It's Time To Play The Manager Firing Ponies
A few days ago, British bookmakers William Hill (oh to have legal gambling all across the United States) published the odds of who they thought the first manager in the Premiership to be fired would be. Not surprisingly Newcastle United's Graeme Souness led the list as no one seems to want to play for him. And those that do what to play for him he wants nothing to do with.
Somehow I don't think the W.C. Fields school of management will work out very well Tyneside this season (Newcastle United are actually one of my picks for surprise relegation contenders due to the fact they're hemorrhaging players from a team that wasn't that great the second half of last season to begin with).
The entire list is as follows:
5-1 Graeme Souness (Newcastle United)
8-1 Chris Coleman (Fulham), Alan Pardew (West Ham), Alan Curbishley (Charlton), Alain Perrin (Portsmouth)
12-1 Paul Jewell (Wigan), Mick McCarthy (Sunderland), Bryan Robson (West Brom)
14-1 Alex Ferguson (Manchester United), David O'Leary (Aston Villa)
16-1 Rafa Benitez (Liverpool)
20-1 Steve McClaren (Middlesbrough), Steve Bruce (Birmingham City), Martin Jol (Tottenham), Mark Hughes (Blackburn)
25-1 Stuart Pearce (Manchester City), David Moyes (Everton)
33-1 Sam Allardyce (Bolton)
66-1 Arsene Wenger (Arsenal)
100-1 Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)
Were I allowed to be a betting man, I'd have to put my money on either David O'Leary or if I was feeling really ichy for a long shot Mark Hughes.
The reasons are totally opposite for picking these two contenders. Mark Hughes because Blackburn has picked up a few new toys to play with and will have higher expectations than finishing just above the relegation zone. David O'Leary because Aston Villa has high expectations due to last season's results and can't possibly live up to them.
Pardew should not be 8-1 since West Ham seem to be making some great moves and are setting themselves up as long termers in the Premiership during the close season. And as their promotion buddies Sunderland and Wigan don't have much expected of them, they might as well keep great managers at the second level around just in case.
The biggest surprise in the relative short odds category at 14-1 is Alex Ferguson.
There's only one reason he'll be fired of course and that's if he falls out of favor with Malcolm Glazer. A lot of supporters are pissed at Man U for finishing third two years in a row but Ferguson is Glazer's leverage with the fans as he's saying (without speaking it), "look, we're keeping the man you love around."
The only way Sir Alex is going anywhere is if he falls out of favor with the fans and is no longer a marketing piece. Or, of course, if the FA keeps discipling Ferguson for his comments to the point where it becomes a nuisence to the Red Devils.
Still Ferguson seems to be looking at his options - just in case.
One career option that was reported today that I found quite funny is tour guide.
While in China for his team's next set of friendlies, Ferguson had the following advice:
"As for the visit, I think I must go to the Forbidden City, because it is very worthwhile from an historical angle.
The Great Wall and Tiananmen Square are also worth visiting. I think Beijing has a lot of places worth visiting but time is the key."
While he shouldn't quit his day job (unless he's forced out) that's actually not bad text for a travel book. Rick Steve better watch over his shoulders.
But not nearly as much as Graeme Souness. ;)
Somehow I don't think the W.C. Fields school of management will work out very well Tyneside this season (Newcastle United are actually one of my picks for surprise relegation contenders due to the fact they're hemorrhaging players from a team that wasn't that great the second half of last season to begin with).
The entire list is as follows:
5-1 Graeme Souness (Newcastle United)
8-1 Chris Coleman (Fulham), Alan Pardew (West Ham), Alan Curbishley (Charlton), Alain Perrin (Portsmouth)
12-1 Paul Jewell (Wigan), Mick McCarthy (Sunderland), Bryan Robson (West Brom)
14-1 Alex Ferguson (Manchester United), David O'Leary (Aston Villa)
16-1 Rafa Benitez (Liverpool)
20-1 Steve McClaren (Middlesbrough), Steve Bruce (Birmingham City), Martin Jol (Tottenham), Mark Hughes (Blackburn)
25-1 Stuart Pearce (Manchester City), David Moyes (Everton)
33-1 Sam Allardyce (Bolton)
66-1 Arsene Wenger (Arsenal)
100-1 Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)
Were I allowed to be a betting man, I'd have to put my money on either David O'Leary or if I was feeling really ichy for a long shot Mark Hughes.
The reasons are totally opposite for picking these two contenders. Mark Hughes because Blackburn has picked up a few new toys to play with and will have higher expectations than finishing just above the relegation zone. David O'Leary because Aston Villa has high expectations due to last season's results and can't possibly live up to them.
Pardew should not be 8-1 since West Ham seem to be making some great moves and are setting themselves up as long termers in the Premiership during the close season. And as their promotion buddies Sunderland and Wigan don't have much expected of them, they might as well keep great managers at the second level around just in case.
The biggest surprise in the relative short odds category at 14-1 is Alex Ferguson.
There's only one reason he'll be fired of course and that's if he falls out of favor with Malcolm Glazer. A lot of supporters are pissed at Man U for finishing third two years in a row but Ferguson is Glazer's leverage with the fans as he's saying (without speaking it), "look, we're keeping the man you love around."
The only way Sir Alex is going anywhere is if he falls out of favor with the fans and is no longer a marketing piece. Or, of course, if the FA keeps discipling Ferguson for his comments to the point where it becomes a nuisence to the Red Devils.
Still Ferguson seems to be looking at his options - just in case.
One career option that was reported today that I found quite funny is tour guide.
While in China for his team's next set of friendlies, Ferguson had the following advice:
"As for the visit, I think I must go to the Forbidden City, because it is very worthwhile from an historical angle.
The Great Wall and Tiananmen Square are also worth visiting. I think Beijing has a lot of places worth visiting but time is the key."
While he shouldn't quit his day job (unless he's forced out) that's actually not bad text for a travel book. Rick Steve better watch over his shoulders.
But not nearly as much as Graeme Souness. ;)
posted by incendiarymind at 7:50 PM
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