Premier League Sack Race

When I was a child I remember being delighted because I won the sack race on our schools sportsday, but this particular sack race is one that nobody wants to win, the one in which a manager will be first to leave his job.

Southampton boss Nigel Adkins is the 6/1 (Blue Sq/888 Sport) favourite to be the first manager to leave his job this season. Despite two successive promotions it is thought that some members of the board are not convinced that Adkins is the right man to lead the club to the heights of the Premier League. Adkins will not be helped by the tough start Southampton face, an away trip to Man City on day one is followed by a home game with Wigan and then a home game with Man Utd. If the Saints look to be struggling to adjust to life in the top flight then the board might have the excuse to replace Adkins.

Three managers are then priced at 8/1 with Swansea boss Michael Laudrup one such manager. The Dane faces a difficult task to replace Brendan Rodgers and his record in management is very hit and miss. Laudrup is also known to have a record of walking out of clubs when it is not going well. One thing in his favour though is that he inherits a good squad and a nice set of fixtures to ease himself into the job. If you think Laudrup will be first to go take the 8/1 (paddy Power/ladbrokes).

Also 8/1 (general) is new West Brom boss Steve Clarke who is in his first solo spell in charge of a club and may struggle to match the achievements of Roy Hodgson. The fixture list has handed West Brom some difficult opening games and the Baggies won just three of their last 11 league games last season.

Sam Allardyce is also 8/1 (paddy Power) and he has struggled to get West Ham fans on side during his spell in charge. West Ham will not just be happy to be back in the Premier League and Allardyce and his men must hit the ground running. With West Ham legend Harry Redknapp out of work Big Sam will feel the pressure from day one.

Roberto Di Matteo is 12/1 (general) and any Chelsea boss is always at risk under owner Roman Abramovich, but the side looked more together over the last few months of the season and a kind start of fixtures will help the Italian to be eased in. QPR boss Mark Hughes is also 12/1 (general) after a summer of transfer activity the club look they will have a better season. Owner Tony Fernandez has invested too much in this project to stand by if QPR have a slow start and Hughes must deliver from the off.

Tony Pulis is 14/1 (Bodog) and although I expect Stoke to struggle this season the manager does have a good relationship with the chairman which should see give him plenty of time. Reading boss Brian McDermott is 16/1 (general) though he should have plenty of time to get things right at the top level. Roberto Martinez is also 16/1 (general) which is a price that makes no appeal. If owner Dave Whelan did not sack him last season when they were far adrift, he will not sack him now.

My advice is to try small stakes on Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill at 40/1 (Stan James). The club have been slow to splash the cash this summer and the Northern Irishman is a volatile character who has walked out of teams before. Remember the market is dubbed the sack race, but it really is next manager to leave by any means.

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19/08/2012     © Frixo 2024