Premier League Sack Watch: Managers in the Firing Line

The Premier League is rather ruthless, and it is always evident that clubs are under pressure in order to deliver wins in the middle of stiff competition. Sometimes a couple of bad games are enough to raise questions regarding a manager’s tenure, particularly where expectations meet reality. The sack race of 2024/25 already has notable names in its lens as their teams respond inadequately to their goals.

Whether in defence, attack, or midfield, the causes may be different, but the danger is always the same – a slow, boring, tactical football. In this article, we will be looking at some of the next Premier League managers to be sacked:

Selection Criteria

We have carefully selected the Managers who might possibly lose their jobs after a few games forward. This list is based on their recent performances in domestic league performances as well as FA Cup and EFL Cup.

• Overall Performances in the domestic league.
• Fans affection towards the manager.
• Recent form.
• Expectations of the Board members from them.

List of Next Premier League Manager to Be Sacked

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10. Thomas Frank (Brentford)

As a strategist, Thomas Frank has been revolutionary at Brentford helping the team to post successive mid-table results. He is famous for the 3-5-2 formation that he deployed, and played attaches importance to a well-firmed defense line, the principles of counter-attack, and proper organization of corner kicks. Moreso, he has a data-oriented mindset that has contributed greatly to Brentford’s success story even if they are a minnow among the Big Boys.

Unlike other seasons this one has not had a very smooth run as planned. Brentford has lacked discipline in the defensive end throughout the season, and the injuries suffered by Rico Henry and Kristoffer Ajer have not helped the team at all. The team has continued to depend on Bryan Mbeumo for goals which reduces their attacking prowess even more, placing them on the relegation frontier.

Although Brentford’s board has traditionally proven to be quite patient, the growing monetary implications of the Premier League may force Frank to set high-performance expectations. Fans, also have begun to express worries about the inability of the team to penetrate opponents who seem to have read their counter-attacking tactics.

Frank Lampard’s next few games against mid-tier teams such as Fulham and Wolves will determine his season more than anything else. Thus, in order not to participate in the sack race, he needs to bring freshness to the team, especially in the attack which has become rather dull.

9. Kieran McKenna (Ipswich Town)

The talented manager Kieran McKenna led the Ipswich Town to the Premier League after the team has spent some time in lower leagues. McKenna is well noted for his tactical ability and tends to use either a fluid 3-4-1-2 or 4-2-3-1 system preferring to play possession soccer and intricate passing. This has been one of the reasons he has been able to manage to groom talents that has led to the rise of Ipswich.

Nevertheless, having triumphed in the Championship, McKenna has had his baptism of fire in the Premier League. Its defense has been a major concern with Ipswich Town having conceded, in most of their games, more than the average number of goals that should have been expected. Negatively, poor performance has been characterized by the absence of a striker; currently occupying a place near the bottom.

The club management has backed McKenna into the statement understanding that moving to the top tier football is never easy. However, fans are getting impatient, especially after defeats to fellow struggling side, Brentford. The next fixtures will be crucial to decide whether the club will be relegated or not and get a new opportunity to play again.

For McKenna to survive in the sack race, he will have to tighten up the defense and assure all his players. Despite this, the Premier League is not a league for potential, and his time to show he is capable of performing at this level is quickly running out.

8. Ange Postecoglou (Tottenham Hotspur)

When Ange Postecoglou joined Tottenham Hotspur it was considered that he was going to usher in a new age of attacking football to a side that had lost it’s way under previous incumbents. These carried the effect he wanted; the Spurs did not suffer a loss to start the season.

However, there have been signs of the cracks in the last couple of weeks. Injuries to first-choice players such as Wilson Odobert and Cristian Romero have proved that the team is lacking in depth. Spurs haven’t been tight at the back and have let in multiple goals in successive fixtures. They have however dropped in the recent games to Ipswich Town, Crystal Palace, and Brighton & Hove bringing their initial high spirit down in the table.

Fan patience is preserved in view of the fact that the Australian manager has been able to change the playing style of the team. However, Tottenham’s board, notorious for its short-sightedness, may respond if the trend persists, especially with the rivals Arsenal and Manchester City heading the list in the rankings.

For Postecoglou the next few games against mid-level teams are crucial in order to establish this new formation and style. With this, he can strengthen the defense, bring back the balance of offence and defense as well as have his tenure back on track minus the shocking discovery of the sack race.

