Who's it going to be then?

After a hectic week filled with different stories regarding the events behind the scenes leading to Dougie's departure, rather than dwelling on the bitter subject, I think its time to move on and focus on trying to consolidate our promotion chase. In order to do so, we have find the right man to take us there. I've made a list of possible candidates for the job starting off with the current caretaker manager.

Lennie Lawrence

Odds: 6/1

Likelihood: 5/10

Rating: 7.5/10

Dougie Freedman personally brought Lawrence into the fold as he needed an experienced hand to help him through his first season of football management. He knows the ins and outs of the club and is clearly a big influence at the club so would be a great choice especially seeing as we are on a great run of form. However, it looks like he may be joining Dougie at Bolton.

Owen Coyle 

Odds: 22/1

Likelihood: 4/10

Rating: 7/10

Coyle is still relatively young for a manager but comes with a great deal of experience for his age. He's enjoyed succesful spells at St. Johnstone, Burnley and had a great start to life at Bolton, where he was recently sacked allowing Freedman to take over the reigns at the Reebok. Not everyone's cup of tea but I think he's a quality manager and could be a great acquisition. However, he is good friends with Warnock...

Harry Redknapp

Odds: 33/1

Likelihood: 2/10

Rating: 8.5/10

Earlier this year everyone wanted him to be the new England manager following Capello's resignation but has somehow ended up without a managerial job after missing out on Champions League Football with Tottenham in the most unfortunate of circumstances. He has just joined Bournemouth as part of their advisory board and is concentrating on his punditry which makes him an unlikely candidate but he is a London boy and his ability and experience would make him the pick of the candidates for most teams throughout the country.

Gareth Soutghate

Odds: 10/1

Likelihood: 4/10

Rating: 5/10

Ex-Palace players are always going to be linked with a return to Selhurst Park and Southgate is no different. He had a bright start with Middlesborough but after wasting a club record £11million on Brazilian dud Afonso Alves, times became tough for the young manager and he was eventually sacked. Gareth has since gone on to become the FA's Head of Elite Development working alongside Trevor Brooking. Although unlikely to leave that post, he certainly looks qualified enough to deal with the myriad of talent currently held at Palace.

Sean Dyche

Odds: 20/1

Likelihood: 6/10

Rating: 6/10

Another young manager with limited experience. Put in a good shift at Watford last season, which was to be his only one thus far after he was replaced by Gianfranco Zola due to a change in ownership. Probably a bit unfair as his Watford side had a strong season and even looked like promotion contenders at one point, finishing in a respectable 11th place. He would be an underwhelming choice but that doesn't mean to say that he' couldn't be the right one as he's unproven and is currently working with the england under-21 set up which could be beneficial.

Mick McCarthy 

Odds: 9/2

Likelihood: 7/10

Rating: 7/10

Mick McCarthy is fast becoming somewhat of a Holloway-esque cult figure in the world of Football. With his personality he also brings a wealth of experience. He's had success everywhere he's been and even had a strong World Cup campaign in 2002 with the Republic of Ireland. Sacked from Wolves last January, he has since turned down Nottingham Forest stating that only a job in the top flight would interest him. With nothing coming into fruition for the ex-Ireland international and Palace in a promising position, maybe a job in the capital could interest him.

Karl Robinson

Odds: 6/4

Likelihood: 8/10

Rating: 6.5/10

According to Paddy Power, he's currently the favourite for the job. Robinson is currently the youngest manager in the entire football league and in his two seasons in charge of the MK Dons, he's taken the Milton Keynes' outfit to the playoffs on both occasions. Would probably be quite cheap, which is something the board would be happy with and the compensation received for Freedman would surely be enough to allow Robinson to break his current contract.

Sir Steve Coppell

Odds: 15/8

Likelihood: 9/10

Rating: 9/10

Definitely the glamour pick of the bunch. With a legend leaving the club, the best option would be to replace him with another one, and they don't come much bigger than Sir Steve. This would be his fifth time at the club with which he has already achieved promotion to the Premiership with twice, bagged a Zenith Data Systems cup, finished runner up in the FA Cup and third in the old, old, Division 1 (Premiership). Undoubtedly the best times in the club's history have come under Coppell and another promotion would be the icing on the cake. A cause for concern is that when he feels he isn't up to the job, he's not against throwing in the towel prematurely like he did at Manchester City and at Bristol City where he left after just two games in charge.