Just a short post to keep the site updated, so people don't think I've fallen off the face of the Earth...
I love Next Manager markets on Betfair, the fluctuations are all based on hearsay and rumours, so the moves can be quite volatile, which is also due to limited liquidity available too. Let's look at some of the logic behind the key men in the market:
Sven-Goran Eriksson: High 13, Low 2.0, current 3.0
One of the biggest media tarts there is, throws his hat in the ring every time a job comes up which might pay plenty. Did a decent job at Man City, but since then has been more of a comedy act. Still, it would be funny to give more ammunition to the funny people behind Special1TV.
Bob Bradley: High 15, Low 4.0, Current 6.6
He's American, the owner's American, so therefore he must want him for the job... Can't see it personally, would be a huge step up from anything he has done in the past, and I could only see it devaluing the club - which the owner would recognise as a bad move.
Gareth Southgate: High 40, Low 7, Current 20
Ex-Villa player, did OK at Middlesbrough with limited resources. Very few managers excel at their first appointment, did enough to show he has talent at the caper, but would he be better off going to the Championship for a while and proving himself?
Jurgen Klinsmann: High 30, Low 8, Current 16
Has played in the Premier League, was manager of the German national team for a while as well as Bayern Munich, and has spent plenty of time in the US, so should be known to the owner. Could do worse.
Martin Jol: High 42, Low 7.6, Current 25
Just pledged his allegiance to Ajax after almost taking the Fulham job, so why would he do an about-turn just a couple of weeks later?
Kevin McDonald: High 50, Low 10, Current 14.5
Caretaker manager, so always in with a chance. Must admit I've never heard of him before so don't know how well regarded he is in coaching circles. Take note of Betfair's rules on these markets -
an individual appointed by Aston Villa FC on an ‘interim’, ‘caretaker’, ‘temporary’ (including an appointment described as ‘to the end of the season’) or similar basis who remains manager in that capacity for at least 10 completed consecutive English League games (including over the course of more than a single season), will be considered to have been appointed as the next first team manager for the purpose of this market and Betfair will settle the market accordingly on that person.
I'd be surprised if AVFC took that long to appoint someone, but you never know.
Mark Hughes: High 75, Low 14, Current 20
Just appointed at Fulham, why on earth would he leave before the season had even started?
Alan Curbishley: High 48, Low 4, Current 34
Highly-regarded back in his Charlton days but stocks have gone downhill since. Don't see him as one to pick up a top-half of the EPL job.
Slaven Bilic: High 70, Low 8, Current 60
Bigger media tart than Eriksson, throws his hat into the ring every time a decent job in Britain is available. And still yet to be taken seriously by any club.
Paul Lambert: High 120, Low 17, Current 24
Took Norwich to promotion from League 1 last season, has impressed in his time at Wycombe, Colchester and Norwich. Young manager on the way up.
And then there's the news this morning that Steve Coppell has quit Bristol city, thus his name has to go onto the list, at least for rumours.
So who will get it? I don't know, but I'll be busy trading the prices as the rrumours keep coming in...Posted byScott Fergusonat12:08