7. Eddie Howe (Newcastle United)

Eddie Howe is a pleasant surprise at Newcastle United having taken “The Toon” to the Premier League with his high intense pressing football. Famously a supporter of the 4-3-3 formation Howe stresses high-tempo both with and without the ball and a focus on wide men supported by a sturdy defensive spine.

But this season has opened eyes and with so many problems at Newcastle, they are not without blame. Even if their performance has been great they have struggled lately in the domestic league. Defeats at the hands of Brighton & Hove, Chelsea, and Fulham have prompted debates on the team’s squad depth and Howe’s flexibility. Newcastle has been deprived of consistency as other top players such as Kieran Trippier and Sven Botman have gotten injured.

There is a lot of expectation on the fans after the club received financial backing from Saudi and if the manager is unable to balance his sides’ fixtures in Europe and in the nation, he might feel the heat. As long as he continues to enjoy the backing of the board, however, the ruthless nature of the Premier League means that a long downswing could force painful decisions.

However, in order to strengthen his authority, Howe has to manage his disrupted squad to its best effect and learn how to scrape through against teams that shouldn’t pose a threat to his side’s position in the top half of the table.

6. Steve Cooper (Leicester City)

Steve Cooper is familiar with pressure; last season, he led Leicester City to the Premier League using an attacking style that favoured possession. His ability to nurture young talents has been one of the secrets to his managerial career.

Leicester’s promotion journey to the premier league has not been as easy as the way they conquered the championship. The Foxes have disappointed in the physicality of top-flight football, notably in terms of defensive frailties and a failed striking line. Young players such as Harry Winks and Wout Faes have not delivered as expected in summer signings while other main players like Jamie Vardy and Jordan Ayew have been inconsistent.

The pressure was on Cooper especially after Leicester’s recent poor run and fans have been increasingly frustrated with the team’s lack of an ethos and the failure to pick up points against direct rivals. Foxes is in the bottom half of the table at the moment and this is not the kind of position that fans anticipated this team to be in.

Following the recent 2-1 home defeat to Chelsea led by Enzo Maresca at the King Power stadium was the final blow which led the Foxes to reach on conclusion to sack Steve Cooper. The Premier League club have officially announced the decision to part ways with the 44-year-old manager on Sunday 24 November 2024.

5. Sean Dyche (Everton)

Everton hired Sean Dyche, known for his tough and unglamorous football philosophy, to rescue the team from relegation last season. Succesfully blessed with defensive compactness and strength in aerial duels, Dyche has made consistent tactics with 4-4-2 formation.

Nonetheless, the form this season has not been very impressive from the Everton side. The Toffees have managed only two victories in their first eleven games of the season and are now hovering on the edge of the relegation zone. At the back, they have been a tad uneasy with James Tarkowski and Michael Keane often giving the defenders a nervy look. The attack has not faired any better as the DCL continues to perform badly with just two goals and one assist in 11 games so far this Premier League season. Everton’s lack of goalscoring prowess has been a major talking point and many people have been doubting whether Dyche is the right man for the job at Everton.

Away from the football field, there have been financial problems that have compounded the plight. Everton is also gearing up for a new stadium and the board can therefore not afford the lot by relegating the team. As such, Dyche is living on a prayer and the only way to justify his continued stay is by ensuring that he records successive victories.

In Dyche’s case, it might be about moving away from the defensive style of play for which his team is known and instead trying to be more aggressive upfront to stay in the top flight. Although, his reputation of being a man who can get teams out of the relegation zone saves him some time the growing discontent among the fans and the team’s poor showing in the league means he has to move fast before he joins the list of managers to be fired.

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4. Gary O’Neil (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

Gary O’Neil’s appointment as Wolves’ head coach raised eyebrows as he had only served as a manager for a short time. However, after a string of good performances during his time at Bournemouth, he was always going to be a calculated risk. It had been hoped that O’Neil would bring a more grounded style of coaching, with a set formation of 4-3-3 and a focus on defensive organization and direct counter-attacking play to steady a side that only just escaped relegation last year.

