Rafa Benitez and the Most Unpopular Premier League Managers

Despite guiding his side to a Europa League final and ensuring the club of Champions League football next season, Rafa Benitez remains disliked among a large number of Chelsea supporters, as well as a decent portion of neutrals.

Having previously held managerial status at Anfield, the Spaniard’s media etiquette and general reluctance when it comes to tactical flexibility are just some of the reasons one might not put Benitez down in their good books.

That being said, the Blues boss is far from the first of its kind and just as the swift rotation of managers has become a cutthroat trend in modern football, so too has the sum of dislikable helmsmen.

Whether at the club in a caretaker aspect on a permanent basis, disliked by their own fans or others’, each of the following 10 managers have their reasons for being described by some as unpopular.

10. Paul Jewell

When:  Derby County (2007-08)

Reason: Performance-Based

The fewest points ever to be accumulated in a Premier League season, Paul Jewell’s Derby County side of the 2007-08 campaign was one to be forgotten for the man who brought Wigan Athletic into England’s top flight.

In the end, a tally of just 11 points was little enough to ensure the Rams’ demise as early as March 2008, although Jewell would remain at the club for another nine months before his “resignation.”

Still just 48 years old, the ex-Bradford City striker may yet have a managing career ahead of him, but Jewell’s fourth post at Derby will have left more than a few around the club feeling slightly upset with their then-leader’s guidance.

9. Steve Kean

When: Blackburn Rovers (2010-12)

Reason: Performance-Based, Unattractive Football, Owner Relationships

After spending some time as both first-team coach under Sam Allardyce as well as caretaker manager following Big Sam’s dismissal, Steve Kean officially took the Blackburn Rovers reins as manager in December 2010.

The Scotsman actually managed to keep the Lancashire outfit afloat in his first six months in charge at Ewood Park, but his first full season would not go as well.

In the 2011-12 campaign, Kean amassed one of the lowest ever winning percentages for a Blackburn boss, second only to Paul Ince, and could regularly hear his name being chanted by supporters of the club—but not how a manager would want it to be.

Just as Venky's have been a controversial part of Rovers since taking over the club in 2010, Kean felt the brunt of his own supporters' demands after seeing Blackburn relegated to the Championship for the 2012-13 season, and was another manager to fall victim to the always suspicious “resignation.”

8. Juande Ramos

When: Tottenham Hotspur (2007-08)

Reason: Dressing-Room Disruption, League Performance

Having managed 15 different teams in a 25-year managerial career, Juande Ramos can certainly be considered a journeyman amongst club chiefs, the kind of which most would find hard to match (although Roy Hodgson would give him a run for his money).

However, only one of those teams has been a Premier League side, and Ramos’ 12-month stint in charge of Tottenham Hotspur is one of mixed feelings.

In his first season at White Hart Lane, the Spaniard managed to bring Spurs the League Cup title, their first trophy since 1999 at the time, earning wins against Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City along the way.

This, combined with decent form in the UEFA Cup was enough to make for an impressive maiden season in the English top flight for Ramos. But alas, it was not to last.

Early in the 2007-08 season, the former Sevilla coach took Tottenham to the relegation zone, winning just two points from their opening eight fixtures and guiding the club to their worst-ever start to a league campaign.

This is where Harry Redknapp’s miraculous revival would begin following the dismissal of Ramos, with Daniel Levy reported by The Telegraph as saying that there was a clear divide between the manager and some of his players, even going as far as to claim Dimitar Berbatov’s departure was Ramos’ fault.

7. Alan Pardew

When: Numerous Spells

Reason: Public Relations, Controversial Pundit

One of just two managers included who are still managing in the Premier League, Alan Pardew has cut out a name for himself as one particularly prickly when it comes to the media.

Having managed three Premier League teams in his time and even being named League Managers’ Association Manager of the Year for 2011-12, it’s clear the Newcastle United boss has some credentials to his name.

However, that reputation hasn’t come without sacrifice.

In 2003, Pardew infamously resigned from his post at Reading so that he could become boss at West Ham, as reported by BBC News, despite the Royals’ rejection of any advances that came for his services.

As a pundit on BBC programme Match of the Day, the broadcaster received a worrying 39 complaints in regards to a comment made by Pardew, referring to the manager’s use of the term “rape” to describe a player’s tackling manner on another, according to The Telegraph. The BBC defended the manager, saying that those complaining had misheard the word “rake.”

More recently, the Magpies manager found himself in hot water for pushing an official during a league game against Tottenham (video above), keeping up his figure as dislikable among many.

6. Les Reed

When: Charlton Athletic (2006)

Reason: Performance-Based

Regarded by some as possibly the worst Premier League manager ever to have taken charge of a side in the English top flight, Les Reed remains infamous for his spell as manager of Charlton Athletic, lasting just six weeks in the job.

Managing just one victory in that time and also helping the Addicks out of the League Cup thanks to a loss against League Two Wycombe Wanderers, the club were quick to oust Reed from his position.

