Neil Lennon
Latest Odds: [3.0]
The Leicester legend is currently slumming it in the Championship with deeply indebted Bolton and everyone assumes he would leap at the chance to lead his former side in the Premier League. INdeed, the market has moved for him since opening, having traded at [8.0] he is now in to [3.0]. Lennon played 169 games for the Foxes between 1996 and 2000, winning a pair of League Cups, during the last Leicester City golden era and he has hardly damaged his managerial credentials since going into that sphere. The Northern Irishman’s four year stint as Celtic manager yielded plenty of domestic success, but the high point was arguably a 1-0 defeat of Barcelona in the Champions League.
Verdict: The very plausible early favourite, and still a bit of juice in the price if you are convinced…
Sam Allardyce
Latest Odds: [6.4]
Have Big Sam’s batteries got enough juice for another managerial job yet? This is what he said after leaving West Ham on the final day of the Premier League season: “It’s time to have that break. I’m looking to have a break, recharge the batteries and when the batteries are recharged you are better prepared to carry on doing the job at this level.
That suggests the big man is ready for a big stint in his no doubt very big chair. But he did add the dreaded ‘never say never’ rider so who knows?
Allardyce offers direction and plenty of top-flight knowhow but there are doubts here…
Verdict: Easy to see why the market hasn’t written him off
Sean Dyche
Latest Odds: [12.5]Nearly did something quite wonderful with Burnley last season but wasn’t able to squeeze wins out when they were needed and it was back to The Championship for the Lancashire side. Is that going to be enough to sway the owners to take a chance on Dyche? Doubtful.
Verdict: Not convinced I’m afraid
Roberto Di Matteo
Latest Odds: [13.0]If the owners are after a bit of high-class European glamourwith knowledge of the English game then Bobby DM will walk into the role. In truth a little of the gloss has worn off Di Matteo’s immaculate coat since the undoubted high of lifting the Champions League with Chelsea in 2012. He was sacked by the Blues, and then resigned from his most recent job at Schalke after failing to get the German side into next season’s Champions League.
Verdict: A lively outsider if the owners look beyond the British and Irish contingent
Steve Cotterill
Latest Odds: [15.0]The much-travelled Cotterill is fifth favourite thanks to his sterling work at Bristol City who won the 2014-15 League One title with a 99 point total, losing just five games all season. The 50-year-old doesn’t have loads of experience at the highest level, however, with a spell as assistant to Howard Wilkinson during Sunderland’s miserable 2002-03 Premiership relegation campaign his sole time in the top-flight. That will surely mitigate against Cotterill and it’s easy to see the Foxes hierarchy moving for a bigger name.
Verdict: In a word, unlikely
Martin O’Neill
Latest Odds: [17.5]While Lennon was doing the business on the pitch, O’Neill was masterminding from the sidelines. The Northern Irishman swapped Filbert Street for Celtic Park in 2000 for a similarly golden spell, including a first European final for the Hoops since 1970. Fortunes successively declined after that with Aston Villa and then Sunderland. Currently managing the Republic of Ireland in their very competitive Euro 2016 qualification campaign and it’s tough to envisage him leaving them in the lurch.
Verdict: The romantic’s choice but there are barriers to an O’Neill return
Note: Not entirely convinced by the early prices on Ian Holloway (10/1 for a Premier League comeback!) and Guus Hiddink so have left them off this briefing!
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