Ferguson, who was sacked by Peterborough United in November of last year arrived at Preston in January and guided the Deepdale club to safety. However, a dismal season thus far has seen the Lilywhites back in a relegation battle and Chairman Maurice Lindsay together with the club’s owner, Sir Trevor Hemmings, obviously see the club’s battle for survival in the hands of another manager after Darren, the son of Machester United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, has managed just 13 victories in his 49 games at the helm.

The early rumour about the person expected to replace Ferguson Jr is Paul Jewell, who has a close relationship with Chairman Lindsay following his time at Wigan Athletic. After being out of work for two years, Jewell is believed to be ready to return the management and a job in the Championship is sure to appeal. Another name favoured by Preston fans is that of Michael Appleton, a first team coach at West Brom and former Preston player but whether a first time appointment would be favoured by the board in the current circumstances remains to be seen.

Next Preston North End Manager Odds with VC Bet – 04/01/2011

• Paul Jewell – 9/4
• Billy Davies – 7/2
• Phil Brown – 7/2
• Paul Hart – 15/2
• David Unsworth – 10/1
• Gordon Strachan – 11/1
• Tony Adams – 12/1
• Sammy McIlroy – 12/1
• Andy Scott – 14/1
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Betting Market supplied by Victor Chandler

It has been announced the Sheffield United will delay appointing a new Manager until after Christmas but all the indications are that Sean O’Driscoll could be ready to jump ship from Doncaster to take control at Bramall Lane over the next few days. The Blades have been looking for a new Manager ever since Gary Speed left the club to take over at Wales and O’Driscoll has been pin pointed as the main contender to take over the job, he has done a cracking job at Doncaster but few would argue that Sheffield United are a bigger club and have the potential to head back to the Premier League. O’Driscoll will be aware of that and he is likely to jump at the chance of moving to Sheffield given the chance over the next few days, that is despite the fact that Rovers currently sit comfortably ahead of United in the Championship table at the moment.

The bookmakers have been watching the managerial search with great interest over the past few days and O’Driscoll has been all the rage with punters, the former Bournemouth Manager has been a shade of odds on in the market but has drifted slightly to even money with Victor Chandler. O’Driscoll developed an excellent reputation in the game at Bournemouth and currently at Doncaster, he led Rovers from League One and into the Championship and more impressively he has kept them in the Championship with something in hand over the past couple of years. It is also well worth noting that should O’Driscoll leave Doncaster for The Blades he is likely to recommend current Bournemouth Manager Eddie Howe to the board at Keepmoat Stadium as his replacement, Howe has done a great job at Dean Court and is well known to O’Driscoll from his time down on the south coast.

John Carver is currently in charge at Sheffield United on a temporary basis and he looks the next most likely candidate outside of Sean O’Driscoll, Carver is an experienced Coach and a couple of good results over the Christmas period will certainly help out his cause and that is reflected in the latest betting. He would certainly be a live contender as is Mickey Adams who ahs been doing a good job down in League Two with Port Vale, he has long been admired as a Manager and maybe ready for another crack further up the League ladder after spells with Leicester. Fulham and Coventry among many others during his career. At the moment though it is hard to look past Sean O’Driscoll as the leading contender and the betting shows us that he is the one to watch over the next few days, the festive period may delay the appointment but he is likely to be approached to head to Bramall Lane before the end of the year.

Next Sheffield United Manager Odds with VC Bet – 21/12/2010 – Click To Bet

Sean O’Driscoll – Evens
John Carver – 15/8
Mickey Adams – 11/4
Alan Shearer – 12/1
Andy Scott – 12/1
Gareth Southgate – 12/1
Chris Hughton – 12/1
Eddie Howe – 12/1
Phil Brown – 12/1
John Pemberton – 12/1
Dean Holdsworth – 12/1
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All markets supplied by VC Bet.com

The bookmakers certainly believe that Jol is the one to watch here and he is the clear favourite in the Next Blackburn Manager Odds at this stage, he is currently out of work and is sure to be on the shortlist at Ewood Park so he may prove good value. The most interesting name in the betting market at the moment is without doubt Diego Maradona who has been rumoured to be interested in a move to England, the former Argentina Manager would be a sensational appointment but the odds are telling us not to rule him out at this stage. He is seen by many as the greatest and most controversial football player ever and it would be the news story of the decade if he were to arrive in Blackburn over the next few weeks, he would certainly be the big name the Indian Owners are after but at the same time it is hard to see Maradona being interested in a move to Rovers without a huge financial incentive.

