Sam Allardyce emerges as favourite for England job

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce has emerged as a surprise favourite to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson as England coach.

The Swede is to stand down after the World Cup finals, after five and a half years in the position.

He will depart two years ahead of schedule, with his contract having been due to last until summer 2008.

Allardyce, who has established Bolton as a Premiership force and taking the club into Europe, is seen as the pick of the current crop of English managers by bookmakers.

However, Charlton boss Alan Curbishley, Middlesbrough’s Steve McClaren, former Bayern Munich boss Ottmar Hitzfeld and Martin O’Neill have also emerged as potential contenders.

Here are the odds on who will become the next England coach, according to Ladbrokes:

Sam Allardyce 5/2, Alan Curbishley 3/1, Steve McLaren 7/2, Ottmar Hitzfeld 8/1, Martin O’Neill 10/1, Steve Bruce 12/1, Luiz Felipe Scolari 12/1, Guus Hiddink 12/1, Stuart Pearce 12/1, Bobby Robson 16/1, Bryan Robson 20/1, Paul Jewell 20/1, Sir Trevor Brooking 20/1, Fabio Capello 25/1, Jose Mourinho 25/1, Arsene Wenger 33/1, Gerrard Houllier 33/1, Peter Taylor 40/1, Harry Redknapp 66/1, Sir Alex Ferguson 66/1, Alan Shearer 66/1, Sammy Lee 66/1, Kevin Keegan 100/1.