Keane emerges as a contender to take charge of Portsmouth

Former Sunderland boss is priced as low as 4/1 with Bet365

Roy Keane has overtaken Alan Curbishley to become the third favourite to become Portsmouth’s third manager of the season.

Avram Grant and Sven-Goran Eriksson still head the betting but the Irishman has gone from not having much involvement in the market before today to being priced between 4/1 and 5/1 with most bookmakers.

Posted: February 11th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Portsmouth are expected to choose Curbishley or Grant

There are two clear leaders in the races to succeed Tony Adams

(Photo Credit: Chris Ison, PA)

Alan Curbishley and Avram Grant got off on the wrong foot last season when the former West Ham boss said that Manchester United deserved the title more than Chelsea. Now they will lock horns again after being installed as the clear frontrunners to succeed Tony Adams at Portsmouth:

Avram Grant (4/7 with Paddy Power)
Bizarrely, the best job offer a manager who came within a John Terry slip-up of winning the Champions League last season is now offered is at a team locked in a relegation battle after selling two of their star players. However, Grant has made it clear he has unfinished business in England and he has previous with Portsmouth after spending a season there as a technical director before moving to Chelsea.

Alan Curbishley (6/1 with Sky Bet)
In many ways Curbishley seems like the perfect fit at Portsmouth, considering the way he saved West Ham from relegation and solidified their position in the Premier League. But Curbs quit there because George McCartney was sold without his agreement so the sale of Jermain Defoe might not have sat too well with him. Portsmouth might also feel awkward appointing Curbishley now after threatening legal action last week against a newspaper who claimed he was being sounded out about the job while Adams was still in charge.

Posted: February 9th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Man Utd are 6/4 to win to nil for the eighth successive game

West Ham/Man Utd, 4pm, Sky Sports 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Manchester United have kept twelve consecutive Premier League clean sheets and have won seven straight matches during that streak but their opponents West Ham have made a habit out of derailing Sir Alex Ferguson’s title bids in the past. Here’s a breakdown of the stats in both team’s favour:

Could West Ham spring a surprise?

» West Ham have won their last two home games against Manchester United and the Red Devils have won on just four of their last fourteen visits to the Boleyn Ground.

» Gianfranco Zola’s side have won their last four home games and are unbeaten in eight games in all competitions. Since losing at Old Trafford in October, West Ham have taken points from all the other Big Four clubs.

Posted: February 8th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 2 Comments

Are Blackburn really going to welcome Graeme Souness back with open arms?

Former boss is the 11/10 favourite to return with Ladbrokes

Paul Ince has today become the sixth Premier League manager to leave their post this season, in the process saving what was in danger of being a chronically slow news day. Here are the leading contenders to replace the Guv’nor at Ewood Park:

Graeme Souness (best price: 5/2 with Paddy Power)
Souness took the club back into the Premier League and won the League Cup during his first spell as manager between 2000 and 2004 and starts as the early favourite to regain the position after newspaper reports over the last few days linked him to the post. He walked out of the club four years ago for Newcastle after a winless start which left Rovers in the relegation zone and at the time it was rumoured that Souness had jumped before he was pushed.

Sam Allardyce (best price: 3/1 general)
In case you haven’t read a newspaper since January, Sam Allardyce is pretty interested in finding himself a job and having previously overachieved without spending much money at Bolton, he is a strong candidate. However, Blackburn opted for Ince over more experienced candidates like Allardyce and Steve McClaren in the summer so Big Sam may bear a grudge.

Alan Curbishley (best price: 10/1 with Paddy Power)

Posted: December 16th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Charlton have a huge chance to turn their season around

Charlton/Derby, 7.45pm, Sky Sports 1, Best Odds, Free Bets

In the two-and-a-half years since Alan Curbishley’s exit, Charlton have fallen from being a steady mid-table Premier League club to an unsteady relegation-threatened Championship club. They are managerless, winless in twelve games, bottom of the league and five points from safety. Derby aren’t looking too good themselves though so tonight’s game represents a great chance for Charlton (generally 7/5) to win, leap up two places and galvanise their season.

» Charlton have won their previous two home games against Derby, both by one-goal margins (2-1 and 1-0).

» The Addicks are unbeaten in five straight games against the Rams dating back to 1998.

» Paul Jewell’s Derby have taken just one point from their last five league games.

» And they have lost each of their last four away games without scoring a single goal, going six without a win.

Posted: December 15th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Curbishley’s odds cut for the Sunderland job

Click here for all the latest odds on this market

Alan Curbishley, the manager who chickendinner identified as the best candidate for the Sunderland job has had been cut from 8/1 to 7/2 in Paddy Power’s market on who will succeed Roy Keane.

Posted: December 5th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment