Kevin Nolan has reunited with former boss Sam Allardyce

Despite being installed as the 9/2 favourites with Betfred to win the Championship and having odds of 6/4 to get promoted, West Ham will struggle to get themselves out of the league and into England’s top flight if they fail to perform as a cohesive unit. The Championship looks to be an extremely competitive league this upcoming season with a number of high quality teams. Sven-Göran Eriksson’s Leicester City have been spending freely to mould together a very capable squad consisting of a strong blend of experience and youth. On his return to English football Steve McLaren has joined Nottingham Forest, who agonisingly lost in the play-offs last campaign, as did Reading who will be looking to go one step better following the heartache of their play-off final defeat to Swansea. The league also features the likes of Cardiff City, Leeds, Birmingham City, Brighton and Southampton, who are all capable of challenging for the top two automatic promotion spots.

Since Allardyce arrived West Ham have sold Jonathan Spector and released both Matthew Upson and Luis Boa Morte but, there are fears that they could still lose a number of their best players. It is inevitable that Scott Parker leaves at some point during the transfer window but the futures of Robert Green and Carlton Cole are still open to debate. Allardyce has made a few very good signings in Kevin Nolan, Matt Taylor and Abdoulaye Faye, all of whom have made the step down from the Premier League. So at the moment things look quite promising at Upton Park. Watch this space.

West Ham and Sam Allardyce start life in the Championship with a tough game against Cardiff City this Sunday, which is live on BBC 1 at 1pm. Betfred have The Hammers as the 8/11 favourites to win the match, while Cardiff have been priced at 10/3, with a draw available at 9/4.

All odds supplied by Betfred

Rafa Benitez has been linked with a plethora of clubs, including the likes of Fulham and Aston Villa, since he was sacked by Inter Milan back in December 2010. As of yet none of these rumours have come to fruition, but that hasn’t stopped Victor Chandler from installing the 51-year-old has the 2/1 favourite to become the next Premier League manager. The Spaniard had a successful spell in England’s top flight with Liverpool, winning the Champions League, FA Cup, Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup and five Manager of the Month during his time at the club. Benitez is unlikely to join a club that isn’t at least competing for a place in Europe, but if he is craving a return to management as much as the newspapers are claiming then he cannot afford to be fussy.

Mark Hughes appears to have shot himself in the foot after his surprise departure from Fulham at the start of June. It was speculated at the time that the former Wales manager left because the club because he was interested in moving to either Chelsea or Aston Villa, who were both searching for a new manager at the time. However, with both managerial vacancies snapped up by Andre Villas-Boas and Alex McLeish respectively, Hughes has been left clubless at the start of the 2011/12 season. The 47-year-old has gained little sympathy for his abrupt exit from Fulham and will now have to wait until a new opportunity arises in order to make a return to the game. Hughes currently has odds of 9/4 to become the next Premier League manager.

Since his shock departure from his beloved Aston Villa just days before the 2010/11 season, Martin O’Neill (9/2) has continuously been linked with a move back to the Premier League. To date he has remained stum over a return to management but that hasn’t stopped the bookies from linking him to practically every job that crops up. Chelsea, West Ham and even former club Aston Villa have all previously been touted as possible destinations for the 59-year-old, but it appears that he is simply waiting for the right opportunity to arise. Realistically it is hard to see O’Neill coming out of retirement to join a club that isn’t in the top 6, so if the likes of Harry Redknapp or Roberto Mancini were to depart early on next season then expect O’Neill’s name to be in the frame.

Elsewhere Guus Hiddink is priced at 3/1, but after turning down one of the league’s top teams in Chelsea, it is difficult to see the loyal Dutchman breaking his contract with the Turkish national team to join another Premier League club. At 6/1 Alan Curbishley looks good value. The 53-year-old has an abundance of Premier League experience having managed both Charlton and West Ham in the top flight. However, he has not set the league alight and could be a bit rusty having been out of the game since 2008 when he resigned from The Hammers.

Who Will Be First To Become A Premier League Manager?