Unsurprisingly, Charlton remains Reed’s only managerial tenure, and the former Watford player has since gone on to enjoy a much more successful position as Head of Football Development with Southampton.

5. Roy Keane

When: Sunderland (2006-08)

Reason: Player Reputation, Management Style

Adored by some, hated by others, it was perhaps Roy Keane’s playing legacy that left a bitter taste in the mouths of those mentioning him, even after the midfielder’s days as a tough-tackling enforcer were long over.

Taking Sunderland out of the Championship and back into the English first tier, there was a period in which the Irishman was looked upon as God at the Stadium of Light.

However, relations turned sour between Keane and some of his players, who were thought to be unappreciative of his management style.

An example of his tactics came out in March 2007 when the Black Cats boss told the team bus to leave, even though Tobias Hysen, Martin Fulop and Anthony Stokes, all of whom were running late, were not present, as reported by the Daily Mail).

The incident heralded comparisons to Sir Alex Ferguson and other strict teachers of an age gone by, but obviously didn’t go down so well on a unanimous basis. Rumours even claimed that a large chunk of the Sunderland squad celebrated upon Keane’s 2008 resignation, with the Wearsiders lying 18th in the division.

4. Avram Grant

When: Chelsea (2007-08)

Reason: Lack of Experience, Fans Frustration

The man tasked with the unenviable challenge of following Jose Mourinho’s suit, Avram Grant was always going to be viewed as unfit for the Chelsea managing role by some around the club.

Having previously held the position of Director of Football at Stamford Bridge, many viewed the Israeli’s close relationship with club owner, Roman Abramovich, as the only reason Grant landed the role in the first place.

Although managing the Israeli national team for four years is no small feat, portions of the Chelsea fanbase felt that their club deserved a boss with more expertise in management and could regularly be seen protesting Grant’s position at games.

This was perhaps evidenced by the fact that Grant had almost none of the required UEFA coaching qualifications upon his arrival at the position.

Regardless, the Chelsea boss went on to enjoy reasonable success in West London but was always being compared to “The Special One,” ultimately to his downfall and eventual dismissal in May 2008, just days after his side’s Champions League final loss to Manchester United.

3. Jimmy Gabriel

When: Everton (1990 and 1993-94)

Reason: Performance-Based

Jimmy Gabriel’s inclusion as the one of the most unpopular Premier League managers can perhaps be considered unfair considering the Scotsman has never actually held the position of manager in the division.

However, Gabriel’s two caretaker roles as Everton boss are enough to put him in contention after amassing a points per game average of just 0.14 in his seven games in charge of the Toffees, the lowest ever tally of the Premier League era.

Taking just one point from a possible 21, Goodison Park was sometimes a hostile environment for the Dundee native, who went on to enjoy far more success with the Seattle Sounders of MLS.

2. Arsene Wenger

When: Arsenal (1996-present)

Reason: Media Manner, Transfer Policy, Performance-Based

A manager forever scrutinised in the public eye, Arsene Wenger has perhaps fallen victim to the success he enjoyed around the turn of the century, failing to live up to such high expectations ever since.

That being said, the Frenchman remains Arsenal’s most successful ever manager in terms of silverware won, albeit after going eight straight seasons without a trophy as of right now.

It’s this lack of honours won in recent years that frustrates a large percentage of Arsenal’s following, with Piers Morgan somewhat of a cult leader among the Gunners’ Twitter following.

"

Sir Alex, ten trophies since 2005 - gone. Arsene Wenger, no trophies since 2005 - continues.

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 8, 2013"

With the Premier League’s average club expenditure of money rising in recent years, Wenger has certainly grown his spending habits with it. That being said, some supporters have made it clear that the North Londoners need to spend yet more on squad improvements if they’re to find themselves among the silverware again.

Whether that’s correct or not is for anyone to debate, but it’s not just among his own fans that Wenger finds himself as unpopular.

The former Monaco boss has etched out a reputation of “not seeing” some on-pitch events that might be against his team, as well as criticising opponents, sometimes to the extreme.

An example of this might be Wenger’s call to ban former Birmingham City defender Martin Taylor for life after the defender broke Eduardo’s leg in a 2008 Premier League meeting, according to The Telegraph. Taylor’s tackle was badly mistimed but hardly made on purpose, the Blues player clearly showing remorse immediately after realising just what had happened.  

1. Howard Wilkinson

When: Sunderland (2002-03)

Reason: Performance-Based

Undoubtedly one of the saddest times to be a Sunderland fan, Howard Wilkinson’s management of the club can be looked upon as nothing less than a calamity.

Replacing Peter Reid in October 2002, the former Leeds United success story lasted until just March 2003, a period of five months on the helm in total.

Upon his appointment, the Black Cats were in 18th place with just eight points to their name. Twenty games later and the club had earned just another 11 points from a possible 60.

The club’s 19 points were then a Premier League record for the least amount of points amassed in a season, and Wilkinson’s legacy lives on at the Stadium of Light as one of catastrophic proportions.

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