Steve Cooper has got the favourites spot but has also dropped out of the running several times in recent days. The next Crystal Palace manager betting has Frank Lampard, Steve Cooper, Chris Wilder, Sean Dyche and Eddie Howe out front with little to separate them. We all know a fluctuating market is reliant on certain bets being put on quickly, and this has affected predictions. However inside reports from Selhurst Park believe Cooper is their main target.

Of course it isn’t as simple as that.

What we do know is an approach from Crystal Palace will cost them two million pounds if Cooper becomes their man. Peanuts apparently in today’s Premier League money go round. So that won’t be the main issue. With the swans in the most important week of their recent history we do know Cooper’s professionalism won’t be disrupted. His “sideshow” comments this season are proof of that. He won’t be making any decision until the clubs fate is known in the Championship play offs. In the meantime we expect swans CEO Julian Winter to be already considering his options for a replacement. That’s always been his mindset in these situations, but primarily he will be wanting Cooper to stay and a much improved contract will go some way to preventing him leaving.

The main issue is Cooper’s desire to stay at Swansea if the play offs are not successful. Would he really want another season battling it out with minimal money available ? His work over the last two seasons in that respect has been nothing other than brilliant. His style of play and coaching ability is also not in question, and it’s likely if he went then Mike Marsh would follow suit.

If the swans make the premier league we still think it would be extremely unlikely Cooper would leave SA1, he also has an affinity with the players he has brought in and will find it hard to break that relationship. No doubt any leaving clause would state that no swans players are available to Palace for one year much the same as Graham Potter had to agree to when he left for Brighton.

It’s not the best weeks for Swansea to be dealing with this issue, but local media seem determined to unsettle the club and report this news at the very time it is least needed. However, you can’t beat the system, we already know agendas within certain local news media with allegiances to Cardiff City have no concerns about unsettling Swansea City. It’s all an aside with the swans concentrating on Saturdays massive game at the Liberty against Barnsley. If successful another Wembley final awaits and that’s another week for Palace to wait on a decision from Cooper. Unless of course his desire to take the job means negotiating gets underway before then between Cooper, Winter and Crystal Palace. As we said we think that is highly unlikely due to Cooper’s commitment.

Our belief is that if Cooper is the main contender and the swans do not make the Premier League then he will take up the offer to join Palace. His stock is high and his desire to manage at the very top is obvious. Palace offer him that next stepping stone.

Add in to the mix relegated WBA are now in the market for a new manager then rumour and speculation will continue until the new season starts.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

Swansea City Polls