The appearance of the name of Harry Redknapp as favourite to succeed Sam Allardyce as manager of Newcastle United on a leading internet betting site may have come as a surprise to those who have ordained Alan Shearer as the heir apparent, but Betfair.com has been right about the Portsmouth manager before.

That there was an investigation into those who seemed to have inside information about Redknapp’s return to Fratton Park from Southampton in 2005 will only lend credence this time to the possibility of his leaving the South Coast.

Reluctant to move far from his luxury home on Poole Harbour – only West Ham United of the four British clubs he has managed have taken him beyond the far end of the M27 – he has always turned down more distant managerial positions. However, he admitted to The Times last year that he had been offered some of the biggest jobs outside the top four in the past, and although he has also said that he expects Portsmouth to be his last job, a posting to the North East might just tickle his fancy.

Experienced Redknapp watchers have detected a certain jaded quality in recent weeks, only partly explained by his arrest in November in connection with investigations into illegal payments. He has also been regularly repeating a lament about the shortage of funds available from Alexandre Gaydamak, the Portsmouth owner.

Expert View

If Ashley cannot parade Allardyce’s successor in time for the match with Manchester United on Saturday, this is amateur night at the Roxy

Martin Samuel

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Background

• Newcastle forced to fight for Redknapp

• Redknapp: 'I am happy down on South Coast'

• Allardyce ‘not bitter’ as he takes break

• Why Newcastle is nothing more than a slog

Background

• Harry Redknapp is favourite for Newcastle madhouse

• Ashley must dig his club out of another mess

• Allardyce will be looking back in anger

• Alan Shearer is the man for the fans

Background

• Wilkinson angry over managerial departures

• Talk of move for Redknapp has familiar ring

• Martin Jol ideally placed to step in

• Newcastle madhouse: what the fans say

Multimedia

• Vote: Who should be the next Newcastle manager?

• Vote: Were Newcastle right to sack Allardyce?

• Video: Watch Harry having a ball during training

The attractions for Newcastle would appear obvious. Redknapp has staved off relegation twice at Fratton Park, and built two successful teams from a combination of recycled goods such as David James and Sol Campbell and judicious signings such as Niko Kranjcar. Perhaps more important to the frustrated fans on Tyneside is that Redknapp’s teams are, by and large, sent out to entertain.