The Championship Sack Race - Is This Manager Next? Odds, Predictions and Betting Tips
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The Championship Sack Race - Is This Manager Next? Odds, Predictions and Betting Tips

The Championship Sack Race - Is This Manager Next? Odds, Predictions and Betting Tips

Last weekend marked only the second sacking in the Championship as Will Still departed from his disaster spell on the south coast with Southampton, while the Premier League has already seen four sackings.

The only other manager to be relieved of his duties in the Championship so far has been Ruben Selles at Sheffield United, who was replaced by Chris Wilder (again) after his woeful time at Sheffield United. He managed to turn a title contender into relegation fodder in one summer, far from the manager he proved to be at Hull.

Being shown the door is becoming increasingly prevalent in English football, so with the Still sacking fresh in our minds, we thought we'd run through the Championship managerial sacking odds, and give you our predictions.

Liam Manning, Norwich City - 1.57

Speaking of being far from the manager they were last season, Manning's time at Norwich so far has been nothing short of dismal. Last season he led Bristol City to their first play-off finish since 2008 and, despite embarrassment at the hands of Sheffield United, was considered one of the best young managers in England, especially when you consider his positive stints at Oxford United and MK Dons.

Hailing from East Anglia, Manning opted to move back 'home' in his switch to Championship rivals Norwich, moving to a side who seemed more prepared to back him financially and allowed the opportunity to be closer to his family. Although he technically played for Ipswich as a 19-year old, he doesn't get nearly as much backlash as Marcelino Nunez for changing allegiences as he never actually made a professional appearance for the Tractor Boys.

The pressure is ever-increasing on Manning now, as Norwich have lost their last six games in a row in the midst of a nine-game winless streak. While most sides aim to make their home ground a fortress, Norwich still haven't earned a single point at Carrow Road this season. It's November. That's awful.

Martí Cifuentes, Leicester City - 3.25

Leicester have been very underwhelming considering the expectations of them this season, as well as how well their last spell in the Championship went. The Foxes are currently down in 14th and stuck in a losing rut, tasting defeat to Hull, Millwall and Blackburn in their last three games.

They've only won twice in their last 10, picking up five draws along the way, which is not the kind of form a side like Leicester need in this league, and certainly won't get them play-offs if they maintain it, let alone automatic promotion.

With that said, they are still only a handful of points off the top six, so a quick change in fortunes could keep Cifuentes in his job and see Leicester mount a charge to the top end of the table. Until then, though, his job is at risk.

Henrik Pedersen, Sheffield Wednesday - 13.00

Beyond the previous two, most other managers seem somewhat safe in their jobs. Nobody else is proving especially disappointing (besides Sheffield United, but sacking Wilder this early into his third stint at the club would be ridiculous), and several clubs are in fact achieving higher than their expectations at the moment.

If Pedersen were to get sacked it would be quite harsh when you look at the hand he's been dealt. To be picking up results at all is pretty impressive considering the terminal inconsistency at the club, and the damning points deduction for going into administration means they're pretty much destined for relegation.

That wouldn't necessarily be Pedersen's fault if they did go down, but with a new owner on the horizon, his job is at risk if they decide they want to take the club in a different direction.

Ryan Mason, West Bromwich Albion - 13.00

Baggies fans will be fearing that they are turning into a mid-table Championship club, and Ryan Mason doesn't really look like the solution to that problem right now.

After a collapse at the end of last season under Mowbray brought West Brom crashing down the table, they opted to bring in the inexperienced Ryan Mason, in what still feels like a bit of a gamble.

It's one that's yet to pay off. The potential for the rest of the season is still there, but Mason is one to keep an eye on for being at risk of the chop if things don't improve soon.

Chris Davies, Birmingham City - 15.00

This one feels pretty harsh to include, but Davies somehow has the fifth highest odds in the league to lose his job. Birmingham are 11th at the moment and only a few points off play-offs, which is a very respectable position to be in for a promoted side.

Yes expectations among fans were high this year, and yes they've spent a fair bit of money in recent seasons, but upper mid-table would be a good place for Birmingham to finish come the end of the campaign - good enough to focus on a play-off push the season after.

Personally, I wouldn't put your money on this one.

Championship Sack Race - Football Park's Best Bet

This battle is undoubtedly between Manning and Cifuentes. Realistically, a couple of wins in a row would ease a lot of the pressure on the Leicester boss, but Manning would still be in a dire position with six points added to their tally.

Norwich look destined to be the next club to replace their manager, and Manning may well struggle to find work in the second tier for a little while if they do.

Credit to sportscasting.com/uk for the odds.

Matt Stephens
Journalist

Matt Stephens

Freelance Football Writer

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