Hot Seat Watch for World Football Players, Coaches After Weekend of October 3-5
We're heading into the international break now in the world of football, with another big weekend of action having taken place beforehand.
The two-week hiatus gives sides a chance to regroup, reassess their short-term objectives and perhaps get one or two key players back to full fitness—and keep their fingers crossed that the side's international contingent of players come back unscathed.
For some coaches and players though, these two weeks give a chance to escape what might have been poor form, results or reputations over the most recent period, or after high-profile incidents at the weekend. Here's our hot seat watch for individuals in the game who will be hoping for more positive outcomes when club action resumes in two weekends' time.
Harry Redknapp, QPR
1 of 10
Queens Park Rangers somehow scraped promotion to the Premier League in the final moments of last season's Championship play-off, but not much has gone right for them since.
A scrambling, scattergun transfer window didn't really seem to indicate any plan for the season ahead and Rangers have managed just one victory so far, a win over Sunderland at home. They are rooted to the bottom of the table, have the second-leakiest defence in the league despite four new signings in that area of the team and lost 2-0 to West Ham United at the weekend.
Harry Redknapp hasn't gotten too much spot-on this season and needs a big improvement quickly to see his team shift out of the relegation zone.
Victor Fernandez, Deportivo La Coruna
2 of 10
Over to Spain now and the team also bottom of that league table—Deportivo La Coruna, led by Victor Fernandez.
The Spaniard has only been in charge since the start of the season, but the newly promoted team have been poor so far, only beating fellow promoted outfit Eibar and losing their last four on the spin, including a 4-1 reversal at Sevilla this weekend.
Per Football Espana, Depor's club president has intimated Fernandez's job is safe for the time being, but also stated:
"Right now the issue of Victor Fernandez’s dismissal has not been raised, but it’s a results business and that’s what I look at. The players need to show more attitude and intensity. We can’t go out and defend as we have been doing.
"
Walter Mazzarri, Inter Milan
3 of 10
To Serie A now, where Inter Milan boss Walter Mazzarri continues to come under scrutiny.
Following a shock defeat to bottom club Cagliari last week, Inter lost 3-0 to Fiorentina at the weekend, dropping to 10th place as a result in the early league table and already sitting six points off the Champions League places.
Mazzarri has claimed his players are not in a "good physical shape"—a worry just two months into the season—per Reuters but currently retains the backing of the club owner, Erick Thohir.
Carlos Gurpegi, Athletic Bilbao
4 of 10
Athletic Bilbao have struggled to show this season the form and consistency which made them a Champions League side, picking up just four points so far and sitting in the bottom three heading into the international break.
Carlos Gurpegi has been in the side in the centre of defence to bring experience and leadership, but the 34-year-old's form has been particularly poor and Mikel San Jose must be hoping for a recall in his place.
Gurpegi was helpless as Real Madrid swarmed through the Athletic defence at the weekend and, near the end of the game, became embattled in shouting matches with Iker Casillas and Cristiano Ronaldo, not giving the air of concentration and commitment that his team needs.
Laurent Koscielny, Arsenal
5 of 10
Constantly lauded by his supporters and managers as one of the top central defenders in the Premier League, Laurent Koscielny perhaps still needs to show far greater consistency in his game before he can rightly be said to be anywhere near that claim.
He was at it again against Chelsea, a familiar foe which he—and Arsenal in general—has struggled against, as he first conceded a penalty and then lost his man for the two goals which gave their rivals the points.
The French defender has conceded more spot-kicks than any other player since the start of 2010-11 season—closely followed by team-mate Wojciech Szczesny, per Opta (h/t the Daily Mail). It's just another small indication of why, and how, Arsenal won't be challenging for major honours again this season.
Fernando Gago, Boca Juniors
6 of 10
Fernando Gago went into the superclasico with perhaps more than most to prove; capped more than 50 times for Argentina, he was the biggest name in last weekend's River vs. Boca affair, but failed to shine once more.
He lasted only 40 minutes on the pitch—before a ridiculously poor officiating call ended his afternoon early. Gago dived to his left to make a headed block on a shot, which then careered off his boot and away from goal—only for the ref to adjudge he had deliberately handled the ball, awarding a penalty and red card.
Boca paid the price as they couldn't hold on with 10 men and lost their early lead, eventually drawing 1-1 and robbing Gago of the chance to prove he remains one of his country's top players.
Pablo Mastroeni, Colorado Rapids
7 of 10
Over to MLS and our featured coach there is Pablo Mastroeni, the Colorado Rapids boss in his first season with the club.
It started reasonably well for Mastroeni, winning eight out of his first 18 games, but the Rapids have been in freefall since, seeing any chance of making the playoffs disintegrate and falling down the Western Conference.
Since the start of July, Mastroeni has led Colorado to just one single victory, against Chivas, the bottom club in their Conference, losing 10 of their last 13 games and suffering a 4-1 home defeat to Seattle Sounders most recently.
Jurgen Klopp, Borussia Dortmund
8 of 10
Let's be clear from the outset—hot seat watch is not merely an indication of which managers might be on the verge of losing their jobs. That's not the suggestion for Jurgen Klopp, but it is undeniable that all eyes are on Klopp and his team right now after a dreadful start to the 14-15 Bundesliga season.
Having finished runners-up last season with a back line decimated by injury, strengthening the squad all round this summer should have heralded a better outlook—but BVB have won only twice from seven games and sit 13th in the table, two points and three places above the relegation zone.
There is no man more qualified to turn it around than Klopp, but three defeats in the last four include losses to rivals Schalke and bottom club Hamburg. They need wins, and quickly.
Phil Jagielka, Everton
9 of 10
Phil Jagielka might have hit a wonder-goal to rescue a point in the derby a week ago, but his own form has still been in decline this season, mirroring that of the team in general.
Everton have struggled for any kind of consistency and sit just one place above the drop zone after seven matches, winning only once this season and with the worst defensive record in the Premier League.
Jagielka hasn't been anywhere near the dominant, reliable force they need him to be right now, and until the captain picks up his form and leads the defensive line as he should, improved results will be tough to come by.
Roberto Di Matteo, Schalke
10 of 10
Our final nomination for the hot seat watch is Roberto Di Matteo, appointed this week as the new Schalke 04 head coach and ready to take his first steps back in management since being sacked by Chelsea, the team he won the Champions League with more than two years ago.
Di Matteo has held out for a big job and the right move, feeling that his CV demands such a role, and he now has the chance to prove that he is capable of earning sustained success in his own right.
Schalke are a big club with a demanding fanbase, a squad with quality youngsters and the expectations of challenging for the Champions League places. He's only four points off those places walking into the job, so big things will be expected from Di Matteo over the coming weeks and months.
