Four potential casualties in the next Premier League manager to go betting
Published:
Jamie Clark, Sports Editor | August 29, 2016
We may be entering the international break, but there’s the burning question of who’s at risk of losing their job, according to the next Premier League manager to go betting?
All 20 top-flight teams have now played three games, with the current bottom six all yet to win. Which bosses need to keep glancing over their shoulders then?
Coral football writers assess the state of this market, which always attracts plenty of interest, and identify four potential casualties in the sack race…
Alan Pardew
Crystal Palace are now 3/1 to be relegated with just a single point picked up from nine on offer, and Eagles boss Pardew has spent more than £50m on strengthening the Selhurst Park squad.
While over half of those transfer fees went on Belgium frontman Christian Benteke, Palace have lost some of their more mobile attacking options to other clubs – selling striker Dwight Gayle to Newcastle United (£10m) and leggy winger Yannick Bolasie to Everton (£25m).
Pardew odds in the next Premier League manager to go betting have been lengthened to 6/1 (from 5/1), despite the Eagles’ winless start. The American investors in Palace will be expecting results to pick up as we enter autumn, however, and if they don’t then pressure will mount.
Making sure there are no further departures, most notably Wilfried Zaha who has been linked to Tottenham for £15m, should help to shore things up at Selhurst. Pardew needs to get Palace playing to Benteke’s strengths quickly, with fellow new face Andros Townsend a potential source of supply.
Francesco Guidolin
One of two Italian managers that should be feeling the heat, Swansea City head coach Guidolin saw the south Wales side beat Burnley on the opening day of the Premier League, but lose both subsequent outings.
The Swans’ striker struggles seem to be continuing, with record signing Borja Baston out injured until after the international break and Fernando Llorente taking longing than anticipated to find his feet.
Luckily, Dutch midfielder Leroy Fer has chipped in with a couple of goals now that he’s made his loan spell at the Liberty Stadium into a permanent move, but Guidolin needs more from his Spanish signings up top.
Cashing in on Ghana forward Andre Ayew and Wales centre back Ashley Williams has certainly weakened this team at opposite ends of the pitch. Swansea are now 3/1 for the drop and Guidolin remains 7/2 to be the next gaffer to go.
Claude Puel
Southampton have two draws and a defeat in Premier League action under yet another new manager in French coach Puel, and the south coast side’s status as a selling club continued this summer.
High-profile departures from St Mary’s include attacking pair Sadio Mane and Graziano Pelle, so it finally seems as though maintaining themselves as a top-flight team might be a challenge.
What’s worrying is more Saints exits could still be on the cards. Captain Jose Fonte continues to be linked with Manchester United and forward Jay Rodriguez is reportedly wanted by the likes of Hull City and West Bromwich Albion, who could turn out to be relegation rivals.
Puel’s position is already becoming precarious, with his 9/1 odds to go next an indicator of the potentially perilous job prospects he faces at 14/1 relegation chances Southampton.
Walter Mazzarri
And now onto the other Italian boss under pressure. Former Napoli and Inter Milan manager Mazzarri loves playing with a back three, but it’s a system that is yet to yield victory in league or cup for Watford.
The Hornets have scored in all their competitive outings this term, but the 3-5-2 formation has left them open to the opposition doing likewise. If results don’t improve, well owners the Pozzo family have sacked other coaches.
With Watford in that difficult second season of their current Premier League stint, and 2/1 to go down, Mazzarri must incorporate £50m worth of new signings. These include effectively a new back four, but he must also still keep a system that suits the successful Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo strike partnership of last term.
If he fails to do so, then Mazzarri’s price of 3/1 (cut from 9/2) in the next Premier League manager to go betting is certainly appealing.
Related
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