West Ham boss Glenn Roeder need not worry about being overworked during the 2001 Christmas holidays.

According to bookmakers, he looks likely to be out of his job by the time football's busy festive programme gets underway.

But Roeder faces fierce competition to be shown the door, if bookmakers are to be believed.

The Hammers coach, a surprise appointment to take over from Harry Redknapp at Upton Park, is odds-on with William Hill to no longer be in the post by the end of the 2001-2002 campaign.

Southampton's new manager is also considered a virtual certainty to go, joining Roeder as joint favourite at odds of 9/10.

Aston Villa's John Gregory comes next in the list of potential casualties, followed by Jim Smith of Derby and Everton's Walter Smith.

Interestingly, Sir Alex Ferguson is rated only 10th-most likely to get the sack in his last season at Manchester United.

His sometimes fragile relationship with the Old Trafford board account for that skinny quote.

But it also illustrates just how shaky every top-flight manager's position is.

Who would have thought a year ago that Chelsea's Gianluca Vialli would be in charge at Watford 12 months later?

Or that Hammer Harry Redknapp would be sampling an easier lifestyle at Portsmouth?

Those sleeping safest as the new season starts would appear to be Leeds boss David O'Leary (11/1) and treble-winning Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier (12/1).

But even they will know the price of failure will be much bigger than the prices offered by bookies,

And after successful seasons last time round, fans of both clubs will want more of the same.