One Manager in the current betting who looks good value is Dave Jones of Cardiff who has done an excellent job down in Wales on a shoestring budget, he has been away from the Premier League for too long now and most believe he deserves another chance at the big time. Jones would not be a marquee name for Rovers and that will not appeal to the Owners but his credentials are there for everyone to see and he could prove to be a dark horse in this process over the coming days and weeks. It could be a Managerial search that drags on for a few days as we approach the Christmas period while any new prospective Manager will need to be happy to accept a certain amount of input from the owners. who clearly want to have their say on how the club is run both on and off the pitch.

Next Blackburn Manager Odds with Paddy Power – 14/12/2011 – Click to bet

Martin Jol – 9/4
Diego Maradona – 7/1
Dave Jones – 9/1
Martin O’Neill – 10/1
Alan Shearer – 10/1
Sven Goran Eriksson – 10/1
Chris Hughton – 11/1
Alan Curbishley – 14/1
Steve McClaren – 14/1
Frank Rijkaard – 16/1
Owen Coyle – 20/1
Mark Hughes – 20/1
Jurgen Klinsmann – 20/1
Ian Holloway – 22/1
Guus Hiddink – 25/1
Kenny Dalglish – 25/1
Roberto Di Matteo – 25/1
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All Betting markets supplied courtesy of Paddy Power.com

Could O'Neill be heading to Tyneside?

After weeks of rumours swirling around St James Park Chris Hughton has finally parted company with Newcastle United today to end a turbulent start to the season, he is a popular man in the north-East but Mike Ashley ahs decided to act after the team slipped to a poor defeat to West Brom on Sunday. Hughton has been without a long term contract since he joined the club with many believing the owner saw him as a temporary stop gap, that has proven to be the case and the club will now embark on the search for a new Manager. Hughton did a fantastic job in taking the team back into the Premier League when the club was in turmoil, and he will no doubt point to the fact that despite a dip in form they are in mid table and most promoted teams would be delighted to find themselves in that position in December.

Hughton is widely considered to have done an excellent job at Newcastle over the past couple of season’s and the Sack Race believes he can count himself unlucky to be heading down the Job Centre, he handled himself with dignity when he was in caretaker charge and he will always remain a popular figure with the players and fans.

The problem for Hughton has come with the teams form at home with just two wins to their names this season, one of those was a brilliant win against Sunderland but he has payed the price for one or two lacklustre performances in recent weeks. The players have firmly behind the Manager in recent weeks and it will no doubt be an unpopular decision to sack Hughton at the training ground, it is clear though that Mike Ashley is looking for a more experienced man to take the club into the top half of the Premier League as soon as possible. The Next Newcastle Manager Betting is likely to be a hot market over the coming weeks and there is sure to be a number of names linked to the vacancy on Tyneside.

The name always mentioned by Geordies will always be Alan Shearer but after his acrimonious exit from the club and his lack of experience means he is unlikely to be the value in the market, Martin O’Neill will be much more likely having left Aston Villa in August and he has bags of experience. O’Neill will surely be on the shortlist but it does remain to be seen if he is looking for a return to the game quite yet, he would be a popular choice with the fans and he is being well backed to head to the north east. Another name for punters to consider here is Alan Curbishley who has made it clear he is ready for a return to the game, he does have the experience Newcastle are looking for and he will be one to watch in this competitive market.

