Odds slashed on Jonathan Woodgate, Luke Garrard and Ian Morris in the next Leyton Orient manager market

The next Leyton Orient manager market has had a shake-up after a trio of new faces appeared in the upper echelon of the betting.

Jonathan Woodgate, initially a 25/1 outsider to replace Kenny Jackett, is now the new 6/4 favourite to return to management with the O’s.

The former England, Real Madrid and Leeds defender has two jobs on his CV at Middlesbrough and Bournemouth, both of which were in the Championship.

Woodgate, 42, won just nine of his 41 games at the helm of boyhood club Boro, in what was a tough first job, but in unexpected circumstances he became manager of Bournemouth - two days after arriving at the club as a first team coach - and led the Cherries into the play-offs last season where they lost to eventual winners Brentford.

Since making way for Scott Parker last summer, Woodgate’s name has cropped up in a few Football League manager markets, including Hartlepool in November; a job he was briefly odds-on for. He was also reportedly under consideration for the recent opening at Sunderland.

Woodgate is both available for hire and hungry to prove himself, but we’ll have to wait and see whether there’s any significant substance behind his sudden move in the next Leyton Orient manager market.

Another name who has burst into contention in the market is Luke Garrard, 9/4, manager of National League promotion contenders Boreham Wood.

Young talent Garrard, who has managed the club since 2015, has often been linked with a step up into the EFL.

However, it’s difficult to see the 36-year-old switching jobs anytime soon considering that he’s not only battling it out for promotion, but is currently preparing for Thursday’s FA Cup fifth round showdown away to Frank Lampard’s Everton. 

The Wood stunned Championship side Bournemouth in the previous round and can be backed at 28/1 to conjure up an absolutely titanic upset at Goodison Park.

Whether it’s with Boreham Wood or another club, it’s surely only a matter of time until the talented young manager makes the leap into the EFL dugout.

Meanwhile, Football League World reports that Leyton Orient are weighing up a move for Ian Morris, 34, who is currently manager of League of Ireland First Division club Waterford and worked with O’s Director of Football Martin Ling at Torquay United.

14/1-priced Morris, who has only been in charge of Waterford since December, previously led Shelbourne to two League of Ireland First Division titles.

Elsewhere, you can find Neil Lennon at 6/1, ahead of Darren Ferguson who was the odds-on favourite for the vacancy but in the last 24 hours has drifted out to 8/1.

Ferguson could be considered the ideal candidate for the position given he’s twice led teams to promotion from League Two, however he only left his post at Peterborough 10 days ago.

Former Sunderland manager Lee Johnson is priced at 10/1, ahead of a host of 25/1 outsiders.

Full odds can be found below…