Next Norwich Manager: Canaries set to gamble on Neil

Norwich are expected to replace Neil Adams with Alex Neil

An amble down Memory Lane shows how risky it is to hire a manager doing well in the Scottish Premiership...

Norwich chief executive David McNally clearly didn't think much of our advice to find an experienced Championship-proven successor to Neil Adams. Instead, he has identified a 33-year-old who started managing 21 months ago and has never worked in England as the ideal candidate.

Hamilton's player-boss Alex Neil is 1.241/4 to take charge at Carrow Road and it is easy to see the appeal.

When named caretaker of a side seventh in the Scottish Championship late in 2012/13, Neil steered them to five wins in seven. Then came the permanent job, promotion in his first full season and now they are third in the Premiership, four points off the top and three points shy of the mighty Celtic.

Judging by the statement released by Accies vice chairman Ronnie MacDonald, noting that "we are delighted that Alex's achievements have been recognised by this approach", they have no intention of obstructing the appointment, so the chances of a deal being completed are strong.

Optimists about the surprise selection will point to relatively recent examples of youthful Scottish Premiership tacticians being granted a chance in England's second tier and thriving, such as a 43-year-old Tony Mowbray at West Brom and a 41-year-old Owen Coyle at Burnley.

Mowbray moved from Hibernian to The Hawthorns in 2006 and reached the play-off final in the campaign that he arrived in before finishing first the following term.

Coyle left St Johnstone for Turf Moor in November 2007 and had the mid-table Championship club that he inherited in the Premier League within two years.

However, both of those have struggled for success since, which is why Mowbray hasn't been employed since being axed by his beloved Middlesbrough 15 months ago and Coyle, having been sacked by Bolton and Wigan, is now in the MLS with Houston Dynamo.

The last two Scottish Premiership managers headhunted by Championship teams didn't even really get to enjoy a happy honeymoon.

Derek McInnes, who is currently proving with that division's leaders Aberdeen how talented he is, didn't deliver when trading St Johnstone for Bristol City in October 2011. They came 20th that season and were relegated in the next, with McInnes ditched when they were six points adrift in January.

Even that stint wasn't as disastrous as that of his Saints' replacement Steve Lomas at Millwall last term. He was already unpopular upon being hired in June 2013 due to his West Ham connections and dreadful results made the mood around The Den more toxic still.

Eleven defeats in 22 league games and just five victories meant that he was only able to cling on until Boxing Day, and he hasn't been employed since.

Those failures show how risky it is to recruit Neil, particularly as both McInnes and Lomas had worked longer in Scotland's top-flight before heading south.

Those who are confident that the Canaries' bravery will be rewarded are able to back them for promotion to the Premier League at odds of around 4.67/2.