Football odds: Newcastle markets

No matter which way you look at it, Kevin Keegan could have done without the publicity surrounding Dennis Wise's appointment as a Newcastle Executive Director. Did Keegan know? Who reports to who? Is Wise an insurance policy? Until results improve on the pitch the 7/1 about Wise to become the next Toon boss looks real value.

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Keegan has a history of walking out if the going gets too tough and a start to his time in charge that has seen just two shots on target in three games indicates that the going is already beyond tough and punters were queueing up to back Keegan to be the next Premier League manager to leave his current position after the 3-0 defeat at Arsenal.

His price was slashed in the sack race from 40/1 to 10/1 and he was cut to 7/2 from 9/2 to no longer be with United at the end of 2008. Boyles already make King Kev 4/7 favourite to leave St James's Park before Wise does.

Leeds wasted no time in replacing Wise, bringing in fans favourite Gary McAllister on a contract until the end of the season. William Hill responded by going only 13/8 that he leaves Elland Road this year. McAllister's appointment was no surprise – he was as short as 7/4 with Ladbrokes when the next Leeds manager market opened on Monday after Wise's departure and a best-priced 4/1 with Hills.

The entertaining football that Kegan promised the Geordie fans is a still a long way off and with no transfers in the January window Keegan is going to find it hard to get the players performing in the style that he, and the fans, crave. William Hill offer just 15/8 that Newcastle fans will have to wait for more than another five matches before their first win under Keegan. With Michael Owen looking a shadow of his former self, the same firm also offer 33/1 that the Magpies will fail to score in any of their next five matches.

"The wait for Godot is looking short compared to the wait for a Kevin Keegan win or goal," said William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe.

"Punters and Newcastle fans are already becoming impatient with the lack of impact the footballing Messiah has had - and, since the arrival of Dennis Wise to look over Kevin's shoulder, we are seeing more and more interest in our odds of 2/1 that Keegan won't be manager on the last day of 2008."

Newcastle are now 2/5 with Hills to finish in the bottom half of the table and 7/4 to end up in the top half.

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