• 2/1 – Rafa Benitez
• 9/4 – Mark Hughes
• 3/1 – Guus Hiddink
• 9/2 – Martin O’Neill
• 6/1 – Alan Curbishley

All odds supplied by Victor Chandler

Portsmouth boss Steve Cotterill can also be found with odds of 6/1. Cotterill has has remained at Fratton Park despite being linked with a number of clubs this summer, including Birmingham City. Although the talented manager may be tempted by a move away from financially stricken Pompey if the right vacancy arises. Other names in the frame to leave their respective post’s first include Nigel Clough (Derby County), Keith Millen (Bristol City), Simon Grayson (Leeds United) and the new Coventry City manager Andy Thorn, who are all priced at 8/1 with Victor Chandler.

Other big summer arrivals include Sam Allardyce at West Ham, Steve McLaren to Nottingham Forest and most recently Chris Hughton to Birmingham City. All three managers will be eager to get off to a decent start as they aim to be right in the thick of it come the end of the season. Arguably the most pressure will be on the shoulders of the new Hammers gaffer Allardyce, who can be found with odds of 12/1 to be the next Championship manager to leave. The former Bolton and Blackburn Rovers boss will have the demanding West Ham faithful on his back “from the start, and not only does he have to spearhead an instant return to England’s top flight but he also has to employ an attractive style of football, something he has not been known for in the past. McLaren (12/1) and Hughton (33/1) both have long odds to depart first, but don’t rule out a surprise sacking early on in this unpredictable league.

All odds courtesy of Victor Chandler

Allardyce has been out of work since he was sacked by Blackburn Rovers last December. He has a wealth of valuable managerial experienced having previously taken charge of Blackpool, Notts County, Bolton, Newcastle and most recently Blackburn. His most successful spell was undoubtedly at Bolton, with whom he won promotion to England’s top flight in 2001 before proceeding to cement as an established Premier League outfit. He then endured a miserable 24 game spell at Newcastle before joining Blackburn in 2008. Despite guiding Rovers to respective 15th and 10^th place league finishes on a low budget, he was surprisingly sacked by the club on the 13th December 2010.

Allardyce is a man who knows the insides and outsides of the Championship and he will look to bring stability to a club on the rocks. It will be interesting to see what style of game he employs at Upton Park as West Ham are known for their love of attractive football, in contrast to Allardyce’s preferred physical approach.  Big Sam will use his persuasive powers to try and keep the star players at the club, the majority of whom are set to depart this summer. With Scott Parker virtually guaranteed to leave, Allardyce will focus his intentions on the likes of Demba Ba, Carlton Cole, Rob Green, Matthew Upson and Thomas Hitzlsperger. He will also look to bring in some veteran Championship players who know what it takes to succeed in the division.

Sky Bet have West Ham available at odds of 7/1 to win the Championship next season and 2/1 to get promoted from what is shaping up to be a very competitive league.

In the aftermath of the Grant sacking Chris Hughton was installed as the bookies favourite. That was until earlier this week when all the signs pointed to Cardiff boss Dave Jones, whose odds were as low as 1/2 – they have now lengthened to 9/2 – with Victor Chandler. In another twist, Sam Allardyce, who has been lingering on the fringes, has today been heavily touted as the main man to succeed Grant, with Victor Chandler pricing him as the 9/4 favourite.

Allardyce, a former Bolton, Newcastle and Blackburn Rovers manager, has been out of work since December 2010 when he was sacked by Rovers. The 57-year-old is famed for his hands-on management and direct style of football and many believe he is the ingredient the Hammers need to get them straight back into the Premier League. Allardyce also has experience in gaining promotion to the top flight having done so with Bolton in 2001. As does Hughton, who last season lead a dominant Newcastle to first place in the Championship. The 52-year-old was harshly sacked by the Magpies last December and it is believed that he is eager to return to management.

Elsewhere the former Irons player Iain Dowie has opened up the doors for a possible return to the club after expressing his interest in the manager vacancy. Dowie, who has been out of work since leaving Hull City last summer, can be found with odds of around 30/1 with bookmakers. One thing is for sure, the manager merry-go-round is now in full swing!

