O'Neill favourite for Newcastle job

Luiz Felipe Scolari was the surprise name being linked with the vacant manager’s job at Newcastle yesterday, but Martin O’Neill remains the bookies’ favourite.

Former Brazil coach Scolari, currently in charge of Portugal, was backed in from long odds to 7/2 second favourite alongside Sam Allardyce with Ladbrokes.

But the firm revealed the smart money is still on ex-Celtic boss O’Neill returning to club management after taking time out to look after his sick wife.

The Northern Irishman is now as low as 2/1 after an opening quote of 10s following the departure of Graeme Souness.

Ladbrokes spokesman Robin Hutchison said: “We’ve laid plenty of the other runners and riders – particularly Scolari – but the vast majority of the punters want to be with O’Neill.

“We’ve had smart money, daft money and everything in between. Newcastle is the centre of the gambling world at the moment.”

Whoever does eventually get the job may have a little time to wait as Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has insisted he will not be rushed into appointing Souness’ successor.

Caretaker Glenn Roeder and skipper Alan Shearer have ruled themselves out, but Shepherd revealed he has already received applications from serious candidates.

He said: “We have already had a lot of top names applying for the job, but the board won’t be hurried.

“We have to get the appointment right and we will take our time. Glenn Roeder and Alan Shearer are quite capable of getting us through until the end of the season. I have great faith in two people who are black and white through and through.

“We had to act because we have to start winning again. There are 15 Premier League matches left, plus the FA Cup, so there’s plenty of football to be played and we have to get an upturn in fortunes.

“Of course people want the job. It’s one of the biggest in world football, so why wouldn’t they? But we don’t want to be rushed into giving it to the wrong man and we will take our time and be very careful.

“There’s no need to hurry and we have no pre-conceived ideas. No one is lined up.”