However, the Wolves have not had a good season; currently occupying a place in the relegation zone due to poor form. Their defense, though, has exhibited signs of stability; their major problem has been the failure to score goals. Promising forward Matheus Cunha and Goncalo Guedes have not been able to score at will and the loss of Pedro Neto has aggravated their problems. In this respect, poor goal conversion has made the team walk away from several important matches without a win.

The board of the club has to some extent supported O’Neil but with fans disgruntled with the performance of the team the heat to produce results is on. The next games against mid-level teams are crucial ones for the Wolves to escape the bottom three. But, if the Wolves fail to capitalize on these games, it will be the end of O’Neil as a manager.

To succeed, O’Neil has to bring flair to Wolves’ midfield position and come up with means to unlock the potential of the team’s forwards. For all that his defensive organization is impeccable, the Premier League requires more than that, and the day is rapidly ticking away.

3. Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace)

Oliver Glasner started Crystal Palace with an ambition to revolutionize the team but retain their solidity at the back. Popular with his Eintracht Frankfurt team, Glasner mostly uses the 3-4-2-1 or 4-3-3 formation that is closely marked by compactness at the back and counter-attacking. His focus on getting the most out of the team tactically has been applauded but the inability to deliver in sensitive areas has put the Palace in the red zone.

The Eagles have had an average test run in the current season: they have registered victories over the newly promoted teams but have been overwhelmed by the top-flight ones. Silly mistakes have been costly in their title pursuit, Sarr and Kamada are particularly culpable. On the attack, Palace still heavily relies on the abilities of Jean-Philippe Mateta; to Glasner’s efforts, the additions of attacking options have been suboptimal. Despite being tournament regulars, the likes of Eberechi Eze and Eddie Nketiah have not been producing good performances for the team on a regular basis which has made things worse for the team.

Pressure is on as more and more Palace fans start to get impatient. Glasner will have to correct poor defending and provide his players with a more solid belief in their attacking formation if he is to bring about a change.

For Glasner, the key to survival will be the accomplishment in the matches that the team is favoured to win. Palace’s hierarchy, in the past, has demonstrated the capacity to stick with its manager, but a lack of improvement in the form over the course of several weeks might well spur the side into action, making Glasner wonder whether his experience in the Bundesliga could be as useful in the context of the Premier League.

2. Julen Lopetegui (West Ham United)

When Julen Lopetegui came to West Ham United, the Hammers were given a breath of hope due to his fame of the teachnical abilities during his last venture. In Lopetegui’s teams, there has always been in particular a strong focus on width and the use of overlapping fullbacks and active midfielders.

However, Lopetegui seems to have quickly learned that he has his work cut out for him at West Ham, especially given the present season. They are positioned very closely to the relegate zone after a series of poor performances in the current season, including Fulham, and a 3-0 battering by Nottingham Forest. The Hammers have been more fragile in front of the opposition goal, which has seen them concede goals from set pieces, something they have been good at in the previous seasons.

Away from the football, the rumors of the conflict between Lopetegui and the board have not helped the team. Relations have been particularly said to have been damaged by his frustration of not being supplied with more reinforcements during the transfer window and now fans too have started to complain.

For Lopetegui the work is to restore West Ham’s image of a tough-fighting, counter-pressing side that is able to challenge the top teams. However, time is of the essence and more so, should the club’s hierarchy feel that the team is out of contention for the title, the next few games could mark his last in charge due to the increasing available managers.

1. Russell Martin (Southampton)

Southampton rose back to the English Premier League through a worthwhile style of play headed by Russell Martin. Nevertheless, his predilection to build from the back has put his side under pressure in the Premier League because every opportunity must be availed to secure maximum points.

The promotion did not translate to a better performance because, since the promotion, Southampton has been an unpredictable team. The Saints have only been able to claim one victory in the first eight matches of the Premier League and poor defensive displays have helped other teams to snatch points from the Saints, especially in matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bournemouth.

In Martin, there has been impressive faith in young talents such as Cameron Archer and Tyler Dibling, but they have been quite unpredictable. They were waiting for Martin’s forthcoming games against Liverpool and Chelsea which could be his last for Southampton.

To change things around he may be forced to abandon his warfare-like strategies and embrace more realistic strategies. Southampton fans, though, have appreciated his long-term strategy, and are getting increasingly impatient as their team stands on the brink of another fight against relegation. If he fails to do so, then he will be part of many managers who have not been able to secure the team a place in the Premier League.

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