English Premier League: Steve Bruce Sacked, Who Is Next?

Every season, the English Premier League claims managers' jobs quicker than turkeys being sold on Christmas. 

This high pressure job knows no boundaries—three winless games and the board is looking through new resumes to find a suitable candidate. 

Besides that, managers also have to deal with; unruly fans attack every personal aspect, from their children’s IQs to the missus' weight.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is the first casualty this season, but he certainly won’t be the last in a line of managers facing the chop. 

The list you’re about to see contains men who are about to be heading for the exit, unless something drastically changes.

1) Steve Bruce

Steve Bruce was let off Sunderland’s employment after only winning three games this season. It was also the same amount of wins he had accumulated at the Stadium of Light this whole year. 

Truth is, Steve deserved to get the boot. 

Twenty-nine wins in two-and-a-half years in charge of a club doesn’t warrant a second chance, especially if you’ve managed 98 games and lost 41 of them.  

The Manchester United legend is, however, made up for sterner stuff and boasts a decent managerial career save the last few months. So there may be a silver lining at the end of his Sunderland journey.

2) Steve Kean

This Steve was supposed to be the first chicken slaughtered by Venky’s after the Blackburn Rovers found themselves being stepped on by all the other clubs since the season started. 

The Indian owners' vote of confidence only seem to evaporate as the Rovers sit at rock bottom with only one win in 13. 

The fans have used all sorts of methods to voice their frustrations, from ground and aerial banners that read "VENKY OUT"—but the owners seem to have some sort of reading deficiency and continue to keep him on their payroll. 

The much maligned boss may have some respite with games against Swansea, Sunderland and West Brom coming up but if he doesn’t deliver, then both fools owning the club should be gone first.

3) Owen Coyle

Bolton Wanderers sat sixth in the EPL table barely 12 months ago. 

How things have changed. A year later, Scotsman Owen Coyle faces the possibility of a bleak Christmas without a job. 

Bolton have transformed from a slick passing side to a team dumbfounded by how to defend or find the net. 

Coyle is in this quandary as a result of poor judgment and bad luck.

Jussi Jaaskelainen is not the commanding keeper he used to be and is partly the reason why Bolton currently sit 18th.

The sale of Ali Al-Habsi to Wigan also meant there is now no proper backup for a safe pair of hands. 

Additionally, influential midfielder Park Chu Yong’s injury and Kevin Davis' bluntness in front of goal have put Coyle firmly in the race for the next sack. 

The board and fans seem to be patient so he still has time to turn things around. 

The sand in the hourglass is falling.

4) Andre Villas-Boas

After so much hype, Villas Boas’s reputation as a bright, promising manager is slowly beginning to diminish.

Five defeats in nine games has put the Portuguese under immense pressure, and there have already been calls for a new change.  

Chelsea sit 10 points off leaders Manchester City, and even though a comprehensive 3-0 win over the Wolves lifted the gloom in Stamford Bridge, the dark cloud descended again after the defeat to Liverpool in the League Cup.  

Chelsea are in this situation for a single reason—their strikers' inability to score. 

Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Fernando Torres have only scored a total of four goals between them—the same amount as defender John Terry this season. 

The footballing world is aware that owner Roman Abramovich changes managers faster than shirts; Villas-Boas has limited time to transform Chelsea before the Russian decides on his next linen change.