NEXT MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER BETTING

We've all suspected for quite some time that the special one, Jose Mourinho, would venture back to England for another go at management in the English Premier League. In a recent interview with the Daily Mirror, Mourinho has cast the door wide open and seemingly issued a "come and get me plea" to Manchester United once Sir Alex Ferguson retires. Betfair has had a market open on this for quite some time and while there are a veritable slew of different options on the list including Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Fabio Capello and Darren Ferguson, there are only three reasonably-priced options and I still think that only one of them matches up against Sir Fergie in terms of tactics, tact and temperament- and he's Portuguese. Martin O'Neill and David Moyes are both solid candidates and are considered some of the best managers in the British Isles. Both have done wonders for their teams and Moyes even managed to get his side to the precipice of the Champions League, albeit with a negative goal difference. You'll find O'Neill as the slightly more likely candidate at a 9.2 price compared to Moyes 9.6 listing. Mourinho, however, is currently trading at 4.7. The United position is one of the few that hasn't been changed for several decades and it will require a talismanic presence to live up to expectations. The shadow of Sir Alex will forever be cast over that stadium and that team and I think that only Jose Mourinho has the stature and arrogance to step into that position and not be phased in the slightest. I think the timing of the two occurrences are shaping up quite nicely as well. Fergie will likely manage this year and next year and I think he'll enjoy stepping down before his 70th birthday. He may slot into a director of football role or merely sit on the board. But Mourinho is clearly the man to manage Manchester United and I suggest you get in there and back him now. Unless Darren Ferguson somehow wins the FA Cup this year, I don't think it's going to pan out any other way.