The Championship - Next Permanent Leeds Manager Odds and Betting Preview

LEEDS, UK – Leeds United parted company with their manager Simon Grayson on Wednesday following last night’s home defeat against Birmingham City. Leeds lost by four goals to one and this was the final nail in Grayson’s coffin prompting owner Ken Bates to begin a search for the fifth manager of his seven-year reign at Leeds. Grayson lead Leeds to promotion from League One in 2010 and his side finished only three points off the Championship play-offs last year but the men from Elland Road currently lie in 10th place in the league only three points off the play-offs again with eighteen matches remaining.

Neil Warnock has been installed as the clear 5/6 favourite (bet £6 to make £5 profit) with Bodog. He was only recently sacked from Premier League side QPR and he has a good track record of being able to get clubs up into the Premiership. It is no secret that Leeds hold ambitions of Premier League football returning to Elland Road and Warnock would be the perfect man to help them achieve this goal.

There has been a large amount of money for Steve Bruce who opened at 20/1 with William Hill and is currently an industry best price of 7/1 with BetVictor. The former Sunderland boss has been out of a job since November following a poor spell with the Black Cats and he has not managed at this level for many years as so has little experience of the Championship play-offs, which would be a worry. Roberto Di Matteo is also available at 7/1 with Stan James but is currently enjoying a spell as assistant manager at Chelsea and it would be a surprise to see him leave this post for a role in the Championship.

A popular choice amongst the fans would be Gordon Strachan who is a legend at Elland Road, having made 197 appearances for the club scoring 37 goals. He was part of the Leeds team that overcame Manchester United in the 1991/2 season to win the League Championship title and is currently priced up at 14/1 with Ladbrokes for the job. He has been out of football since 2010, when he left Middlesbrough by mutual consent, and since become a pundit on the ITV’s coverage of the FA Cup.

Alan Curbishley’s name has is also on many people’s shortlist and he is a 20/1 chance with bet365. He has not managed a club since he resigned from West Ham in 2008 and it remains to be seen whether he would want to go back into full-time management. 

Further outsiders in the market include: the Brighton & Hove Albion manager Gus Poyet quoted at 20/1 with Skybet, Neil Redfearn Leeds’ youth team boss who has been placed in temporary charge who can be backed at 14/1 with BetVictor and Billy Davies a 20/1 chance with Paddy Power.

Next Permanent Leeds Manager - Odds