Ex-Schalke chief emerges as favourite for West Brom post

In a market that has featured regularly fluctuating prices since its inception, Ralf Rangnick now leads the betting to succeed Roy Hodgson at West Brom, at 10/11.

The German coach has been out of work since quitting Schalke in September of last year, when he cited exhaustion as a means to end his short stint at the club.

He is now thought to be the prime candidate to take charge at the Hawthorns, with it emerging that Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace has coveted his services for some time.

Rangnick is thought to be one of only two possible managers that Peace would be willing to appoint, with Birmingham boss Chris Hughton the other name in the frame, as an 11/8 chance.

Eager to secure a permanent move for on-loan keeper Ben Foster though, West Brom are reluctant to anger the Blues, and they fear an approach for their current manager could do so.

A move for Hughton would necessitate compensation for West Brom’s Midlands rivals too, and so Rangnick would appear to be in pole position to secure the Hawthorns post.

Reportedly, chairman Peace has been courting the 53-year-old manager, a qualified schoolteacher, since learning of the FA’s interest in Hodgson four weeks ago.

He was invited to the Hawthorns as a guest when they met Arsenal on the final day of the Premier League season, and is thought to have been interviewed on two occasions regarding the managerial vacancy at the club.

The Baggies are currently denying reports that Rangnick has been offered the position, though it is being widely speculated that he will be announced as their new boss in the not-too-distant future.

Rangnick has forged a terrific reputation as a coach, never dropping below a 40% win rate at any of the five clubs he has managed, and experience at the likes of Stuttgart and Schalke would likely make him a popular choice amongst Baggies supporters.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.