With the Premier League 2017-18 season just 12 rounds old, five of the 20 clubs have sacked their manager.
New managers
The first was new manager Frank De Boer at Crystal Palace who was replaced by former England manager Roy Hodgson. De Boer was appointed in the summer following Sam Allardyce’s departure.
The former Ajax and Inter Boss was appointed to implement a new style of football at Selhurst Park. However, after losing the first four games without scoring De Boer was axed.
He managed the team for only 450 minutes of league football, meaning it was the shortest tenure of any Premier League manager. The Eagles have shown promising signs under Hodgson. A win at home to champions Chelsea was the first of the season.
Craig Shakespeare followed a month later and was replaced by Frenchman Claude Puel at Leicester. Shakespeare was initially caretaker manager last season after Claudio Ranieri was released. He guided the Foxes to safety but after a slow start to this season followed the same fate as his predecessor.
David Moyes took the West Ham job after Slaven Bilić was released in the last year of his contract. It has been a strange few years in East London. After a successful first season under the Croatian Bilić, the club have struggled since moving to the Olympic Stadium from Upton Park.
Despite a large transfer outlay, the club team was on a slow decline. New manager Moyes comes with vast Premier League experience but has struggled in his last three jobs. With a strong squad, the Hammers should have enough to stay in the league.
Managerless clubs
The other two clubs are still looking for a permanent manager. Ronald Koeman lost his job at Everton between Shakespeare and Bilić, but after former defender David Unsworth was placed in a caretaker position, they are still to confirm a new manager almost one month later.
Koeman had achieved Europa League qualification, but after a huge summer of spending and very poor form in all competitions, new Everton owner Farhad Moshiri sacked Koeman.
Unsworth himself has been considered for the role full-time but Everton’s form since his appointment has been indifferent. Everton have been strongly linked with the current Watford manager Marco Silva, himself just five months into the job.
The second managerless club is West Bromwich Albion. This week Tony Pulis was relieved of his duties after a poor start to the season. The new Chinese owner Lai Guochuan had decided that a change in manager was required to ensure his club’s Premier League status.
Since an impressive first half to last season, in which safety was guaranteed very early, Pulis’s team has been unable to reach those heights since.
Former manager Gary Megson has taken over temporary control of the team from Pulis who is noted as never having been relegated as a manager. Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill is a favourite after leading his side to a World Cup playoff defeat.
The other favourite is Sam Allardyce. Experienced premier league manager last led Crystal Palace to Premier League survival last season.
He, like Pulis, has a strong record of keeping his teams in the league and has previously worked with West Brom Chairman, John Williams, at Blackburn Rovers.
There are likely to be many more managerial movements throughout the season as teams battle for European football and against relegation.
buddy
Guest
J&K - thanks for that info. I wondered where James Richardson had gone. I will look up that podcast and I agree about Barry Glendenning. I love listening to him especially when talking all things Sunderland. The comments about Moyes and life at West Ham were very entertaining too. I hardly watch any EPL these days. I get my fill of it just listening to the various podcasts.
Kangajets
Guest
The guardian show and the new ac jimbo shoe are both good I like the podcasts better then most of the games Barry glendenning could be the best voice in football.
James Roche
Roar Rookie
I'd recommend listening to the Totally Football show, it's where former host, Jimbo, of Football Weekly. I'm actually working on an article about pricing of match tickets, tv subs, merchandise throughout Europe. Another article is the perceived shift of Premier League football to the south, and particularly London.
Buddy
Guest
That’s all part and parcel in the EPL and no surprises amongst tbe casualties. Listening to the weekly Guardian Football podcast there is regular discussions on the subject and likey changes. The word is that Conte will not survive a full season at Chelsea and Silva may well get poached from Watford. How long does Mourinho have to pur meaningful silverware on the table at Old Trafford? It looks as though City are streets ahead and could well run away with the title by 12-15 points. Face it, the EPL is a different world. Its a fantasy - well not mine, but the stakes are high, the behaviour of managers, players, boards and the FA is all pretty appalling and it bears little resemblance to the rest of society in the country. If all the football churned out every week was of such a standard that made it compulsive viewing, you might forgive it for its many sins but sadly that’s not the case. There is some absolute dross churned out on a weekly basis and much better entertainment to be found elsewhere despite the claims and the advertising. Did I mention the costs associated?....that’s for another article!