Bookies in Ireland have slashed the odds on Sir Alex Ferguson becoming manager of the Republic of Ireland from 66/1 to 20/1 after a flood of large bets came in today.

“We laid some large bets on Sir Alex Ferguson at 66/1 on Friday morning and the cut him into 33/1. The support continued to come and we were forced to cut him again, into 20/1,” said Leon Blanche, of Boylesports, in an article in The Irish Independent newspaper.

When there’s activity in the betting markets, it’s difficult to ascertain whether it’s a key indicator or a false positive.

Ireland are searching for a new manager to replace Giovanni Trappatoni, who quit as manager after his team’s recent defeat to Austria. Noel King has been appointed as interim manager, while Martin O’Neill is the clear favorite for the job while Mick McCarthy isn’t far behind as an another option.

Ferguson has managed at a national level before when he was in charge of Scotland from 1985-86 after Jock Stein’s sudden death.

What do you think? Would Sir Alex Ferguson seriously consider coming out of retirement to manage Ireland, or is it just punters placing bets as wishful thinking? Give us your opinion in the comments section below.