Next Leicester Manager Odds: Who Will Spearhead Their Promotion Bid?
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Dean Smith remains a leading candidate to land the Leicester job on a permanent basis but he faces stiff competition from other managers as the Foxes prepare for life back in the Championship.
Betting exchange sites are offering odds on the next Leicester manager, but many UK bookmakers are waiting for confirmation on the future of interim boss Smith.
Having held talks with the Leicester board, Smith reportedly has a good chance of leading the club into the 2023/24 campaign, despite failing to save them from relegation.
Leicester were 19th in the Premier League table, two points adrift of safety, when they handed him a short-term deal until the end of the campaign.
Smith took the reins on April 10, and he was only in charge for eight matches after replacing Brendan Rodgers in the hot-seat.
The Foxes only won two of those eight games, and they were relegated after rivals Everton beat Bournemouth 1-0 on the final day of the campaign.
They are now gearing up for life in the second tier of English football, just seven years after defying odds of 5,000/1 to win the Premier League title, one of the biggest upsets in sporting history.
Smith remains a strong candidate to land the managerial job on a permanent basis, but he faces competition from the likes of Steven Gerrard, Enzo Maresca and current favourite Scott Parker.
Read on to learn more about the candidates and their chances of taking the reins at Leicester.
Scott Parker Primed For Next Job as Leicester Boss
Scott Parker is considered one of the brightest young English coaches around, so it’s no surprise to see him as the leading candidate to take over at Leicester.
He has guided both Fulham and Bournemouth from the Championship to the Premier League, displaying tactical acumen and excellent man-management skills en route to promotion.
As such, it’s easy to see why the Foxes would be interested. A spell in Belgium with Club Brugge did not go to plan for the former Tottenham midfielder in his last role, so a return to English football would likely appeal to Parker.
His emphasis on attractive, possession-based football resonates well with the modern game, but it’s his promotion record that will appeal the most to the Leicester board as they bid to bounce back at the first attempt.
Dean Smith Has 33.3% Chance Of Remaining Leicester Manager
Smith has supposedly spoken with Leicester City chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha and director of football Jon Rudkin about his future since the season finished and it is believed he is held in high regard by the hierarchy.
His seven-week contract has now technically ended, and it remains to be seen if the club will offer him a permanent deal.
Smith did suggest he might be interested in landing the managerial role on a long-term basis at the end of the campaign, but has not giving much more away when quizzed by reporters.
His short spell at the King Power Stadium was characterised by highs and lows - dramatic victories over Wolves and West Ham at home, along with an embarrassing defeat to Fulham.
A failure to beat Leeds and Everton in relegation six-pointers ultimately caused Leicester’s downfall, but Smith would argue that the rot had set in before he joined the club.
He has experience in the Championship, having led Aston Villa to promotion a few years ago, so he could be seen as a safe pair of hands.
Smith did not exactly cover himself in glory at Norwich last term, but football betting sites would put a short price on him to land the role as he already has his foot in the door.
Enzo Maresca Cut In Next Leicester Manager Odds
Enzo Maresca has been touted for several jobs in British football of late and the 43-year-old Italian coach figures highly in the next Celtic manager betting.
However, with Brendan Rodgers looking likely to seal a return to Parkhead, Leicester are thought to be interested in swooping for Maresca.
So who is he exactly? The former West Brom player is currently Pep Guardiola’s assistant and has just helped steer Manchester City to a remarkable treble.
He has also had spells as assistant manager at Ascoli and Sevilla, while he spent a season as Manuel Pellegrini’s assistant at West Ham, so he knows English football well.
He re-joined Man City last summer having previously been their U23 coach and has been publicly praised by Guardiola during another trophy-laden season at the Etihad.
Although he lacks experience as a first-team manager, Maresca promises to be a shrewd appointment for any side, none more so than Leicester.
