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Some clubs in the Premier League have become habitual with the act of welcoming new managers and of bidding goodbyes to those at the helm. It is never an easy transition to make with managers because the support staff changes and the philosophy changes too. But the top divisions in football are heavily result-oriented and the Premier League is no different.
In recent times, club heirarchies and fans have been seen running out of patience at the first sight of uncomfortable defeats. The bar is set high and sometimes results need to be prioritized over the promise of a long process. There are times when clubs stick along, for they find an identity that is in place and the response behind the scenes hasn't turned all gloomy yet. Whereas on other occasions, they are pretty straight forward in issuing marching orders.
Premier League clubs often sack managers to avoid relegation
The club's heirarchies are often seen making desperate calls to survive relegation battles in the Premier League. Sometimes these gambles bear results and sometimes they don't. This list is about that last bit which is generally bitter and proves short stays are not always sweet.
Here are five managers from the last decade in the Premier League who lasted for the least amount of time at their respective clubs.
#5 Terry Connor - Wolverhampton Wanderers (91 Days)
For someone who predominantly functions as an assistant manager, it is very unfortunate that the one time Terry Connor became a proper manager, it landed him on this list. Wolverhampton Wanderers were down in the relegation zone in 2012, when Connor was appointed mid-season.
Connor took over from Mick McCarthy, who was sacked with the side sitting 18th in that campaign. However, the assistant manager-turned-boss could not bring enough change in ideas and playing style. Wolves finished the season by losing all of their last seven Premier League games.
Later that year, Wolves cut all their ties with Connor and relieved him of the assistant manager's post as well. He left the club after 13 years of loyal service to them. As a player, the Englishman played in the striker's position and his career highlights included spells at Leeds United, Brighton and Portsmouth.
Facing relegation wasn't all that new for him. As a player he was relegated to the third tier with Brighton and in his first season at Portsmouth they were out of the English top-flight. Notably, Connor was the assistant manager for the Northern Ireland side from 2018 to 2020 and is currently at Cardiff City in the same post.
# Quique Sanchez Flores - Watford (85 Days)
Watford is arguably the hottest of the hotseats in the Premier League. They have a reputation for sacking managers as if passing wagons in a merry go round. Reappointed, the second time did not turn out a charm for Quique Sanchez Flores who was sacked in just 85 days by the Hornets.
Sanchez first managed Watford in 2015-16 in a campaign where one would say they were overachievers, given the downfall they have been on since. They finished 13th in the table and only managed to better that position in the Premier League once afterwards in the 2018-19 season (11th).
In Sanchez's first season, they also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. However, in his second spell after replacing Javi Garcia, Sanchez could not produce the magic he did before. At the time of his sacking in December 2019, Watford were on their worst return after 14 games in the Premier League with only eight points.
When the season finished, Watford were relegated after finishing 19th. At the time of writing there is news going around that Sanchez Flores is set to become the head coach of Getafe in La Liga Santander.
#3 Bob Bradley - Swansea City (85 Days)
Back in 2016, Ryan Giggs was hardly half as good a manager or head coach as he was as a player in the Premier League. But Giggs' giant reputation was overlooked and when Swansea chose Bob Bradley back in the day over the United legend it made for big news. However strategic and calculated this move had been, it turned out short and sour.
Before coming to Swansea, he had managed the United States Men's national team for five years and after that Egypt for two years. The Swans hierarchy were quite fond of Bradley and his commitment towards the club but the Premier League demanded results and the American was unable to provide them.
When Bradley succeeded Francesco Guidolin, Swansea were sitting just above the relegation zone only on goal difference. Bradley needed to ensure that they didn't ship goals carelessly, but he failed in that department.
Soon, supporters turned against him and the club authorities issued marching orders for Bradley, who was the first American to manage a club in the Premier League. After this, the American was appointed by Los Angeles FC and has continued to be the manager of the MLS side since 2017.
#2 Frank de Boer - Crystal Palace (77 Days)
Frank de Boer discovered the unforgiving nature of the Premier League in the worst possible manner. Additionally, his rigid attitude and obsession with the philosophy of former Dutch greats Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff proved more of a hindrance in adapting to the Premier League.
When he took over at Crystal Palace in June 2017, the Eagles entrusted him with a three-year contract but four straight defeats in the Premier League were rattling for their confidence. He won only one of the five games he was in-charge of at the club.
Palace fans had mixed feelings when De Boer was announced, and rightfully so. This was a manager who had won the Dutch league four times in a row with Ajax at the start of the decade, but only lasted 85 days as the manager at Serie A club Inter Milan. In terms of games overseen, this was the shortest managerial stint, an unwanted record of merely 4 games in the Premier League.
#1 Rene Meulensteen - Fulham (75 Days)
Fulham let go of head coach Rene Meulensteen in 2013 just after 75 days in order to ensure that they were not forced to say goodbye to the Premier League. Meulensteen had the ambition of taking the club through an overhaul in order to meet the increasing intensity and physicality of the Premier League, but time ran out.
This was evident as in his eight games in charge at Craven Cottage, he handed eight under 21s their first-team debuts. His approach was not to worry too much about the club's short-term fate in the Premier League but to fix the bigger problems for a better future. However, in terms of results, Meulensteen was no different than the man he succeeded, Martin Jol.
Meulensteen's time at Manchester United as their first-team coach from 2007-2013 was definitely his career's biggest highlight. Unlike most managers, he was not immediately sacked at the time of the announcement, but instead they continued to negotiate the terms of the club's divorce with him.
Four days later, he was relieved of his duties along with technical director Alan Curbishley and coaches Ray Wilkins, Jonathan Hill and Mick Priest.
