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De Boer favourite to fill Dutch hotseat

FRANK DE BOER won 112 caps for Holland as a player and could be asked to resume national service by leading the Oranje’s bid to qualify for the World Cup.

The Dutch are in grave danger of missing out on a second successive major tournament and under huge pressure to find the right replacement for Danny Blind, who was sacked after Satur­day’s 2-0 loss away to Bulgaria.

With half of qualifying completed, Holland are six points adrift of France and three behind Sweden. Reaching the playoffs looks a tall order and it will take a good manager to turn the tide.

De Boer is the 10-3 favourite in Sky Bet’s next Holland manager, having been dismissed as Inter head coach in November 2016.

Ruud Gullit, who captained the Dutch to Euro 1988 glory, is the 9-2 second favourite and Louis van Gaal is a 5-1 chance to return to the post he held between 2012 and 2014.

Whoever takes the job will have a tough task with Holland 12-1 third favourites to win Group A.

Romelu Lukaku has been stalling on a new contract at Everton and may be targeted by some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs this summer. Betway are betting on Lukaku’s club at the end of the transfer window and make Chelsea 7-4 favourites.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi has been handed a four-match ban for misconduct, which started last night when he missed the Albiceleste’s World Cup qualifier away to Bolivia.

And Liverpool’s Adam Lallana faces up to four weeks out after picking up a thigh strain.

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