Martin O'Neill shadow haunts bosses
O’Neill’s motivational skills and ability to get the best out of under-performing players will be sounding out alarm bells at Liverpool, Aston Villa, Chelsea and West Ham this morning.
Since quitting Aston Villa on the eve of the new season the former Celtic boss has kept a very low profile but every under pressure chairman in the Premiership will be well aware of his availability.
The sacking season is well underway in the lower divisions but so far only Newcastle and Blackburn have pressed the panic button in the Premiership with Chris Hughton and Sam Allerdyce axed last month.
With no compensation required and the almost universal acceptance of supporters a call to O’Neill will seem irresistible to most chairman.
According to bookmakers Victor Chandler Roy Hodgson is the favourite in the sack race but the Liverpool boss faces tough competition from Gerard Houllier, Carlo Ancelotti and Avram Grant
Thursday morning odds: Hodgson 4/7, Ancelotti 2/1 Grant 11/2, Houllier 10/1.
Two polls to consider today
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O’Neill of course doesn’t come easily.
Not many club owners will be prepared to give him the level of control that he enjoyed at Celtic.
The reasons for his departure from Villa Park have never surfaced but it’s widely believed that Villa owner Randy Lerner was looking for greater value for money from his investment with O’Neill’s only interest in driving the club into the top four and a Champions League spot.
Whether a club are prepared to give O’Neill the control he demands is open to debate- it’s unlikely that the former Celt will compromise and allow excessive boardroom interference in what he considers to be his business.
This weekend’s FA Cup ties and the availability of players during the transfer window will have a huge bearing on the future’s of Hodgson, Ancelotti, Houllier and Grant.
Whoever goes first there’s no doubt that O’Neill will instantly be amongst the favourites to take over.
Video of Celtic target Erik Huseklepp
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