Yesterday, Claudio Ranieri was priced at 12/1 with Sky Bet to be named the next head coach of Leeds United. Fast forward not even 24 hours and you’ll find that he has been backed into 9/2 and becomes the second favourite for the vacancy. Significant? Maybe, maybe not, only time will tell on that front.
It has certainly been a whirlwind day or so for everyone connected with Leeds United. Garry Monk shocked everyone by deciding to resign as head coach. Owner Andrea Radrizzani has since come out on Twitter saying he was prepared to offer him a three-year deal. However Monk insists that nothing could be agreed. The current favourite is former Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka. That is the one constant since this particular betting market opened.
Could Claudio Ranieri, who only last year was lifting the Premier League crown, be set to walk into Elland Road and take the helm? Stranger things have happened but even now it seems far fetched. He’ll no doubt believe he has unfinished business in the English game, but especially the Premier League. Taking Leeds there would certainly enhance his reputation even more, but he may feel as though he could get a crack at it now. He is priced at much less to be named the next Watford manager, although former Bayer Leverkusen boss Roger Schmidt is the current favourite for that role. Compared to Leeds, he is priced slightly higher to be appointed to the job at Crystal Palace. Marco Silva, who yesterday resigned from Hull City, is odds on for this gig.
65-year-old Ranieri can count upon the likes of Chelsea, Juventus, Inter Milan, Napoli, Atletico Madrid, Roma and Monaco among the many clubs on his managerial CV. Could Leeds United become the latest?
