Allardyce Very Much In Demand

By Mark Heys
February 2 2006

The talk of Sam Allardyce going to Newcastle United will not go away as Ladbrokes have installed the Bolton cheif as the early front runner to replace the sacked Graeme Souness.

Allardyce has rejected the chance to take over at St James Park on a previous occasion eighteen months ago and the fact that the Magpies are in a worse state now than back then would make the job less appealing to the 51-year old who has been at Bolton just over six years.

Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside has recently issued a firm hands off warning to any interested clubs and says that the only job he will allow Allardyce to leave the club for is that of the England national coach, a position which he has ironically been touted for following Sven Goran Eriksson's decision to leave after this summers World Cup.

Either way, Bolton are highly likely to fend off any approaches that may be forthcoming from Newcastle chairman Freddie Shepherd over the next few months. In the meantime Glenn Roeder and Alan Shearer will take charge of Newcastle for the short term until a successor has been appointed.

Latest Odds:

Alan Shearer 6/1
Alan Curbishley, steve Bruce, Sven-Goran Eriksson 7/1
Mark Hughes 8/1
Paul Jewell 10/1
Stuart Pearce, Guus Hiddink 14/1
David Moyes, Kevin Keegan, Louis van Gaal 20/1
David O'Leary 25/1
Kenny Dalglish 33/1
Peter Reid 100/1
Paul Gascoigne 500/1