Betting guide: The Premiership Sack Race

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21st, September 2006

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It’s about this time of year that betting for the Premiership Sack Race heats up. There have been enough games now to get a feel for which teams are struggling. Current favourite to get the boot first is Man City’s Stuart Pearce (5-2fav with Paddy Power). Apart from a 1-0 win against Arsenal, City have had a dreadful start to the season, culminating in last night’s Carling Cup defeat by Chesterfield. Pearce insists he can cope with the pressure, but if City’s form doesn’t improve fast, he’ll surely be shown the door before we reach November.

Betting guide: The Premiership Sack Race continued…

Second favourite in this market is Big Sam Allardyce (11-4) –
not because Bolton have made a poor start, but off the back of his being
targeted by the Panorama bung investigation. However, I think Sam will
get through this. No one in Bolton wants him to leave the club, and the BBC
produced no hard evidence against him. He should survive.

My tip would have to be Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder, currently third favourite at 5-1.
Roeder will never be the sort of manager who wins the hearts of fans,
and Newcastle look set to have another up-and-down season. Shay Given’s
bowel injury (he’ll be out for at least six weeks) hasn’t helped the Geordie
cause – Given is an outstanding keeper and his performances regularly win Newcastle points. Back Roeder at 5s with a saver on Alan Pardew at 10-1 – something is not right with Pardew & West Ham at the moment, and I sense Pardew is an unhappy Hammer.

Jose Mourinho is a surprisingly short 33-1 to be the first Prem manager to leave his position, some way off the rank outsiders (Arsene Wenger and Rafa Benitez, both 66-1). On paper, Mourinho’s job is safer than any of his managerial rivals, but the bookies are no doubt wary of his volatile temperament.

[Ollie, Pies Ed.]

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