Betfair: Premier League Betting: Attracting the likes of Peter Crouch to Sunderland will be a tall order

Today’s update from Betfair:

As Peter Crouch looks certain to move from Portsmouth, Ralph Ellis looks at how one of his prospective managers - Steve Bruce - will find it very difficult to attract top players to the city of Sunderland.

It’s the estate agent’s mantra: ‘Location, location, location.’ And Steve Bruce is already beginning to learn exactly what it means. Since taking charge at Sunderland, armed with new owner Ellis Short’s money, he’s brought in some new boys at the bargain end of the market. But now he wants to mix it with the big boys and it’s not so easy.

Bruce has been the first to make a serious move to take Peter Crouch away from Portsmouth, and flew the England striker up to the North East yesterday to talk to him after getting a £12million bid accepted by Portsmouth. Trouble was, all that did was make the beanpole striker realise just how far the Stadium of Light is away from the brighter lights of London where his bride-to-be Abbey Clancy needs to be for her showbiz and modelling career.

Instead of signing on the dotted line, Crouch has got on the first plane back home to wait and see what Fulham have to say to him.

Bruce is a realist. “We spoke to him today, and it was good to see him up here,” he’s told today’s papers - then admitted: “It’s fingers crossed. I believe there is a bit of competition.

“He’s the type of signing that would signal our intent, where we want to be. If we can pull it off, it would be terrific. I’m led to believe he’s talking to Fulham. Obviously location is the big thing.”

Bruce’s success at Wigan over two years was one of the best management jobs in the Premier League. When he left Birmingham they were looking pretty safe and relegation seemed more than likely at the JJB. By the end of the campaign it was the other way round. Blues were down and his old club had survived. Then he kicked on and finished in the dizzy heights of 11th. So in theory, given the extra financial backing now at his disposal, he should do more. Certainly that’s what Betfair’s Premier Points market predicts with a spread between 43 and 45 compared to the 36 the Black Cats finished with last term.

But to do that he needs bigger players - and ironically it’s probably easier to get them to Wigan, where they can live in Manchester, than to Sunderland. So far all he’s managed to bring in are Fraizer Campbell and untried Paraguayan defender Paulo da Silva. Until he gets one top international to join it will be almost impossible to attract another, whatever his own reputation.

One thing is for certain, Crouch will move somewhere. He was [1.1] to leave Fratton Park in the Specials market this morning and that’s a safe way to make ten per cent on your money. Backing Bruce to make any real progress with the Black Cats is a different matter entirely.

Five things you might not know about Peter Crouch

1. His middle name is James

2. Born in Macclesfield, Cheshire, his dad worked in advertising and the family moved to Singapore for a couple of years. “My mum says my first words were in Mandarin,” he says

3. He took an advanced driver’s course at the age of 17 to save on the cost of his car insurance. At the time, as a young QPR player, he drove a green Volkswagen Polo

4 .He’s just had a cap put on a grey tooth that he’s had since he was little - his sister knocked it out

5. His favourite snack is Scotch eggs. ‘I’ve always got a fridge full at home’

Betfair lets you set and lay odds just like a bookmaker, meaning you always get the odds you want. To start betting against other punters visit Betfair and claim your free bet.