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We have seen a number of high-profile managers getting sacked already this year and we expect plenty more to follow by the time the season draws to a close.
We live in a world that's gotten too familiar with seeing immediate results. Add social media to the mix and footballers and managers are consistently brought under fire for slightly putting a foot wrong. However, there are some cases where the outrage against a manager is justified.
For example, Jose Mourinho proved to be a bad fit for Tottenham Hotspur and after a point, it was difficult to disagree with Spurs fans who wanted him to be fired. The same goes for Javi Gracia, who was recently sacked by Valencia.
There are occasions where clubs stick to a manager even if the results are not great at the moment because of the trust they have in that individual. Sometimes, managers are given the sack if they don't seem to fit the club's needs even if they bring in good results. Maurizio Sarri getting fired at Juventus is an example of this.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five managers who need to be fired.
#4 Wayne Rooney - Derby County
Wayne Rooney was appointed manager of Derby County in November after Philip Cocu was given the sack. The team were at the bottom of the table at that point and their season has been marred by ownership issues.
In November, it was announced that an agreement has been reached over the sale of the club. However, it was called off in March. They have since reached an agreement with a new buyer but the deal is still waiting for league approval.
Wayne Rooney's Derby County escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth thanks to a 3-3 draw against Sheffield Wednesday on the final day of the season. Derby County registered just a single win in their last 13 matches and their final day draw put an end to a six-match losing streak.
Derby County have managed to stay up but if they really want to make their way back into the top-flight, they will need a manager who has a lot of experience. Wayne Rooney is still a rookie in that aspect and while he can go on to become a great manager, but he is not there yet.
#3 Steve Bruce - Newcastle United
It's an alliance that has run its course. Newcastle United fans are united in wanting their manager to be sacked. The Magpies currently sit 14th in the table but are still in with a chance of finishing right above the relegation zone by the end of the season.
The clarion calls for Bruce to be sacked have reached their peak and it's a bit surprising they haven't been addressed yet. Several reports have claimed that Steve Bruce's loyalty to the owners is what is keeping him in the job, but one thing is for certain and it's that Newcastle United fans have had enough of it.
It doesn't look like Steve Bruce is the man who can guide Newcastle United back to their past glory and it's about time they sought a manager who is capable of pulling off such a thing.
#2 Mikel Arteta - Arsenal
Mikel Arteta was appointed at Arsenal amid huge fanfare and the fans were happy to have him at the club. Arteta also led the club to an FA Cup triumph in his first season but has since shown very little to suggest that he is the right man for the job.
Arteta's Arsenal are ninth in the Premier League table and are now set to miss out on European football for the first time since the 1995-96 season. They crashed out of the UEFA Europa League semi-finals after a drab display against Villarreal and fans are finally asking for Arteta to be shown the sack.
Fans have been constantly left confused by Arteta's team selection. The club backed him quite well in the summer transfer window last year. While £45 million signing Thomas Partey has proven to be inconsistent and injury-prone, Willian has not been able to make any sort of impact.
Arsenal are just about clinging to a place in the top half of the table and could yet finish outside of it. The club needs to sign quality players in the summer and it'd be advisable to first appoint a coach who has proven himself at the highest level.
#1 Andrea Pirlo - Juventus
For a club that gave Maurizio Sarri the sack despite winning the Scudetto in his first season in charge, Juventus have shown a lot of patience with Andrea Pirlo. Pirlo's Juventus were not part of the title race from the get go and have now slipped to fifth in the Serie A table.
In their latest outing, they suffered a 3-0 defeat to rivals AC Milan and the fans are finally starting to lose faith in their former player's managerial capabilities. However, Andrea Pirlo has said that he won't step down as the manager. He said:
Speaking to Sky Sports after the 3-0 hammering by AC Milan, Pirlo said:
“Resign? No, I won’t step aside. I took this role with a great deal of enthusiasm amid certain difficulties. I am at the disposal of the club, there are still three games to go, so I will continue doing my work as long as I am allowed to.
“I had a different project in my mind and thought I would have a different group at my disposal. I had been working on some concepts, but then I had to make changes in order to suit their characteristics and had to adapt."
Juventus won nine consecutive Serie A titles before Andrea Pirlo took charge. They currently sit fifth in the Serie A table and run the risk of missing out on UEFA Champions League next season.
Due to their financial problems, Juventus are not in a place where they can afford to miss out on the money that flows in from being in the Champions League. If they persist with Pirlo, there is no guarantee that things will get better next season.
As such, the best course of action seems to be to sack Pirlo. He needs a lot more experience under his belt before he can take up a job as big as this.