Steven Gerrard Emerges As Contender To Be Next Leicester Manager
Gerrard will seek to rebuild his managerial career next season after his reputation took a battering during an ill-fated tenure at Aston Villa.
Managing in the Championship may not be particularly appealing for Gerrard, who was once touted as a future Liverpool boss after leading Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title.
It remains to be seen if any top flight clubs will give him a chance this summer, so he may be tempted by the prospect of a move to the King Power Stadium should Leicester come calling.
However, amid reports Gerrard has been offered a job in Saudi Arabia, his chances of getting the Leicester gig have drifted out to around 16.7%.
Jesse Marsch's Prospects As Next Leicester Manager
Former Leeds, RB Leipzig and RB Salzburg coach Jesse Marsch is also a candidate to land the Leicester job having been on the club's shortlist back in April.
Marsch was rated as one of the most promising coaches in European football after leading Salzburg to back-to-back Austrian Bundesliga titles.
That landed him the RB Leipzig job, but he lasted 17 games before the club axed him in December 2021.
Marsch then resurfaced at Leeds to replace Marcelo Bielsa, and he helped the club avoid relegation on the final day of the 2021/22 season.
However, he was sacked last February, with the club sitting 17th in the table, and the Whites were ultimately relegated along with Leicester and Southampton.
Marsch reportedly turned down the Leicester job in April, claiming that the timing was not right, but the club could make another bid for his services this summer.
Claudio Ranieri's Potential Return: Assessing His Chances For Leicester Job
Ranieri is a cult hero in the city after he masterminded Leicester’s improbable Premier League title triumph in 2016.
However, he was sacked midway through the following season, with the Foxes mired in a relegation battle.
Since then, the Italian coach has had six different jobs, taking him to Nantes, Fulham, Roma, Sampdoria, Watford and Cagliari.
Indeed, he has recently produced another odds-defying feat by guiding Cagliari back to Serie A, and he may want to oversee their first season back in Italy's top flight.
As such, an emotional homecoming to Leicester looks a tad unlikely, so Ranieri is only given an outside chance of leading Leicester’s bid for promotion next season.
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Unconventional Choice: Nigel Pearson's Chances Of A Leicester Return
Nigel Pearson served as Leicester manager before Ranieri, and he was credited with laying the groundwork for that famous Premier League win.
However, he has not enjoyed much success since leaving the club, and he is currently plying his trade at Bristol City.
It is also worth noting that he allegedly fell out with Leicester’s owners in 2015, when the club stated that “the working relationship between Nigel and the Board was no longer viable”.
As such, Srivaddhanaprabha may decide to look elsewhere, so hypothetical odds of 6/1 - which equates to just a 14.3% chance - have been estimated should any betting apps decide to open an official market.
A Serious Contender: Ralph Hasenhuttl's Leicester Odds Explored
Former Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl is considered a viable candidate to take the vacant Leicester job.
Hasenhuttl was one of the Premier League’s longest-serving managers after spending four years with the Saints, but the club sacked him in November.
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They ultimately lived to rue the decision, as the Saints ended up bottom of the table, and they too will play in the Championship next term.
The Austrian coach is very experienced, and he would certainly whip the Leicester players into shape, but whether he would be interested in managing in the Championship is another matter entirely.
Who Will Take The Reins? Next Leicester Manager Odds Explored
Former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who spectacularly quit as PSV manager with just one game of the season remaining, is priced at 14/5 following a bit of support on betting exchange sites.
Jon Dahl Tomasson of Blackburn is the same price (14/5), but he would appear to have unfinished business at Ewood Park.
West Brom boss Carlos Corberan is a relative outsider at 8/1, but he knows the Championship inside out thanks to his previous role at Huddersfield.
Michael Carrick, who led Middlesbrough to a fourth-place finish in the second tier last season, is priced at 9/1.
Rafa Benitez (11/1) and Graham Potter (12/1) are also mooted, although it is hard to see either man stepping down to the Championship.
* Reminder: These are hypothetical odds provided by industry experts.
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