Curbishley just one of many very mediocre English managers

Betfacts / Mike Norman / 09 October 2007 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

"Mystical" Mike Norman looks into his crystal ball to predict what fate awaits the Premierships's English managers

English born manager Brian Little guided Aston Villa to League Cup success in 1996, defeating Leeds United 3-0 at Wembley Stadium. In the thirteen years that have passed, only one English manager has brought a major trophy to his club, that being Steve McClaren, who led Middlesbrough to League Cup glory in 2004. McClaren later went on to become the England national team manager - but are any of the current top flight English managers up to achieving club success, or even stepping into the shoes of the current England boss?

At present, there are eight English managers in the Premiership. Harry Redknapp and Sam Allardyce are arguably the most successful in terms of over-achieving at their current or previous clubs. Harry and Sam are the football equivalent of Arthur Daley and David Dickinson, acquiring low budget, and seemingly unwanted footballers, before turning them into successful, money spinning players. Both Harry and Sam prefer modern quality rather than antiques these days, and they sit comfortably at 5th and 9th in the Premiership with their respective clubs - Portsmouth and Newcastle United.

'Happy Harry' is doing a tremendous job at Pompey, and when you consider that Portsmouth have already played Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Man Utd, then the 9.2 about them in the 'winner without the big 4' market looks very appetising. In terms of being a future England Manager, I fear that Harry Redknapp will replicate Brian Clough, a hugely talented English Manager, but always overlooked for the top job in football.

Sam Allardyce has already expressed his desire to manage England one day more than once and he has a perfect opportunity to enhance his growing reputation now that he is in charge of Newcastle United. The Magpies have so much potential but often flatter to deceive. They are not going to win the title, they are not going to get relegated, and their current trading price of 3.3 to finish in the top 6 looks a little short to me. So perhaps a little interest at 24 for them to win the FA Cup could be the bet.

In the 'Managerial Change' market, Bolton boss Sammy Lee is currently trading at 3.5, and although this is a lot shorter than at the start of the season, it may well be a decent bet with only Martin Jol, and possibly Steve Bruce, being in danger or losing their job. I just can't take to 'Little Sam', and he strikes me as someone who is unable to get the best out of his players. I cringe with embarrassment when he talks, due to the rapidness that the words come out of his mouth, with only the sentence "Bolton Wanderers Football Club" being recognisable.

Sammy is reputed to be an excellent coach, but I could talk forever about high profile coaches who became lousy managers. I fear the same could be the case at Bolton, and though fellow Betfair writer Gary Speed won't thank me for it, I predict a long hard season at the Reebok Stadium, with the club currently trading at 3.2 to be relegated.

Staying in the 'Managerial Change' market, Steve Bruce is worthy of consideration at 8.4. It has been reported that Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung is set to take over at Birmingham, so what we have to take into account here is that although Bruce agreed a new deal with the Birmingham board in May, that deal cannot be taken forward because, under Stock Exchange takeover rules, no new contracts can be signed when buy-out negotiations are ongoing.

I have a lot of time for Steve Bruce, he has coped reasonably well on limited resources in the past, and he is gaining top flight experience with every day that passes. He is a long way off being considered as a future England Manager however, and his sole aim for this season will be to avoid relegation, for which Brum are currently trading at 2.32.

I can't think of many managers, whose first ever managerial job, without even holding any previous coaching roles, was to be at the helm of a Premiership football club. To be brutally honest, like his predecessor in possession of the England job, Gareth Southgate was not the first choice at Middlesbrough. Gareth will have to role his sleeves up and overcome his inexperience if Boro are to avoid being sucked into a relegation battle. He is 12.5 to be the next managerial change, while the club are 4.5 to be relegated - I don't think either will happen. As a Middlesbrough fan, at least I'm hoping the latter won't happen!

Reading's Steve Coppell and West Ham's Alan Curbishley are much of a muchness, both have immense quality as managers, both will surely be considered for the national job in years to come. I doubt either team will be troubling the top 6 this season, though Reading have shown signs of 'second season syndrome' and the 6.2 about them being relegated might shorten considerably with some tough fixtures on the horizon.

That leaves Wigan's Chris Hutchings, another very inexperienced manager, with a solid reputation as a coach. However, any manager that describes the signing of Titus Bramble as a 'massive coup' is destined for only one thing - failure. Wigan are 2.78 to be relegated and that will do for me, because the thought of Chris Hutchings as England Manager, with Titus Bramble leading the team out at Wembley, is a pretty unpleasant prospect.

Tags: "Mystical" Mike Norman, Alan Curbishley, football betting, Premiership betting