Pardew Hammering Leaves Curbishley in Contention

As mooted in our November article which discussed the uncertain prospects for Alan Pardew after the Icelandic takeover fronted by Eggert Magnusson, Pardew has indeed walked the plank, even ahead of Glenn Roeder of Newcastle United, ironically also a man with a rocky Hammers history.

Can anyone really be surprised? Even before the recent run of woeful performances, West Ham's position in the league at the time of the takeover was precarious. With a new broom installed, and no matter what kindly words of encouragement are uttered by said broom, history shows that a couple of boardroom meetings can change everything.

Furthermore, the money in the Premiership going forward is so vast that relegation is not an option. Like the Charlton Athletic Board of Directors last month, the West Ham Board has seen the headlights and panicked. Like Charlton Athletic FC, West Ham United FC has in the past employed Iain Dowie and Alan Curbishley. Both of these individuals are now on the bookmakers' lists for next West Ham manager, albeit at different expectations.

In fact the list of candidates on the bookies' tissue is as long as the electoral roll with a wide choice of "top" foreign coaches (including a certain ex-England manager) mixed in amongst the usual riders of the English management carousel.

This is how the odds are looking at the time of writing a few hours after the dismissal of Alan Pardew:

Alan Curbishley: 4/6 (Paddy Power, BetDirect, Coral);
Sven Goran-Eriksson: 6/1 (Bet365)
Gianluca Vialli: 22/1 (Blue Square)
Ian Holloway: 22/1 (Blue Square)
Phil Scolari: 25/1 (Ladbrokes, Bet365, Skybet)
Paul Jewell: 25/1 (Ladbrokes)
Iain Dowie: 28/1 (Bet365)
Terry Venables: 28/1 (Paddy Power)

Amongst those in the list of odds at 33/1 or longer – a very long list indeed – are Ruud Gullit, Alan Shearer, Peter Taylor, Phil Parkinson, Bryan Robson, Paul Ince, Graeme Souness, Claudio Ranieri, David O'Leary and even Steve Coppell (about as solidly installed at another club as you can imagine). The wonder is that Sir Alex Ferguson doesn't figure in the bookmakers' lists!

The above odds also mask some wild differences in expectations. While the longest price for Paul Jewell is 25/1, as shown, Bet365 have him as short as 9/1. Likewise, Terry Venables is shown above at a long 28/1, he is as short as 8/1 at both Ladbrokes and coral.

Every bookie running a book here has Sven Goran Eriksson at no more than 6/1 yet, according to Sky Sports, he is quoted as saying he is not interested and has "other irons in the fire."

We suspect the pun was not intended!

Ed note: Make the best of the managerial merry-go-round by grabbing a free £25 bet when you open an account at Blue Square

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