Spaniard becomes favourite to enter the world of unemployment
Following last night’s home defeat to Aston Villa, Senor Benitez has leapfrogged over Paul Hart to become the favourite to be the next Premier League manager to go. SkyBet put him at a worryingly short 11/10 to clear his desk first, with the Pompey manager following at 9/4, and Alex McLeish and Phil Brown circling the periphery at 7/1.
Rafa is no stranger to straddling the fine line between gainful employment and a P45: his brush ups with the Billy Bob Gillett and Hank Hicks over the past few years have encouraged rumours of disharmony, and just last week the Spaniard was subject to a Twitter-based rumour which suggested he had walked out.
So, will Rafa see through Liverpool’s current spate of patchy form, or will he claim the honour of the first unceremonious departure of the season? Let us know your thoughts below…
With as many as four clubs still in the race to join West Brom in the Championship next season, Premier League vultures are already circling in preparation to pick off the relegated teams’ best players. The Spoiler has a look at 5 players who are likely to continue plying their trade in the top flight whatever the outcome on Sunday. Jeremie Aliadiere need not apply.
Sunderland: Kenwyne Jones
Kenwyne Jones’ importance to Sunderland has been underlined by his bagging 9 goals in the league this season, despite spending the first few months on the physio’s table. Although Spurs boss Harry Redknapp recently denied he was still interested in the 24-year-old striker after a failed transfer bid in January, speculation over Roman Pavlyuchenko’s imminent exit from White Hart Lane is rife, and a move could still be on the cards.
The latest transfer gossip, rumours and damned lies…
Gareth Barry could leave Aston Villa for free Aston Villa are planning to offer their long-serving midfielder a lucrative new contract in a final effort to persuade him to stay but if he declines, Martin O’Neill is willing to lose him for nothing in exchange for one more season.
The Spoiler truth-o-meter: The logic behind such a move would be that they can’t afford to lose another leader following captain Martin Laursen’s retirement and it would give them more time to find a perfect replacement. It’s estimated that keeping Barry last summer cost Villa £8.5 million this season so they may be willing to take another loss.
Glen Johnson to Liverpool The Daily Mail claim that Rafael Benitez is willing to spend £15 million to bring Portsmouth full-back Glen Johnson to Anfield. The logic behind the hefty
Premier League stars aren’t usually known for their generosity, but Birmingham’s Olivier Kapo has just become an exception to that rule. Humbled by the thought of visiting Blackpool et al next season, the midfielder decided to give his £30k Mercedes to 17-year-old James McPike, the lad who has been cleaning his boots throughout 2007/08.
Trainees in his position can usually expect some muttered contempt, or at best an autograph by way of thanks at the end of the year, but McPike will now be enjoying a motor far too powerful for his youthful driving capabilities.
When the stunned lad (pictured above, delighted by the news)
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