Next Newcastle Manager Odds with VC Bet.com – 06/12/2010

Martin O’Neill -4/1
Ala Curbishley – 5/1
Alan Pardew – 6/1
Alan Shearer – 8/1
Paul Lambert – 9/1
Lee Clark -10/1
Frank Rijkaard – 10/1
Martin Jol – 10/1
Gianfranco Zola – 12/1
Dave Jones – 14/1
Steve Clarke – 16/1
Slaven Bilic – 16/1
Didier Deschamps – 16/1

All betting markets supplied courtesy of Victor Chandler

The Swede could be heading for Wales

Lars Lagerback is the new favourite in the betting to become the next Wales Manager following a rush of money over the past couple of days, the former Sweden Boss looks like being in pole position for the job and would be the first foreign boss of the National Team. He is a hugely experienced Manager on the international scene and it is understood that the Welsh FA have identified him as the man they want to turn the fortunes of the country around, it will be a slightly controversial appointment though as the fans are sure to prefer a home grown appointment if at all possible. Brian Flynn has been in temporary charge since John Toshack left the role in September, but the team were less than impressive in losing to Bulgaria and Switzerland in October to hinder his chances of getting the job on a full-time basis.

Ian Rush had been the favourite in the Next Wales Manager Betting Odds with Victor Chandler but he has now been usurped by Lagerback who is looking for a new challenge, he spent a remarkable nine years in sole charge of Sweden so has vast experience of Managing on the International scene. Lagerback has been through successful and unsuccessful qualifying campaigns and that is an experience that should help the young Welsh side, he could be the ideal man to nurture the young talent in the squad as they look to finally end their long Major Championship drought. If he does take the job he will need to make sure he get the best out of Gareth Bale while bringing through the younger talent like Aaron Ramsey, it is a mouth watering prospect over the next few years especially with two huge games against England on the horizon.

Outside of Lagerback the betting is telling us that Chris Coleman is the other major contender, the former Coventry Manager has made it clear he is interested the job and he looks to be the best of the home grown candidates on the current list of contenders. He has had mixed success as a Manager with several different jobs on his CV but as the betting suggests he is a real contender should Lagerback turn away from the challenge.

Outside of Steve Clarke the next obvious choice here is Michael O’Neill who has been so successful over in Ireland in charge of Shamrock Rovers, O’Neill is a favourite with the Easter Road faithful having had a successful spell as a player at the club in the mid 90′s. Shamrock are on course for the their first League title in some time with O’Neill given the credit for their revival, he is sure to see Hibs as an attractive option as he looks to kick his career onto a higher level in Scotland. O’Neill does not have a large amount of experience as a Manager but he does know Scottish football well having played in the league as well as having a stint as Brechin City Manager following his retirement as a player a few years ago.

Another name on the shortlist according to the bookmakers is Paul Hart who has been going through jobs like socks in recent years, Hart has had stints at Portsmouth, QPR and Crystal Palace in recent times and clearly is trying his best to make his name as a Manager. He has good experience as a Manager in a pressure situation which should be in his favour but his record is mixed at best and he would not be the most popular appointment with the fans, nevertheless the bookmakers believe he is a genuine contender and is sure to be talked about by the Hibs board over the coming days.

The sensible money here has to be with Michael O’Neill with Shamrock Rovers unlikely to be able to hold onto their up and coming young Manager, O’Neill knows the club inside out and should have no problem pleasing the fans if he is appointed as the new Hibs Manager. It would be a step up for O’Neill though as he feels the pressure of the SPL, any new Manager will need to turn the teams fortunes around asap, they have struggled so far this season and will need to start getting some wins on the board to start climbing the table.

