Coral’s boss watch: Which managers will survive the summer?
Published:
Holly Thackeray | May 9, 2016
As Premier League fans know, as spring turns to summer, the end of the season can be a dangerous time for gaffers in the English top-flight.
Coaching culls are common place, so Coral present a range of special bets, as we consider who will cling on to their jobs and still be in charge for the start of the 2016/17 campaign…
Lucky Louis?
Coral still have the most likely managerial outcome for Louis van Gaal as odds-on at 1/4 not be in the Manchester United hotseat come the first day of the next Premier League season.
Yet, Manchester City’s weekend stumble against Arsenal has taken the top four race out of their hands. Man Utd now have momentum and a match in hand to make up the two point gap (and a swing of 17 in goal difference). Gaining the last Champions League place, as well as a potential FA Cup trophy, and the Dutchman’s dugout position may not look so untenable.
So, before it goes down to the wire, why not get ahead of the crowd and take a 5/2 punt for Van Gaal to still be in charge at Old Trafford on the opening day of the 2016/15 term.
Mourinho’s coaching carousel
Of course, the status of Van Gaal in Manchester brings us neatly onto his former protege Jose Mourinho, whose link to the Red Devils job provides the papers with several different stories per day.
The Special One is 1/3 for Man Utd to be his next club, but if punters fancy a better value flutter, and subscribe to the theory that Van Gaal could still save his bacon, there are other options worth a punt for the Portuguese’s next position.
Among Coral’s cracking specials here, customers can get a price of 13/10 for his latest pit-stop to be Ligue 1 champions PSG, with rumours previously rife that the Parisians were keen on a coaching change.
While, there is just one more matchweek left in which Mourinho’s former team Real Madrid can overtake Barcelona for the Liga crown, making the ex-Los Blancos boss 16/1 for a Bernabeu return. Speaking of old flames, Inter Milan look set to finish a disappointing fourth in Serie A under Roberto Mancini, so are also in with a 25/1 shout to tempt Mourinho back to Italy.
If Mourinho must wait for his next lucrative offer, however, there are outside shots for the controversial coach to tread water first at any MLS club (66/1), or any Chinese team (33/1) with plenty of his old favourites now playing abroad in these cash-flush leagues.
Alternatively, with Euro 2016 coming up, and international tournaments always ripe for tactician reshuffles, England (20/1) and Portugal (50/1) could be stations prime for a Special One post competition.
Wenger Emirates exit in line?
Despite being the current longest-serving coach in the Premier League, there has been fan unrest at yet another Arsenal capitulation this campaign, making Arsene Wenger an intriguing 10/3 not to be in charge for the opening game of 2016/17.
A trophy-less term can make any top team tactician vulnerable, with Wenger no exception. Yet, a weekend comeback that showed just what the Gunners are capable of against Man City, sees the Frenchman’s 1/5 odds of still being in north London next season look more plausible. So, if you believe Arsenal to be a cautious club, back them to stick with their boss.
Reshuffles elsewhere?
Aside from the elite, there is still plenty of gaffer gossip going around the rumour mill, with Coral already having had their say on Roberto Martinez and Quique Sanchez Flores’ futures.
Catalan coach Martinez is now an 11/4 outsider to still be in his post after summer, with Everton having severely underwhelmed and 12th looking like their finishing Premier League position after another defeat at the weekend to Leicester City.
The ex-Wigan Athletic boss is now 1/4 for the axe, though reasons why Sanchez Flores should be given the boot by Watford’s trigger-happy Italian owners are less clear.
Despite a poor recent run which has left the Spaniard odds-on at 2/9 to not be in charge for next term, the new boys the Hornets could compound their FA Cup semi-final appearance achievement by finishing 13th, just behind the Toffees. Realistically this should make Sanchez Flores tempting at 3/1 to stay put, but the Premier League is a callous place for coaches…
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