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Former Watford manager backed to take over from Alan Shearer


Former Watford boss Luca Vialli could be set for a surprise return to English football as Newcastle United manager, if the bookmakers are to be believed.

Sky Bet have reported a flurry of bets on the Italian to take over at St James’ Park and he is now 4/1 second favourite behind Alan Shearer (2/7) to be in charge of the Magpies before the start of the new season next month.

Sky Bet’s Helen Jacob said: “This morning, out of the blue, we had a dozen requests for Vialli for Newcastle manager. We didn’t even have him in the betting so quoted 12/1, which was snapped up and he is now down to 4/1 second favourite behind Alan Shearer. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this market today.

“Rumours abound that Vialli may be installed as director of football alongside Shearer as manager but punters have been quick to back Vialli for the main job. He’s been out of the game for seven years so it would seem to be an odd appointment but you never know the way things are with Newcastle at the moment.”

Comments(11)

T.O says...
11:32am Thu 9 Jul 09

League 1 for the geordies if this happens and another game to give an ex manager some serious abuse!

dmuz says...
11:33am Thu 9 Jul 09

dont use our Watford website for articles on Newcastle!

eltonsarmy says...
11:38am Thu 9 Jul 09

Ramon Vega come on down!!!!

Vialli was anice bloke if you got to meet him but god what a complete F up of a tranfer budget. was fun when it first happened though no one can say otherwise. good luck Luca I know how much you knew you had got it all wrong. He also deserved what he got paid off thats what a contract is for Rogers!!!

HOOF says...
11:51am Thu 9 Jul 09

Hahaha,I thought the toon were already in a mess.
Guaranteed 6 points next season for the golden boys.

paulj73 says...
11:53am Thu 9 Jul 09

It's a wind up. It was started on a Newcastle message board at the beginning of the week. Its got way out of hand....Brilliant.
Gullible journalists with no info printing posts from message boards.

habibisgod says...
12:24pm Thu 9 Jul 09

I know this was probably taken from the Mirror, who fell for it hook line and sinker, but it just shows how easy a Journalist's life must be, read around a few messageboards, pick up some random post (which says "this is made up by the way" in white text at the bottom) and hey presto, you get paid every week. The Newcastle fan who started it never expected it to get to the Watford Observer anyway!

UZZY says...
12:57pm Thu 9 Jul 09

Oh good he can have Ellington !...i would even bet that WFC would'nt mind if he spoke to him without permission.

Prof Plum says...
1:33pm Thu 9 Jul 09

My abiding memory of the Vialli era was the dicking at home to Millwall when - while the whole team was cr*p – Vega stood out as being truly shocking.

rochdale away says...
1:35pm Thu 9 Jul 09

what a shame if it was a wind up.........can you imagine what the game between reading and newcastle would be like....ball left, ball right...yawn yawn!!

yellowredblack says...
3:13pm Thu 9 Jul 09

Vialli's era, like history has been re-written over time (mainly by the former Asst Editor of the WO).It was always meant to be a 3 year plan but was wrecked by the collapse of ITV digital. No one will ever know what his era would have brought if events outside had not interfered. He had one season and he himself admitted he had learnt a great deal for the next season he never got. I'm not saying he would have suceeded but likewise none of you know that he would not have.

BELGIAN HORNET says...
3:59pm Thu 9 Jul 09

I don't believe it. If he get's a 3 year contract. We'll all be going to Rushden and Diamonds to watch them


Luca Vialli. Picture: Action Images Luca Vialli. Picture: Action Images

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