BOOKIES BACKING GIGGS AS HUNT FOR NEW WELSH MANAGER NEARS ITS CONCLUSION

Interviews are completed and odds on Man Utd legend Ryan are slashed

WALES’ hunt for a new manager is reaching its conclusion after the odds on Ryan Giggs landing the post were dramatically slashed by bookmakers.

Giggs is one of four candidates who were interviewed by the FA of Wales on Thursday and has leapfrogged Craig Bellamy as the new bookies’ favourite for the job.

However, Bellamy is thought to be still firmly in the mix as the FAW hierarchy weigh up their options to replace Chris Coleman.

Giggs and Bellamy were joined in the interview process by Coleman’s former No2 Osian Roberts and Mark Bowen, who emerged as a shock lastminute contender.

Bowen has spent his entire coaching career as assistant to Mark Hughes, who was sacked as Stoke City manager last weekend. That decision means Bowen is free to take up a new post.

However, Giggs is very much the bookies’ front-runner, with 68 per cent of yesterday’s bets being placed on him according to Oddschecker, who study betting patterns across the major chains. As a result, Giggs’ odds shortened from 2-1 outsider behind Bellamy to 1-4 ON to land the job.

Bellamy is still second favourite and is also being considered by the FAW.

Roberts is another leading contender following the interview process, which was conducted in the past 48 hours by a six-man FAW sub-committee.

Chief executive Jonathan Ford drove the procedure, but he does not get a vote on the matter. Technically, the decision of the sub-committee will need to be rubber-stamped by the FAW’s full 34-person ruling council before the new manager can be unveiled.

But the full council are not scheduled to meet again until a get-together in Wrexham on February 13. So, either an emergency meeting will need to be called, or the FAW’s four-man group of officers, headed up by president David Griffiths, will use plenary powers to sanction the appointment.

George Elek, spokesman for Oddschecker, said: “The news that Giggs has been interviewed for the vacant role shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, but it has still got punters sticking him in their bet slips.

“Given the ex-Manchester United winger’s protestation that he would be suited to a big club despite having very little experience, the Wales job could be a perfect fit.”

The FAW would still need to strike a financial deal with Giggs, who is accustomed to multi-million pound contracts at Manchester United.

Giggs and Bellamy have each described managing Wales as a ‘top job’ and have made no secret of their desire to manage their country. Roberts, such a pivotal figure behind Wales’ Euro 2016 success, has also underlined his own ambition to step up and become the main man, with Bowen also throwing his hat into the ring.