‘Tis the season for a sacking: Who’s gone and who’ll be going next

Mark Hughes is one of the latest managerial casualties of the 2018/19 season. The Welshman, recently sacked from Southampton now joins asmall, yet ignominious group of managers who have been removed from two posts in the space of a calendar year. No mean feat to say the least.

It’s no secret that managers come and go with increasing speed in football nowadays, with some football clubs almost operating a revolving door policy when it comes to their managerial appointments.

The preseason saw an unprecedented number of managers shifting loyalties, not just in the Premier League but throughout the major European leagues. England’s top division saw five managerial shifts during the summer. Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham and West Ham all sought to replace their managers.

The most high profile departures without a doubt came from the capital. Arsène Wenger brought his 22 year tenure to an end by leaving Arsenal which saw former PSG boss Unai Emery move in.

Then there was Antonio Conte, and it came as no surprise that he was sent packing amid months of speculation surrounding bust ups with both the club leadership and in the dressing room.

We’ve had to wait some time for the first Premier League sacking this season. In contrast to last season where it only took to the second week of September until Crystal Palace parted ways with Frank de Boer.The first man to drop this time round was Fulham’s Slavisa Jokanovic, who was swiftly replaced with Claudio Ranieri.

Then there is Hughes, which was no shock either. Now as we hurtle through a jam-packed December towards Christmas, New Year and the January transfer window, the stress will begin show, the pressure will rise,and we await the next one for the chopping block.

The bookies had Jose Mourinho as the favourite to be leaving his post during preseason, and not surprisingly that hasn’t changed. Considering what’s happening at Man United with lacklustre results, and less than scintillating football it’s understandable to say the least.

Not far behind Mourinho is Burnley’s Sean Dyche and Roy Hodgson at Palace who have both been struggling for results. But before you put your bet on for who’s next for the chop it’s always good to compare the best football betting sites for your bet at BookiesBonuses.com.

Over on the continent there was a frenzy of activity during the preseason. But the biggest waves had to wait until October. The most highprofile sacking this season was without a doubt Julen Lopetegui at Real Madrid.The Spaniard’s reign at Real didn’t get off to the greatest of starts amidst a messy sacking from his national team post just days before the team was to play their first game at the World Cup.

Superstitious types would say Lopetegui was doomed from the start. He only managed to hold onto the reigns at Real for a woeful 10 La Liga matches, and 3 games in the Champions League. A 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Barcelona in La Liga’s first Clasico sealed his fate, and the club’s board promptly ousted him.

But if Lopetegui’s sacking from Madrid was the most high profile so far this season, former Chelsea and Spurs midfielder Gus Poyet’s exit from Bordeaux back in August was easily the most explosive. Following avery public denouncement of the club’s leadership during a press conference, Poyet was hastily chucked.

The German Bundesliga wasn’t shy when it came to high profile managerial appointments either in the preseason. German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund both underwent a change in leadership. Bayern continued their usual poaching tactics by plucking Eintracht Frankfurt’s Niko Kovac as boss. While Dortmund preferred a more nuanced approach by appointing Nice’s Lucien Favre.

Of the two it looks like Kovac might be the first out of the door. Bayern, who are usually outright dominant in the Bundesliga are currently sitting nine points off leaders Dortmund. You can follow Bayern’s progress as well as all the major European football with BetBlazers.com expert football betting tips.

While the Premier League and all the major European leagues have seen their fare share of activity, the pressure put on football managers to serve up instant success or face the immediate oust pales in comparison to their South American counterparts.

The latest iteration of the Campeonato Brasileiro, Brazil’s most prestigious football league which ran from April to December 2018 saw an incredible 29 managerial changes. Rio de Janeiro’s Vasco da Gama and Belo Horizonte’s Atletico Mineiro both changed their coach no fewer than three times during the course of the season.

There was a similar situation in neighbouring Argentina thatsaw managers departure their jobs 16 times. It certainly gives bosses of European clubs food for thought. But whether it’s the Premier League or out in Europe you can bet the next managerial sacking isn’t far away. We wait with bated breath.

Adam Grimshaw
@adamgeorgie

‘Tis the season for a sacking: Who’s gone and who’ll be going next

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