Michael Beale is the bookmaker’s favourite to be the next sacked Scottish Premiership manager.
Beale’s Rangers side have had a disastrous start to the season, with damaging league defeats against Kilmarnock and Old Firm rivals Celtic, while a 5-1 humbling to PSV in the UEFA Champions League saw Gers miss the opportunity to dine at Europe’s top table and consigned them to Europa League football this season.
The result leaves the Light Blues FOUR points behind Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic with the pressure mounting on the English manager as he faced a heap of criticism from pundits and supporters with some wanting him to leave Ibrox.
SportsLens have priced Beale at 11/10 for the first Premiership manager to face the sack, while he’s just 6/1 to manage his last game this weekend.
The Ibrox outfit face an out-of-form St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park tomorrow and are in desperate need of a win if they’re to revitalise their title challenge.
However, Beale isn’t the only under-pressure manager. Barry Robson, whose Aberdeen team are winless so far this term, narrowly trails Beale as the second favourite manager to leave at 6/4.
Elsewhere, Steven Naismith is next in the betting at 12/1.
Hearts are currently on a four-match winless run across all competitions and haven’t won in the Scottish Premiership since their 2-0 curtain-raiser win over St Johnstone, with recent league defeats to Dundee and Motherwell leaving fans at Tynecastle wanting answers.
Meanwhile, St Johnstone’s precarious position in the table sees boss Steven MacLean in as the fourth top-flight boss to face the axe, although the 20/1 could well suggest that a turnaround is expected.
Following MacLean is Livingston manager David Martindale (20/1), who has openly admitted he’s working on a tight budget after major cuts. Premiership survival will be the first port of call for the Lions this season, and after a difficult start, things seem to be picking up in West Lothian.
James Thomson of SportsLens said: “Michael Beale has been priced up as our favourite to be first manager sacked of the Scottish Premiership season. It’s been far from the ideal start to the season for Rangers and they’re already playing catch-up with their title rivals Celtic.
“We have also priced him up to manage his last game this weekend at 6/1. It’s simply a must-win for Beale this weekend at St Johnstone or he could be heading for the exit door.”
FULL BETTING:
Michael Beale (Rangers) – 11/10
Barry Robson (Aberdeen) - 6/4
Steven Naismith (Hearts) – 12/1
Steven MacLean (St Johnstone) – 20/1
David Martindale (Livingston) – 20/1
Derek McInnes (Kilmarnock) – 25/1
Tony Docherty (Dundee) – 28/1
Malky McKay (Ross County) – 33/1
Stuart Kettlewell (Motherwell) – 40/1
Stephen Robinson (St Mirren) - 40/1
Brendan Rodgers (Celtic) - 50/1
Nick Montgomery (Hibernian) – 150/1
