Odds released for SPFL Sack Race

Steven MacLean of St Johnstone is the favourite to be the first SPFL Premiership boss to be sacked.

The Perth club are normally one of the most stable in the business but a disastrous set of results in the group stage of the Viaplay Cup has put MacLean in the spotlight.

Callum Davidson was sacked and replaced by his assistant, MacLean in April with the ‘new boss bounce’ steering Saints clear of relegation after going to the Play-Offs the previous season.

Hearts visit Perth on Saturday for the SPFL opener followed by away trips to Ross County and Celtic with the memories of home defeats from Ayr United (1-2) and Stirling Albion (0-4) hanging in the air.

Just five of the bosses going into the weekend openers (Stephen Robinson, Derek McInnes, Lee Johnson, David Martindale and Malky Mackay) were in their job 12 months ago with Tony Docherty in his first managerial job now in charge of Dundee.

Discussing The Sack Race The Sun reports:

The new league season kicks off on Saturday although the majority of top flight clubs have already been in action in the Viaplay Cup.

And Scottish firm McBookie.com have made Saints boss MacLean as sack race favourite at just 6/4.

St Johnstone have had a dreadful start to the season as they crashed out of the Viaplay Cup which culminated in a woeful McDiarmid Park mauling from Stirling Albion.

And Easter Road gaffer Johnson is 6/1 to be the first Premiership boss to get his P45, after their humiliation in Andorra last week in the Europa Conference League, followed by Hearts head coach Frankie McAvoy at 7/1.

Few Hearts fans believe that McAvoy is in charge of their club after Steven Naismith took charge last season following the sacking of Robbie Neilson.

Last season Motherwell sacked Graham Alexander inbetween their Europa League defeat from Sligo Rovers and their SPFL opener away to St Mirren.