NEXT WEST HAM MANAGER BETTING ODDS SHOW AVRAM GRANT AS HEAVY FAVOURITE

As the Premiership season officially draws to a close, it is more or less confirmed that Gianfranco Zola is leaving West Ham after just barely clinging to their status in the English top flight. Avram Grant, who endured a nightmare season to end all nightmare seasons at Portsmouth, will likely be appointed the next West Ham manager according to most UK bookmakers.

Top bookie William Hill has priced Avram Grant at an odds-on price of 1/2 to be named next permanent Wesr Ham manager. I can’t see the Israeli hanging around Portsmouth after their FA Cup Final date and I think that he may be a decent fit for West Ham who will be looking for more of a steady-Eddie type than some form of messiah-like fan-favourite that Zola was supposed to be.
Mark Hughes definitely remains in the reckoning and he’s priced at 9/4 to be named next West Ham manager- still very plausible but definitely not as heavily-favoured as Avram Grant. Personally, I think that Hughes has his eye on the Aston Villa job which may become vacant if Rafa Benitez sets off a chain reaction of managerial shuffles by leaving Liverpool. Martin O’Neill is likely to move to Merseyside if the position becomes available and Hughes would likely try to slot into the Villa position.
Slaven Bilic will forever be linked to the West Ham managerial gig and you’ll find him priced at a plausible 4/1 listing. While he is definitely going to be popular wherever he goes, I do think that West Ham are looking for somebody a bit more solid with demonstrated Premier League managerial acumen- not a guy who plays in a rock band and has his ex-wife’s name tattooed on his body.
Alex McLeish is listed at 8/1, but I don’t think he’s going anywhere. Glen Hoddle, Alan Pardew and Alan Curbishly trade alongside Martin Jol, who is an interesting outside bet. You’ll also find Dave Jones at 10/1. I think Jol is the pick of the crop there.
If you really want to push all-in on this one, why not back Paolo Di Canio to make his managerial debut with the Hammers. Again, he’s that fan-favourite flashy name type that the fans might want but the new owners will probably try to avoid. Di Canio is listed at a 20/1 price.
I think Grant is the likeliest candidate, but what if he decides to stay if Pompey wind up sneaking the FA Cup trophy? Hughes may have other destinations in mind, so I would expect a bit of fluctuation in this market as we get closer to the break before the World Cup.