Latest Manager Odds

Just when you think the managerial job situation will start to get clearer another resignation or two muddies the waters further. The hotseats are still up for grabs at Chelsea, Aston Villa and Cardiff City; now Birmingham City can be added to that list. Nottingham Forest briefly had a vacancy after Billy Davies was fired, but the City Ground board broke the trend by moving fast and appointing Steve McClaren as their new boss.

The departure of Alex McLeish from Birmingham looks like a controversy waiting to happen. The man who oversaw Carling Cup glory and relegation at St Andrews is now a best price of just 6/5 with Bluesquare to take the helm at Villa Park. If that move comes to fruition then unrest will be widespread; many Blues’ fans will regard it as an act of treachery while some Villa fans will be equally unhappy with the appointment. However, this may not be a done deal with the market still taking a lot of bets on David Moyes, although the current Everton boss has recently eased with several firms, to a current best price of 13/2 with bet365. Mark Hughes is still in the frame as well at 4/1 with Boylesports.

In the interests of symmetry, and almost inevitably, Billy Davies has emerged as one of the favourites to take the reigns at St Andrews. He is 7/2 with PaddyPower although Steve Cotterill may be in the driving seat at 3/1 with Coral. Chris Hughton finds his name bandied about yet again; he’s 6/1 with StanJames. He is also 9/1 to replace Dave Jones at Cardiff, where Malky Mackay is favourite for the role at 8/11 with StanJames. A Watford next manager market therefore looms large as well.

The biggest job of the lot, over at Stamford Bridge, is still not officially filled despite weeks of speculation that Guus Hiddink is poised to take over. The Turkish FA are digging their heels in to keep their man, or perhaps more realistically to force maximum compensation when he does head to Chelsea. The bookies see this as the most likely outcome with StanJames offering the best price of just 1/2 on the Dutchman returning to west London as manager.