Ancelotti joined Chelsea in June 2009, winning the FA Cup and Premier League double in his first season in charge. However, the 2010/11 season has been an all together different story for the club and manager, which ultimately ended in disappointment for both parties. Chelsea enjoyed a fantastic start to the season, winning their first five matches, including two 6-0 victories, as they looked to be well on their way to another Premier League crown. The club’s bizarre decision to part ways with Ray Wilkins in November, instigated a torrid couple of months at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea fell way behind the leaders Manchester United. Then, in January, they shocked the football world when they signed Fernando Torres for a whopping £50million, in a move they hoped would propel them back into the title race. Although they succeeded in this aim, it was by no means due to the striker, who took a mammoth 14 games to score his first goal for the club. Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Man Utd at the start of May ended their spirited title charge, and their 1-0 defeat away to Everton on the last day of the season meant they finished nine points behind the league winners, in what proved to be Ancelotti’s last game in charge.

Many will be outraged that a club can have the audacity to dispense of a manager who won the double in his first season in English football, followed by a second place finish in the league and reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League in his second year in charge. An abundance of names will now be thrown into the mix as Abramovich and co look for man who can lead the club to Champions League glory. Victor Chandler have installed the Porto manager Andre Villas-Boas as the early favourite to become the next Chelsea manager at 9/4. Former Chelsea managers Guus Hiddink and Jose Mourinho are also in the running at 3/1, whilst Martin O’Neill is available at 20/1. As for Ancelotti, he has been already been linked with a move to become the next West Ham manager, who last weekend were relegated to the Championship.

All odds courtesy of Victor Chandler

The manner of the defeat to Wigan epitomised what has been a miserable season for the club, who will now have to adjust to life in England’s second tier for the first time since 2005. West Ham can have few complaints as they were stuck in the relegation zone throughout the duration of the season due to a string of lethargic and uninspiring performances. Grant took over from Gianfranco Zola back in June 2010 on a four-year contract, but began his reign in charge with four straight defeats. The club only really got going in February when they put together a decent run, only to then lose momentum and belief as they suffered a dismal five defeats in six games in the run up to their match with Wigan. Charles N’Zogbia’s injury time winner against West Ham on Sunday meant the club have now lost 18 league games this season.

Grant admitted after the game that it was the worst day of his career in football and conceded that the result was the story of the club’s season. The Israeli has now suffered the humiliation of back-to-back Premier League relegations, following Portsmouth’s drop to the Championship last year. Grant was due to be releaved of his duties after West Ham’s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in January only for the board to keep the faith and let him continue, which could ultimately have been a defining factor in the club’s relegation. The Hammers will now have great difficulty in keeping their top players, including Scott Parker who won the 2011 FWA Footballer of the Year award.

The former England and Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren has been installed as the bookies favourite to become the next West Ham manager, with Victor Chandler offering odds of 4/7. The 50-year-old has been without a club since he was sacked from Wolfsburg in December 2010 and is reportedly very interested in the job. The former Newcastle manager and West Ham defender Chris Hughton has also been linked with the club and is 7/1 to take over. West Ham’s first team coach Kevin Keen can be found at 8/1, whilst the QPR boss Neil Warnock and Martin O’Neill are both 16/1.

All odds are courtesy of Victor Chandler

The West Ham manager Avram Grant has become the new favourite to become the Next Premier League Manager To Be Sacked, with Victor Chandler cutting his odds from 4/1 to 9/4. Grant, who has been under immense pressure all season, looks set to be axed following West Ham’s shocking season, which has left them rock-bottom with only three games remaining. The Hammers face Blackburn Rovers, Wigan Athletic and Sunderland in three pivotal end of season games, and it has been rumoured that even if West Ham do beat the drop, Grant will be sent packing at the end of the season.

West Ham are said be interested in both Sheffield United’s manager Neil Warnock and Blackburn boss Ian Holloway, who have both been put in the frame to become the next West Ham manager. Norwich City manager Paul Lambert has also been thrown into the mix following his success at the club. Other names linked with the club include Martin O’Neill, Sam Allardyce, Chris Hughton and Slaven Bilic. A large factor on who would succeed Grant should he leave is whether West Ham remain in the Premier League. Dropping down to the Championship will make the club a less attractive option, especially to the likes of O’Neill.

