Next Soccer Saturday Presenter Odds: Who will fill Stelling's shoes?
Sky Sports are on the hunt for a new Soccer Saturday figurehead, following the devastating news that the long-serving Jeff Stelling will be retiring from the position at the end of the current season.
Stelling has been in the job for 30 years and has been the catalyst for its enormous success during that time. Whoever fills the soon-to-be vacant role will have massive shoes to fill (not literally), but it is a hugely exciting opportunity for any sports broadcaster looking to elevate their career.
Betfred have released odds on who they think Stelling’s replacement will be, with Sky Sports News presenter Julian Warren unsurprisingly leading the betting at 11/10.
The Soccer Special host, who already does Stelling’s job on Champions League nights and during the international break when the Premier League is put on pause, seems like the perfect fit for the role due to his experience and it is certainly difficult to look past him at this stage.
If you’re after a bit of a longer shot, though, then Warren’s Sky Sports colleague Dave Jones is a 7/2 shout. Jones currently hosts Super Sunday and Monday Night Football, however, and it seems unlikely that he would either give up that position to move to Soccer Saturday or do it alongside his current presenting commitments.
Following up in the market is Hayley McQueen (6/1) and Laura Woods (8/1), both of whom have enjoyed hugely successful careers at Sky Sports and would surely relish the opportunity of fronting such a prestigious show.
Kelly Cates is one of the most well-known and respected presenters at Sky and frequently hosts some of the biggest Premier League matches for the London-based broadcaster.
The 46-year-old is 12/1 to take over from Stelling at the time of writing, before a break in the betting sees BBC Sport’s Gabby Logan introduced at 25/1 - the same price as David Garrido; Adam Leventhal; Tom White; Pete Graves and Kirsty Gallacher.
Soccer Saturday veteran Chris Kamara is a 66/1 outsider, while Match of the Day stalwart Gary Lineker is 100/1 alongside Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville.
Who would you like to see in the hot seat?
