RAFA BENITEZ SACK RACE LATEST ODDS

After dropping two massive points to Premiership strugglers Wolves, Rafa Benitez continues to walk a very tricky tightrope. A number of top bookmakers have listed odds on Rafa’s impending departure- a fact that could be exacerbated by the recent attention coming his way from Italian side Juventus. Now that Benitez has an out, and it is becoming increasingly clear that he may have lost the dressing room, we may see a departure before the end of the season. In fact, Skybet considers that he favoured outcome for Rafa Benitez.
Rafa Benitez odds to leave Liverpool by the end of the 2009/10 Premiership season are a solid 6/4. Should he leave between June 2010 and December 2010 you’ve got an 11/4 payout. If he leaves in the second half of next season, you’re looking at 3/1- that’s the same price as if he chooses to stay and remains at Liverpool after the 2011 Premiership campaign.
Currently, the only Premier League manager more likely to be out the door is West Ham’s Gianfranco Zola. I don’t think Zola will be going anywhere soon, unless they are relegated, but he’s popular with the fans and the Premiership in general. If the Hammers stay up, Zola goes nowhere. Many will think that the takeover from David Sullivan and David Gold may mean a clear-out, but I think they’re more focused on survival at this point and sacking Zola would be out of the question. He trades at 7/4 to be the next one out.
Rafael Benitez is listed at 11/4 with Skybet to be the next Premiership Manager to leave or be sacked. Sam Allardyce trades at 4/1 while Hull City’s venerable Phil Brown can be backed at 6/1. Pompey’s Avram Grant trades at 8/1, but I don’t think he’s going anywhere.
In terms of who will replace Benitez should he go, Jose Mourinho and Kenny Dalglish are the current betting favourites at 3/1 while Guus Hiddink remains the only other majorly viable option at 10/3. Rumours are swirling that he was already offered the position by Tom Hicks’ men. Gerard Houllier is 10/1 while Marcelo Lippi trades at 16/1. Frank Rijkaard can be backed at a 20/1 price.