After a mini revival in February, West Ham have now lost five games on the trot, leaving them in 20^th position, three points behind 17^th placed Blackpool. To have any chance of surviving Grant has to ensure that the club do not lose any of their remaining games. They face two crunch matches against relegation rivals Blackburn and Wigan, and then Sunderland on the last day of the season, with the Black Cats not yet safe themselves. David Gold and David Sullivan, the co-owners of West Ham, have been very quiet on the subject, which suggests that a change is imminent. It has been said that the pair are very disappointed with how things have gone this season, and they didn’t expect the club to be in this position at this late stage of the campaign.

Martin O’Neill is the fans favourite, but after reportedly rejecting the club back in January, it is unlikely that the former Aston Villa boss will change his mind this summer, especially if West Ham are relegated. Sam Allardyce is the bookies favourite but it is unknown whether he would be a popular choice amongst the fans. West Ham are said to be interested in Paul Lambert, who has had back-to-back promotions with Norwich. The 41-year-old has drawn numerous admirers following his achievements at Norwich, especially considering the financial restrictions he was under. Despite Blackpool’s second half of the season slump Holloway’s stock is still high, and he certainly has the charisma and passion to be a success at West Ham. However, Holloway has recently said he will not leave the club he is contracted to for another two years. Other potential managers include the former Newcastle manager and lifelong West Ham supporter Chris Hughton and former claret and blue player Slaven Bilic.

Behind Blackpool, West Ham are second favourites for the drop, with Victor Chandler pricing them at short odds of 2/9 to get relegated. The Hammers host Blackburn Rovers on Saturday in a game they cannot afford to lose. West Ham are evens to win, with Blackburn priced at 3/1 to grab all three points, and a draw at 13/5.

All odds are courtesy of Victor Chandler

O’Neill, known for his overt passion and charisma, has enjoyed a colourful career as a football manager. The Irishman started off at Wycombe Wanderers in 1990, taking the club from the Conference up to the Old Division 2 in the space of five years. This was followed by a short stint at Norwich City, which was cut short due to differences with the chairman. He then had successful spells at Celtic and Leicester City before joining Aston Villa in 2006. O’Neill has been widely credited with cementing Villa’s status as a top six club, doing so with an abundance of English players in his squad. He took the club to the Europa League as well as their first final for ten years when they finished runners-up to Manchester United in the 2010 Carling Cup.

Since he dramatically quit Villa back in August 2010 O’Neill has been linked with a multitude of clubs, including Everton, Manchester City, Liverpool and West Ham. His desire for a return to the Premier League will only intensify rumours and speculation throughout the summer. At the time of writing he is currently available at 3/1 with Sky Bet to join Everton should David Moyes quit, 4/1 to become the next Manchester City manager and 4/1 to become the next permanent manager of Liverpool. He also has long odds of a return to Aston Villa at 33/1, which is a tempting bet due to the pressure Gerard Houllier is under, and 16/1 to become the next Chelsea boss.

Martin O’Neill Next Club Odds with Sky Bet

• 3/1 – Everton
• 4/1 – Man City
• 4/1 – Liverpool
• 6/1 – West Ham
• 8/1 – Man Utd
• 8/1 – England
• 16/1 – Chelsea
• 33/1 – Aston Villa

It is all smiles for Grant as his side move out of the relegation zone

For the first time this year the most likely manager to get the push is not West Ham boss Avram Grant who has now slipped down the sackrace list and is looking at odds of 8/1 as West Ham record another win at the weekend when they beat stoke 3-0 and moved out of the relegation zone and up to 17th place in the league. The latest win has resulted in West Ham United no longer being the most likely side to get relegated this season, as the odds have now moved to 6/4 to be leave the Premier League.

The move up the table for West Ham has meant that Birmingham City have now slipped into the relegation zone with 30 points from 27 games. Blues manager Alex McLeish will be very grateful that his side won the Carling Cup last week as the chances of him getting the boot are slim at present with his odds being around the 25/1 mark, for now.