Forget Hughes, Martinez is the big gamble to land the Villa job
Published:Mark Hughes may be in the hunt for a new PR team but Aston Villa remain in the hunt for a new manager and Roberto Martinez is a highly fancied candidate.
A general 4/1 shot with other bookmakers, Ladbrokes offer a huge 16/1 that Martinez becomes the next Aston Villa manager and based on the applicants ahead of him in the betting, it could be the price of the year.
Even the exchanges can’t compete with the Ladbrokes price for Martinez to take charge at Villa Park, and while Hughes remains the 4/76 favourite to land the job, Aston Villa claim they are yet to speak to the former Fulham manger.
Carlo Ancelotti is the second favourite at 3/1 and Steve McLaren is priced up at 7/2 and Martinez finds David Moyes (8/1), Rafael Benitez (10/1), Gary McAllister (12/1) and Avram Grant all ahead of him in the betting.
Martinez is the 3/1 third favourite with one Irish bookmaker and there is plenty of money in the next Aston Villa manager betting market for the current Wigan boss.
As much as Villa fans would love to see it, it’s hard to see Ancelotti being lured to the Midlands and Hughes seems to have shot himself in the foot with the Fulham farce.
Benitez has declared his desire to manage in England but is prepared to wait for the right job while Moyes leaving Everton for Villa would be a real shock.
Avram Grant’s stock price has dropped dramatically following a second relegation with West Ham and McAllister wouldn’t be the most popular choice among the Villa faithful.
Steve McLaren is a very real possibility but the edge has to go with Martinez whose passion for playing the football the right way would make him a hit at Villa Park, and with a big budget, the Spaniard will finally be given a chance to prove his worth.
