Sacking season has begun down in the Championship, after Owen Coyle was relieved of his duties as Bolton Wanderers manager last week. So far, every manager in the Premier League has hung on to their current job, but surely it is only a matter of time before the money men at Premier League clubs start to panic that relegation could be looming and make a hasty decision.
Arguably, the manager whose job is most at risk is QPR chief Mark Hughes. After heavy investment by owner Tony Fernandes this summer, QPR managed to attract household names such as Champions League winning Julio Cesar, Real Madrid squad player Esteban Granero and experienced centre half Stephane M’Bia. Despite this, 7 games into the season, QPR are bottom of the Premier League having suffered 5 defeats and are currently on 2 points. Add to this the fact that QPR have been knocked out of the Capital One Cup and Hughes’ position starts to look very shaky.
Hughes is convinced his team will come good once they have gelled together, but the question is whether Fernandes is prepared to wait and risk leaving it too late. What may affect Fernandes’ decision is the fact that Harry Redknapp is currently sat twiddling his thumbs, waiting for a job to come up. Redknapp has a reputation for rebuilding Southern clubs that have had poor starts to Premier League seasons, after his miracle at Portsmouth was followed by turning struggling Spurs into Champions League contenders.
There is only really only one other manager in the Premier League that may legitimately fear for his job. Nigel Adkins hasn’t got Southampton off to the best of starts and with boardroom fears that he isn’t a big enough name to take Southampton to the next level (despite back to back promotions), there is a possibility Adkins may not have much time left.
Southampton have scored plenty of goals, but the real problem is the amount they have conceded. Unless Adkins can tidy up the defence, then it is hard to see the Saints beating many teams in the cut throat Premier League. In my opinion, Adkins entirely deserves a full season to try to keep Southampton up, but he needs to buy a centre back or else it could be a long, hard season.
Adkins and Hughes are, in my opinion, the only two managers at serious risk in the Premier League, but now that sacking season is well and truly underway anything is possible! Anything could be happening behind the scenes that may culminate in the dismissal of a manager the whole world thought was safe.
What’s your take? Which Premier League manager is most likely to win the sack-race?
Introducing the neat little app that’ll pay you to view content tailored to your interests:
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.