Just one month after being sacked as Liverpool manager, Roy Hodgson could again find himself at the helm of a Premier League club, as West Bromwich Albion reportedly favor him in their managerial search.
According to the Guardian, Hodgson is the top candidate to replace Roberto Di Matteo as permanent manager at the Hawthorns, though fellow sacked manager, former Newcastle head man Chris Hughton is also in contention.
While Hodgson is the preferred choice, Albion worries that he may be too expensive for their tight budget, and as a result, the bettors actually give Hughton the best odds to take the post. Sky Bet currently lists Hughton as a 2:1 favorite, with caretaker manager Michael Appleton given a 5:2 chance and Hodgson 6:1 odds.
Martin Jol, recently out of work after leaving Ajax, is actually given better odds than Hodgson at 11:2, and Steve McLaren, recently sacked at Wolfsburg, is in the picture as well with 10:1 odds.
Hodgson, despite his failings at Liverpool, does have a track record of improving smaller Premier League clubs, something he was able to do both at Blackburn and at Fulham.
Still, it remains unclear whether Hodgson would be interested in returning to football so quickly, or whether he would gamble his managerial future on "yo-yo club" West Brom.
His defensive style, though, would suit the Magpies well — given that they have allowed more goals than any other Premier League side this season.
