointment which is long-term.
United are no longer just trying to stay in the division by any means necessary and so a short-term fix is no longer the choice to make.
Stability is crucial and, after the changes above board, an appointment which everyone can behind – fans, staff and board included – is needed. The club cannot afford another messy pre-season and cannot afford to get left behind in the third tier.
In addition, as much as Bloomfield did improve things, it never felt like there was a real playing identity.
The U’s will be, on paper, one of the stronger teams in a weaker league and so the opportunity to bring in someone with a clearer, positive playing style is now.
Whatever they do next, everyone must be fully invested.
If, in fact, the Yellows are to move towards a data-led model with a head coach that plays attractive football, then they must be fully invested.
There are so many more questions than answers right now but what is needed now is clear: identity, stability and unity across the entire club.
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