The world of football is never quiet and 2015 looks set to be no different. Britain’s biggest bookmaker, William Hill, is looking into a crystal ball to try to predict some of the major stories that could (or could not) happen next year. Ranging from the very possible (Mario Balotelli to leave Liverpool in 2015 – 4/9) to the not so possible (Ally McCoist to manage Celtic – 100/1), William Hill have it covered.
“You can rarely predict what will happen in football but we have tried to do just that,” said William Hill spokesman Joe Crilly.
Other topical specials include 3/1 for standing to be allowed at Premier League stadia, 2/1 for a transfer fee of £100m to be spent and 7/2 for Sepp Blatter to step down as President of Fifa.
Football 2015 specials
4/9 Mario Balotelli to leave Liverpool
4/7 Manchester City to add another team to the City Football Group (New York, Melbourne, Yokohama)
11/10 Arsenal to break their transfer record (Ozil £42m)
6/4 Qatar to be stripped of the 2022 World Cup
6/4 Messi or Ronaldo to score 110+ goals in all competitions (friendlies not included but internationals are)
6/4 Announcement that a Premier League match will be played outside the UK
6/4 Wayne and Coleen Rooney to have a third baby
7/4 A goalkeeper to score in the Premier League in 2015
2/1 Alan Pardew to no longer be Newcastle manager
2/1 Jurgen Klopp to manage in the Premier League
2/1 Brendan Rodgers to leave Liverpool
2/1 Steven Gerrard to leave Liverpool
2/1 Ronaldo to join Manchester United
2/1 A transfer fee of £100m or more to be paid
2/1 A female to referee a Premier/Football League
5/2 Any British player to join Real Madrid
3/1 Announcement that standing is to be allowed at Premier League stadia
3/1 Brazil to win the Copa America
3/1 Gary Lineker to present football on Sky
3/1 England to win all Euro 2016 qualifying matches
7/2 English winner of the Champions League
7/2 Sepp Blatter to leave his role as President in 2015
7/2 Arsene Wenger to no longer be manager of Arsenal
7/2 Yaya Toure to leave Manchester City
7/2 English side to win the UEFA Super Cup
4/1 A British winner of the Europa League
4/1 Gareth Bale to leave Real Madrid
5/1 Diego Simeone to manage in the Premier League
5/1 FA Cup final to be decided on penalties
5/1 Louis van Gaal to leave Manchester United
5/1 Any team to win both the FA Cup and the Premier League
5/1 English team to win the World Club Championship
5/1 England to win the U21 European Championships
5/1 The Glazer family to sell their share in Manchester United
5/1 Leighton Baines to leave Everton
6/1 English Premier League decided by goal difference
6/1 Joey Barton not to tweet for a period of three months
7/1 Russia to be stripped of the 2018 World Cup
7/1 Alex Ferguson and Alex Ferguson to publicly shake hands
7/1 Jose Mourinho to leave Chelsea
7/1 Lionel Messi to join Manchester City
7/1 England to be eliminated on penalties from the U21 European Championships
7/1 Danny Ings to be top tournament goalscorer at the U21 European Championships
7/1 Harry Kane to be the top tournament goalscorer in the U21 European Championships
8/1 England to be ranked in the top five in the FIFA rankings
8/1 Saido Berahino to be top tournament scorer at the U21 European Championships
8/1 Steven Gerrard to retire as a player
8/1 Non Premier League team to win the FA Cup
8/1 Real Madrid to score 10 or more goals in a La Liga match
8/1 Rangers to play a Scottish League home match away from Ibrox
8/1 Any current or former professional footballer to win I’m A Celebrity
10/1 Any Premier League based player to win the Ballon d’Or
10/1 David Moyes to return to the Premier League
10/1 Any Premier League team to change their name
10/1 Barcelona to score 10 goals in a La Liga match
10/1 Any current or former professional footballer to win Strictly
10/1 An English player to top score in the Women’s World Cup
10/1 Mike Ashley to sell all his share in Newcastle
10/1 All British Europa League final
10/1 Any Premier League team to win 15 consecutive matches (can be over two seasons)
10/1 Any footballer to win Sports Personality of the Year
14/1 Youngest Premier League scorer (16y 271d) record to be broken
14/1 Pep Guardiola to manage in the Premier League
16/1 Luis Suarez to receive a ban for biting someone
16/1 England to play a match away from Wembley
16/1 John Terry to play for England
16/1 Manchester City and Manchester United to meet in the FA Cup final
16/1 Alex Ferguson to manage any professional football team
16/1 Brooklyn Beckham to make a Premier League appearance
16/1 Roy Keane to manage a Premier League team
16/1 A player to score six or more goals in one match
16/1 Roman Abramovich to sell his share in Chelsea
16/1 Sheikh Mansour to sell his share in Manchester City
20/1 A Premier League side to go unbeaten in 2015
20/1 All English Champions League final
20/1 English FA to boycott either the 2018 or 2022 World Cups
20/1 John Terry to play in the MLS
25/1 British player to win the PFA Player of the Year Award
25/1 Piers Mrgan to appear on Match of the Day as a pundit
25/1 England to win the Women’s World Cup
25/1 Liverpool and Everton to meet in the FA Cup Final
25/1 Tottenham and Arsenal to meet in the FA Cup final
25/1 Gary Neville to manage England in a competitive match
25/1 Steven Gerrard to play for England
33/1 Any English Premier League team to score 10 or more goals in a league match
33/1 David Moyes to win a trophy at Real Sociedad
33/1 Celtic or Rangers to announce they are leaving Scottish football
33/1 Liverpool to announce they are leaving Anfield for a new stadium
33/1 Ronaldo or Messi to retire from football
40/1 England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Rep. Ireland to all qualify for Euro 2016
50/1 Thierry Henry to play in the Premier League
100/1 No Premier League manager to leave their job
100/1 Premier League to be decided by playoff
100/1 Any Premier League match to be abandoned because of too many red cards
100/1 Jamaica to win the Copa America
100/1 Ally McCoist to manage Celtic
