CHRIS LAKEY Bryan Robson is ready to throw his hat into the ring for the vacant managerial position at Norwich City. The former England skipper has been out of work since being sacked by West Bromwich Albion last month - but says he would welcome interest from the Canaries.

CHRIS LAKEY

Bryan Robson is ready to throw his hat into the ring for the vacant managerial position at Norwich City.

The former England skipper has been out of work since being sacked by West Bromwich Albion last month - but says he would welcome interest from the Canaries.

“I feel when it comes to a job situation, the people who are in charge know what you are like and it's whether they want you or not,” he said.

“With my track record at Middlesbrough and West Brom, if people want to get in touch then I will listen.”

Robson is also weighing up offers to manage in Europe.

“I'm really keen to get straight back into the game,” he said. “I have had loads of offers from clubs in Europe that I am going to consider this time around.”

Robson admits he is keen to make a quick return to football, but if the rumour and speculation surrounding the Carrow Road vacancy are anything to go by, he will be in a long line of managers and would-be managers ready to take over where Nigel Worthington left off on Sunday.

City officials are, understandably, keeping the names of interested parties in house, but Robson is joining what appears to be a lengthening list for the Carrow Road hot-seat.

There is growing speculation, particularly across the Irish Sea, of a “swap” between Worthington and Northern Ireland team boss Lawrie Sanchez, who has made no secret of his desire to return to club management in England.

And while the likes of Ian Crook and Joe Royle aren't linking themselves directly to the vacancy, they also aren't writing off the idea altogether.

Royle admitted yesterday he is ready to return to management, although he has not spoken to anyone at Carrow Road.

Royle, a Norwich player in the early 1980s, has been out of work since leaving East Anglian rivals Ipswich in May after three and a half years in charge.

“I have had a good break and I feel thoroughly refreshed,” he said. “If the right club were interested in me I am at the stage where I would like to have another crack at it.

“But I am not desperate for a job. It would have to be the right job at the right club, a bit like when I joined Ipswich four years ago.”

He added: “I've had two previous breaks before this one and they lasted 12 months and then 18 months. I enjoyed them both.

“I know how to relax and enjoy it, but as soon as Ipswich showed an interest in me and I met up with them I had a lot of feeling for the club and I knew I wanted it.

“But this is definitely not a situation where I am hawking myself around. I would only return to management if I felt it was the right opportunity for me.”

The big movers in yesterday's betting markets were Mark Bowen and Alan Curbishley.

Bowen opened at 4-1 with Skybet but is now a 9-4 bet, while Curbishley is at 8-1, having opened at 33-1.

“There is a fair spread of money on Curbishley, including a few decent sized bets,” said Skybet's PR director, Dale Tempest.

“But he will always get picked up by punters simply because of who he is. Basically, if he wants a job he'll get it. It was the same with Martin O'Neill.

“Mark Bowen is a highly-regarded understudy and is perfectly placed for the position Norwich find themselves in, but the big question is, does he want to drop out of the Premiership?”

There are also many of the usual suspects in the betting, including Peter Reid, second favourite at 6-1, Gary Megson, a surprise at 7-1, and George Graham, (16-1), Graeme Souness and Glenn Hoddle (both 20-1).

“Peter Reid recently said he wanted to get back into management, which is why some punters fancy him, but they are the types of names who will be in the betting whatever the position,” added Tempest. “Punters don't guess with their money, they have reasons why they back certain candidates. Obviously there are the ones with Norwich connections, the ones like Mike Newell who are doing well at their clubs, and the ones whose names will come up whatever.”

One man who would welcome a return for Bowen is the man who used to play just in front of him - Darren Eadie.

“It's very difficult,” said Eadie. “We would all like to see someone like Alan Curbishley, but with all due respect, is the Norwich job big enough for him? He could probably walk into any Premiership job he wanted.

“I would like to see someone like Ian Crook and Mark Bowen come back. Ian Crook was a great player for the club and Norwich have always been known as their style of football and he'd bring that here.

“Bowen was a big leader on the pitch. He's got those skills and I remember when I was getting into the team he was left-back and I was left-midfield and he was always shouting and moaning at me! He's certainly got the vocal abilities to be a manager.”