Heads on the block in sack race

Once renowned for being fat and round and bouncing on the ground Sammy Lee was nonetheless an Anfield favourite during his playing days. His fledgling managerial career, however, is not winning such bonhomie among Bolton fans and after two defeats in his first two matches the amiable Liverpudlian is leading the dreaded sack race. Sporting Odds make the Trotters' boss 3/1 favourite to be the first to walk the plank after Bolton lost 2-1 at Fulham on Wednesday night and with an away trip to Portsmouth their next engagement followed by subsequent visits from Reading and Everton, it is hard to see where the points are going to come from. It was always going to be an onerous task to replace the overachieving Sam Allardyce but after such a poor start even at this early stage Lee's odds look decidedly, well, fat. Lee has been handed the ticking bomb by former favourite for the chop and current 4/1 shot Chris Hutchins, whose Wigan side scrambled a 1-0 win at home against Middlesbrough. Indeed Boro boss Gareth Southgate has to be feeling twitchy after watching his side come undone for the second consecutive match against most people's relegation certainties. The blow of losing Mark Viduka has hardly been cushioned by the arrivals of Jérémie Aliadière and Luke Young and with Yakubu by no means certain of seeing out the month in a Boro shirt the 12/1, which has now come in to 9/1 about the former England defender taking the first bullet, will not stay that price for long. He might be spared the ignominy of being the first to walk by chairman Steve Gibson, whose faith in his managers can border on the blind. The same benevolence, however, cannot be expected of Daniel Levy at Tottenham, after enabling Martin Jol to spend around £100m on a side that are effectively already out of the title race. While it is true that the Dutchman has made many long-term investments by buying young players, patience is wearing thin among Spurs supporters, who have witnessed defeats against newly-promoted Sunderland and Everton and, barring a sudden transformation, will struggle to see their side come anywhere near the fifth place reached in the last two seasons. Any more slip-ups and the board will have to start having serious discussions - which makes Derby County this weekend a must-win game. It is a match that must be confronted without the now injured Dimitar Berbatov and a defence about as credible as OJ Simpson. Manchester United, Fulham and Arsenal will be rubbing their hands at the prospect of soon feasting upon a rearguard already minus Ledley King and which has now also been deprived of Younes Kaboul, who is out for a month. Funnily enough Spurs' next match after that tricky run of games is Bolton away and if both Lee and Jol are still in situ by then the result could well decide who wins the sack race. The Spurs boss has already tumbled from 33/1 to 8/1 and that is an offer that is too good to miss. Verdict: 2pts Jol to be the first Premier League manager to leave his post @ 8/1 (Sporting Odds); 1pt Sammy Lee @ 3/1 (Sporting Odds). SportingOdds are offering all new customers £100 worth of free bets. Click here and open an account today. SportingOdds is interactive, instant, bringing you the fun and excitement of a revolutionary way of betting. SportingOdds aim to provide you with an unrivalled in running service, coupled with a comprehensive range of betting opportunities. With a blend of best prices, mass in-play coverage and various customer incentives, SportingOdds is a favourite with punters from Dundee to Dover.