Next Hibernian Manager Odds with VC Bet.com - 08/10/2010

Steve Clarke – Evens
Michael O’Neill – 2/1
Paul Hart – 10/3
Jimmy Calderwood – 7/1
Pat Fenlon – 10/1
Tony Mowbray – 10/1
Billy Reid – 11/1
Derek McInnes – 12/1
Gus McPherson – 12/1
Craig Brown – 12/1
Derek Adams – 12/1
Nevio Scala – 12/1
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All markets supplied by Victor Chandler

As a result of that defeat the bookies have slashed the odds about Hodgson being the next Premier League Manager for the high jump and this morning he is as short as the 11/4 favourite with Paddy Power in that market, the bookies are rarely wrong here and despite the fact that Liverpool historically don’t sack Managers the club is clear struggling both on and off the pitch. Hodgson will point to the fact that his hands are tied by the trouble with the owners but in truth the 11 players on the pitch are more than good enough to be in the top half of the table, it is more to do with that fact that they are simply not performing to anywhere near their best at the moment.

Hodgson it appears is struggling to manage the players he does have whether they are good enough or not, Fernando Torres is out-of-form and now injured again after coming off against Blackpool while Joe Cole has been a shadow of his best form over the first few games for his new club. Add to that the dilemmas around Ryan Babel, Raul Meireles and Milan Jovanovic and Hodgson has been left scratching his head about what formation to play and where to play his so-called better players. Meireles for instance we know is a world class player but since arriving from Porto he has been moved all around the midfield, and at the moment he is not showing the kind of form we know he can produce and that Liverpool so dearly need at the moment.

Hodgson is far too experienced to press the panic button at the moment, but at the same time he is now at a big club and with that comes the extra pressure that perhaps he was not used to at Fulham last season. The fans are starting to get twitchy and with the likes of Martin O’Neill and Kenny Dalglish waiting in the wings there is just some suggestion that Hodgson could be replaced if things do not start to pick up soon. As fate would have it Liverpool’s next match is against rivals Everton who themselves are struggling, a poor result and performance against their City rivals will only serve to crank up the heat on Hodgson which is growing by the day at the moment.

NEXT PREMIER LEAGUE MANAGER TO BE SACKED ODDS WITH Paddy Power – 04/10/2010

R Hodgson – 11/4
R Martinez – 7/2
A Grant – 9/2
D Moyes – 11/2
C Hughton – 15/2
R Mancini – 15/2
A McLeish – 20/1
M McCarthy – 25/1
S Bruce – 28/1
S Allardyce – 33/1
M Hughes – 33/1
G Houllier – 33/1
R Di Matteo – 40/1
O Coyle – 40/1
T Pulis – 40/1
Sir A Ferguson – 40/1
I Holloway – 50/1
H Redknapp – 50/1
C Ancelotti – 80/1
A Wenger – 80/1

Market supplied by Paddy Power.com

Ferguson will point towards bad luck for his teams poor start to the season, the team were 3-1 up at Burnley last weekend with ten minutes to go and contrived to concede three goals and lose the game and it is hard to blame the Manager in a situation like that. That will have knocked the teams confidence and they followed that up with a home defeat to newly promoted Norwich, all of that means they sit just above Portsmouth in the table and Ferguson feeling the heat as we really start to get into the meat of the Campaign.

Ferguson will not want to panic at the moment but will need this poor run to end as soon as possible, he may or may not take some comfort in the fact that he is not the only Championship Manager under pressure so early in the season with a number of big names looking over their shoulders. The Next Championship Manager To Be Sacked Betting is showing that the likes of Billy Davies are by no means secure in their positions, Davies has made it clear that he feels his squad is not strong enough to maintain a promotion challenge and at the moment he looks right with Notts Forest languishing in the bottom half. Forest went close to promotion last season but so far they have not been able to replicate that form with a thin squad, there is clearly no money there and the Sack Race feels he could be excellent value in this market.

The next Championship Manager To be sacked Betting is a market that is really hotting up this season with the pressure on the Managers at an all time high, the number of teams looking to lead their teams to the Premier League is bigger than ever meaning that many of them will fall short of their goals and will find themselves in hot water.

