Premier League Manager Merry-Go-Round Begins Again

After a relatively quiet midseason period, there is reason to believe the managerial merry-go-round is about to start again. I review here my reasons and suspicions—and speculate about who will be the next manager to go.

Hull

Hull relieved Phil Brown of his duties following their loss to Arsenal last weekend, and a run of four losses in succession. Currently lying nineteenth in the table but a mere three points from safety, the club have a run of eminently winnable fixtures coming up, culminating in a final day showdown with Liverpool.

There is plenty of time, with eight matches left, and at least four against fellow relegation strugglers, to effect a rescue.

It seems, however, Hull no longer believe that Phil Brown is the man to rescue them and turn around their fortunes. Iain Dowie, who himself has a consistently unspectacular record, has been deemed the man to save them from relegation.

Why do Hull believe that the man who brought Hull promotion to the top flight cannot now rescue them?

Is it ever thus?

In fact it seems common that football chairmen have little patience with their managers—less so than even the fans. Having appointed a man to manage their club, most chairmen are ruthless when it comes to demanding short term success.

Burnley

It is rumoured now that Burnley, having appointed Brian Laws to replace the departing Owen Coyle, are now looking for another manager.

Burnley are, like Hull, deep in the relegation battle, and with seemingly slim prospects of winning. They are not in a good position, that must be acknowledged, but why not give Laws a little more time?

Man City

Rumours have abounded almost since he was appointed of Roberto Mancini's imminent demise. He was brought to the club and given an almost unlimited budget to deliver success. The measure of success must at least be a top four position, and that is still on the cards.

However, four of their last six results have been draws, and one a loss. That record needs to improve very quickly, as more pundits and fans acknowledge that Mancini must deliver this season or face the sack.

Chelsea

Nobody has suggested yet that Ancelotti's job is at risk, but it's clear that he was brought in for one key reason, the same reason his predecessors after Mourinho were brought in: to win the Champions League.

Once again Chelsea have failed in that bid, and this time at a much earlier stage than before.

Ancelotti has been a good, and popular, coach; but popularity doesn't keep your job in this business—at least not for long. In failing to deliver the main thing he was brought in for, could Ancelotti have sealed his own fate at the club?

Liverpool

Benitez has been living on borrowed time and infrequent success for some time now. Whilst Liverpool can hardly be called a poor side, they have failed to live up to the potential they promised last season—that is, many predicted they would win the league.

Benitez' recent promise of a top four finish is still alive, but if he fails to deliver, then it is very likely he will leave. With Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Man City breathing down their necks, Liverpool could finish as low as seventh.

Hardly failure for most clubs, but it will be seen as failure for a club of Liverpool's stature.

West Ham

Gianfranco Zola has West Ham playing some really good football, but appears to be at odds with the owners of the club. Disagreement and dissatisfaction have increasingly spilled out into the media, and speculation has been rife that he will be the next manager to be sacked.

Others

Steve Bruce at Sunderland started well, promised much, but has tailed off seriously towards the end of the season.

Roberto Martinez, having done incredibly well at Swansea, now looks out of his depth at Wigan.

The list goes on and it is rapidly approaching the "business end" of the season. This is the time when managers must deliver to their chairmen the vision of success they promised when they took their jobs.

Not At Fault

For some managers, they have taken their clubs perhaps as far as they could, given the money and resources of their club. Burnley are the classic example and this is the main reason Owen Coyle left to join Bolton with their much better resources and more money.

Most chairmen have a realistic side to their personality that considers survival in the Premier League to be success. If Mick McCarthy can keep Wolves up, for example, he will be lauded.

The unrealistic side, however, says survival is not enough, even when the resources are meagre and the money scarce.

And So It Begins

At this time of the season chairmen, and often the fans, have the knives out for the manager who fails to deliver the vision of success they hold—even if the manager has never promised that, and no matter how unrealistic it is.

Phil Brown is the first Premier League manager to lose his job for some time now (involuntarily), but he won't be the last. The merry-go-round is about to begin again, and before long more managers will be looking for new work.