Roberto Mancini's neck, Roy Hodgson's face and Jason Manford's thumbs - it's Derek McGovern's Bets of the Day

By Derek McGovern in Betting Blog

Published 23:00 19/11/10

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Robin Soderling is one of my favourite tennis players.

First, he has gone through his career largely unnoticed, apart from an ability to make enemies - just like me.

Second, he is from Sweden, the home of the moose - just like mine. And third, his nickname is Robin Sod, just like mine.

But what makes Soderling so darling is his ability to move smoothly beneath bookmaker radar.

The Swede has sneaked to No4 in the world rankings, one place above Andy Murray, yet for the ATP World Tour Finals in London, bet365 make Murray a mere 9-2 chance while the Sod is on offer at 9-1.

Soderling, who once said he thought he had the perfect head for tennis - it's oval-shaped with strings criss-crossing it - is, because of a foul temper, about as popular in the men's locker room as I would be in the women's locker room.

"When my family and I played board games at home, I could slam the table and just run out of the room if I lost," said the Swede, though he doesn't have a Cluedo why. His irritation grew when he asked his parents for Operation and had to wait three years for it.

Swedes are a bit thick like that.

In fact, only the other day a power cut hit the Stockholm branch of Ikea and 250 Swedes were left stranded on the escalators.

But the guy is a class act on the court, is in top form, and showed his liking for the London event by reaching the semi-final last year.

Soderling is in the same section at the 02 Arena as Murray, David Ferrer, and Switzerland's Roger Federer - hardly the Group of Death but maybe the group of assisted suicide.

What's more, the format of the group stages - round robin - could suit him better only if he were rotund.

I'm not saying he's a certainty at 9-1.

What I am saying is that you won't strike many better bets.

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No man could have read Jason Manford's sex-chats confession without a feeling of pity and an overwhelming urge to open a Twitter account.

The comic chubster admitted to steamy internet chats with 12 scantily-clad girl fans, and with one or two "it went over the line" - although FIFA said it didn't.

This is a shocking admission from a family man. Is he seriously expecting us to believe the other 10 were filth-free?

The star was proud of his work on 8 Out Of 10 Cats but ashamed of his performance on 2 Out Of 12 P***ies.

We've all been responsible on the computer for something we're not particularly proud of - for me, it's this column.

Now, after his very own Twelve Show, Manford has quit The One Show and the race to replace him on BBC is hotting up even more than the race to recruit those 12 birds on Twitter.

Matt Baker, currently wowing the blue-rinse brigade on Strictly, is evens favourite but Adrian Chiles, the former host, has been backed down to 14-1. You know what you're getting with Chiles - little chance of 12 scantily-clad girls.

I've a feeling they won't replace Manford. It's called The One Show after all.

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Bookies think Roberto Mancini is in the last-chance salon this weekend.

The carefully-coiffured comedy act is up against the man he succeeded at Eastlands, Mark Hughes, and that's a real shock because you don't often see the words Eastlands and succeeded in the same sentence.

At this stage last season, Sparky had collected 22 points from 13 games and was sacked soon just before Christmas. Mancini has collected 22 points from 13 games.

What's more, he's turned City into the most boring outfit seen outside an accountant's wedding - the clocks go forward more than they do.

Bookies Paddy Power offer 6-1 that the clash with Fulham is Mancini's last as City boss. That's no bad bet, because there's a school of thought that Mancini has already gone to the guillotine and the scarf he wears is merely keeping his head on.

Yet he ain't the only gaffer in peril. Liverpool host West Ham with both emu-faced Roy Hodgson and turtle-faced Avram Grant on the endangered list.

Bookies bet365 go just 6-4 that a Premier League boss leaves his post before next weekend's games.

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BET OF THE DAY: Light travels faster than sound which is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

Get on Robin Soderling at 9-1 to win the ATP World Tour finals, starting tomorrow.

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MACCA ACCA: I ate at a real nice family restaurant last night. Every table had an argument going.

Get on Bolton (23-20), Aston Villa (12-5), Stoke (13-5) and Wolves (15-8) - the four-timer with Victor Chandler pays more than 70-1.

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