Bookies rate Michael O'Neill as strong Hibs front-runner

BOOKMAKERS have reported a surge of bets on Michael O'Neill to become the next manager of Hibernian and have slashed his odds to as low as 11-10 to succeed John Hughes at Easter Road.

Northern Irishman O'Neill was a popular Hibs player in the mid-1990s, and has guided Shamrock Rovers to within three games of winning their first League of Ireland title in 16 years. He is also well known to the Hibs board, having been discussed as a potential candidate before Hughes was appointed in June last year.

O'Neill's side lost 1-0 to their closest challengers Bohemians on Tuesday night, but remain two points clear of their Dublin rivals with three games to play, and despite Shamrock Rovers chairman Jonathan Roache saying any outside interest would be an "unwelcome distraction", his name is heading all bookmakers' markets for the Hibs job.

William Hill slashed his odds to 11-10, while Irish-based Paddy Power have the 41-year-old former Brechin manager at 13-8 and Scottish internet firm McBookie.com make him their 11-8 favourite.

Former Chelsea and West Ham assistant Steve Clarke, who has yet to take the plunge as a manager, is also rated a strong contender for the job and is a best-priced 6-4, with Jimmy Calderwood at 6-1, and Billy Reid and former Hibs manager Tony Mowbray trading around 10-1. William Hill spokesman Joe Crilly said: "Steve Clarke has been a big mover and has been backed in from 8-1 to 6-4 while Jimmy Calderwood has gone the other way, out to 6-1. Michael O'Neill is the short price favourite at the moment and it appears that he may well get the job."

Hibs chairman Rod Petrie has already made it clear the Easter Road board will adopt a patient approach to finding the right man, and stressed it was not seen as imperative to have the new incumbent in place for the club's next SPL fixture, against Kilmarnock at home on 16 October.

The Hibs board have also refused to comment on any speculation and will make any announcement, in due course, via the club's official website.

Hamilton manager Reid admitted yesterday that turning down the chance to succeed Hughes at Easter Road would be much tougher than it was to reject a move to the Championship with Swansea City during the summer.

Petrie sacked Hughes as Hibs manager on Monday after a sequence of just four wins from 28 matches and Reid is a plausible candidate to replace him. The 47-year-old's track record has seen him regularly linked with moves from New Douglas Park.

He led Hamilton into the SPL and has kept them there for three seasons on the division's lowest crowds while making millions for the Lanarkshire club by selling home-grown stars James McArthur, James McCarthy and Brian Easton to the Premier League."Hibs are a big, big club but there have been a lot of names mentioned in connection with the job," said Reid. "To be honest, I haven't given it a thought. I've been here before, being mentioned for various jobs only for nothing to happen.

"I work for Hamilton, I have a rolling contract and I enjoy my time here. I had the chance to manage Swansea in the Championship during the summer but the time wasn't right and I felt I had unfinished business here.

"Like anyone else, though, I want to manage at the highest level possible and at the biggest club I can. But at this particular moment I'm the boss at Hamilton and there's no point in talking about speculation. If my name is mentioned then fine and dandy but right now it's not relevant, as far as I'm concerned."

However, Reid wouldn't rule out a move to Edinburgh, although he stressed that no approach has yet been made. "I couldn't turn round and say I wouldn't move to a club like Hibs," he said. "I'd be wrong to say that but I genuinely haven't thought about it and why should I? Rod Petrie is his own man and I'm sure he'll come up with the right answers. Hibs is a great club and they have a fantastic youth development programme.

"Without a doubt it'll be a great job for whoever gets it but I'm really disappointed how it turned out for John Hughes. He always tried to play football in the right manner and if his team had just got two more wins they'd be sitting in fourth. That's how tight this league is so decisions like that amaze at times but that's the game we're in."