Tony Pulis has left Crystal Palace just hours before the opening weekend of the new Premier League season, and the Betfair punters have acted quickly while some are already counting their winnings. Mike Norman has the details...
"Last season's Premier League manager of the year was matched at a high of 36.035/1 on Betfair to be the next manager to leave his post..."
Following a breakdown in relations with Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish on Thursday evening, manager Tony Pulis has left the club by 'mutual consent'.
Last season's Premier League manager of the year was matched at a high of 36.035/1 on Betfair to be the next manager to leave his post, and it appears that the club's failure to sign a number of Pulis' summer transfer targets left the Welshman frustrated and with no option but to quit the London club.
Pulis joined the Eagles in November last year with the club rock bottom of the Premier League and heavy favourites to be relegated. But a remarkable turn around in results saw the 56-year-old guide Palace to safety with games to spare, eventually finishing 11th in the table.
Despite the signings of Brede Hangeland, Fraizer Campbell and Martin Kelly, Pulis is thought to have been extremely frustrated at missing out on two other targets - Steven Caulker and Gylfi Sigurdsson - and a hastily arranged meeting on Thursday resulted in him leaving his post.
Palace's odds in this season's Relegation market shortened dramatically once the news broke, hitting a low of 2.829/5 before eventually settling back out at the 3.02/1 currently available.
However the Eagles have been matched at a high of 5.95/1 for the drop and were generally trading at around the 4.216/5 mark before Pulis' departure.
Former Cardiff boss Malky Mackay is expected to be amongst the favourites to take over at Selhurst Park when Betfair's Next Crystal Palace Market becomes available, while the likes of David Moyes and Neil Lennon are also expected to figure prominently.