Keane and Ince’s struggles make for intriguing betting

Vulnerable managers drift out in the next manager to go market

Roy Keane is now 4/7 with SkyBet to be the next Premier League manager to leave their post and Paul Ince is not far behind at 9/4 - meaning that some other vulnerable bosses are reaching big prices.

Things are going badly at Sunderland but they have more points than they had at this stage last season and will do even if they lose their next four games. There is a danger of Roy Keane quitting but it seems unlikely that Niall Quinn will make the rash decision to sack his compatriot at this stage because while there is a sense that they are underperforming for the money spent, they were going nowhere before Keane arrived.

Blackburn are also known as quite a patient club and having boldly appointed Paul Ince in the summer above more experienced names like Sam Allardyce and Steve McClaren they are unlikely to concede that they have made a horrific mistake so soon, especially with just six points separating them from the top half. Ince lost Brad Friedel and David Bentley in the summer and may lose Roque Santa Cruz in January so some allowances have to be made.

However, other managers such as Tony Mowbray, Gianfranco Zola and Tony Adams, who have all been lower than 10/1 at one point have now drifted out and offer good value.

Mowbray is now 14/1 although West Brom have kept faith in Gary Megson and Bryan Robson in previous relegation battles, so could do the same here. Zola is 20/1and isn’t under pressure but there is still a reasonable chance he could walk if the likes of Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Scott Parker and Craig Bellamy are sold in January.

Adams is 25/1 after picking up his first home win but has himself admitted that if the club were subject to a takeover, his position could become vulnerable. He has also gone on record to say he would resign if Jermain Defoe was sold in January.

Click here for all the latest odds.

Posted: December 3rd, 2008 by Michael Lintorn |