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Chelsea Premier League odds for 2011-2012 were listed at anywhere from 9 to 4 to 11 to 4 across the wide gamut of British bookmakers, with the addition of Andres Villas-Boas as manager expected to boost their chances of winning a title. Manchester United is only a slight favorite to win at 7/4 odds while Chelsea would pay 9/4.
The Portuguese boss was confirmed this week. The 33-year-old would likely be paid around £4.4m a year to take charge of Chelsea.
This past weekend, British bookmakers cut off betting on Villas-Boas to take over the helm at Chelsea. He was still listed as a bit of a long shot at 4 to 1 when the bookmakers pulled the plug.
Among his accomplishments, Villas-Boas became the youngest coach ever to win an UEFA competition after his former team Porto defeated Braga 1-0 to clinch the Europa League and he completed a treble by winning. He also started off with a win against Benfica to take the Portuguese Supercup.
Villas-Boas has gained the support of Avram Grant, who once guided Chelsea into the 2008 final against Manchester United before losing on penalties.
"I know he is young, but Pep Guardiola when he went to Barcelona was young, without experience and he did a great job," Grant told BBC Radio 5Live.
"Football is a game of results, experience is important but more important is the quality and the authority to take a team and move it forwards.
"When I saw Porto and how the players behaved towards him, the players liked him and he had authority, so he can do it also here."
- Alistair Prescott, Gambling911.com