Next Championship Manager to be Sacked Odds with VC Bet as of 20/09/2010 – Click to Bet

Darren Ferguson 5/2
Keith Millen 9/4
Paulo Sousa 6/1
Billy Davies 6/1
Gordon Strachan 6/1
Nigel Clough 9/1
Steve Cotterill 9/1
Nigel Pearson 12/1
Gary Speed 12/1
George Burley 14/1
Nigel Clough 14/1
Brian McDermott 14/1
Simon Grayson 16/1
Aidy Boothroyd 18/1
Mark Robins 18/1
Kenny Jackett 20/1
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All betting markets supplied by Victor Chandler

John Toshack looked a broken man after the defeat on Friday night and in truth he has struggled to take the team forward since taking charge for the second time in 2004, he has been talking about bringing through the younger crop for some time now but the results on the pitch have failed to improve. The former Liverpool Striker now appears to have decided he cannot take the team forward and has decided to resign, there are some bright talents in the team and any new Manager will need to get the best out of them during the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.

Brian Flynn is the favourite for the job but there is also some feeling that a younger man should be brought into revitalise the squad in the same way that Mark Hughes did a few years ago, if that is the direction the FAW go in then the two obvious candidates would be Chris Coleman and Ryan Giggs. Both of these feature near the top of the betting with Giggs in particular the name of interest, he is of course a legend of Welsh football and if he has half an eye on Management then he may see this is as a good starting point. At the moment though Giggs is still playing at the highest level with Man United and it seems highly unlikely that he would have the time or desire to take on the role part-time, Sir Alex Ferguson is also likely to have some reservations about one of his star players spending so much time away.

Chris Coleman looks to be the value in this market at the moment, he is out of work at the moment after leaving Coventry at the end of last season and would surely be interested in the job having represented his Country with some pride. He is a respected and young Manager despite having mixed success during his career so far as a Manager, he may be able to get the best out of the younger players like Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale who are the future of the squad. It will be a tough job for whoever is appointed as they look to make a Major tournament for the first time in years, but there is the small matter of two games against England coming up which are sure to raise the pulses of Welsh fans and players.

Next Permanent Wales Manger Betting with VC Bet as of 07/09/2010 – Click to Bet

Brian Flynn 2/1
Chris Coleman 7/2
Ryan Giggs 6/1
Ian Rush 10/1
Dean Saunders 10/1
Phillipe Troussier 12/1
Paul Trollope 16/1
Gary Speed 16/1
Simon Davey 20/1
Tony Pulis 20/1
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All markets are supplied by Victor Chandler

The Blades produced an awful display on Saturday against QPR which led to the sacking of Kevin Blackwell and Speed will have a tough task on his hands to pick up the players if he is the man to get the job. The bookmakers certainly believe Speed is the man in pole position with the Next Sheffield United Manager Betting hotting up over the weekend. Speed is the odds-on favourite to be appointed and we are expecting movement over the next couple of days, The Blades stopped Speed from going to Swansea in the Summer as Manager so they must surely believe they own the coach a crack at the top job at Bramall Lane.

At this stage there is no doubting that Speed is in the driving seat for the job but there are a number of other Managers in with a chance according to the latest betting with SkyBet, Phil Brown is another one that is featuring in the market and the former Hull Manager is likely to be interested in the role. Brown would be a more experienced choice to Speed if The Blades decide to go down that route while as always with these vacancies in the Championship sen O’Driscoll at Doncaster is being linked with a move. He has done a cracking job at the Keepmoat Stadium and has long been touted for a move to a potentially bigger club.

At this stage though the Sack Race understands that the job is a s good as Gary Speed’s, he is the common sense appointment as the club look to steady the ship and get the team back on track with a long season still ahead of them with just two games played.

Next Sheffield United Manager Odds with SkyBetcom - 16/08/2010

G Speed – 1/3
P Brown – 4/1
S O’Driscoll – 8/1
G Southgate – 12/1
P Jewell – 12/1
G Poyet – 16/1
S Tilson – 20/1
P Peschisolido – 20/1
A Curbishley – 25/1
D Saunders – 25/1
C Short – 25/1
A Cork – 25/1
D O’Leary – 33/1
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All Markets are supplied by SkyBet.com