When beloved manager Claudio Ranieri was sacked last month by Leicester City, despite having led them to their first ever Premier League title, many were dumbfounded. Many found it unthinkable that the club would do such an ungrateful and callous move that fans and pundits alike voiced out their disapproval of the sacking on television and in social media. Then again, it’s easy to see why Leicester did it.
The club was on the brink of relegation and couldn’t afford to give the Italian any more leeway. It was harsh, but it was deemed necessary. And with replacement Craig Shakespeare seemingly doing well at the moment, few would find it easy to argue against Leicester’s logic.
Such a panicked move has become a common occurrence in modern football – clubs hastily sacking their managers in the hopes a new boss could come in and save their club from the dreaded drop. However, such a move does not bring any sure-fire way to success. Indeed, from 2009 to 2014, 43% of the managers brought in to save their clubs were relegated, which suggests bringing in a replacement isn’t a clear-cut guarantee of survival.
Regardless, club owners still continue to do it as a last-ditch effort – and it is fantastic to see the gamble pay off. Here are the top five managers brought in mid-season and saved their club from relegation.
5. Gus Poyet (Sunderland, 2013-14 season)
Sunderland fans really thought they were in for a bright future with enigmatic manager Paolo Di Canio before the beginning of the 2013-14 campaign. But after a dismal first run, which saw them win only one point in two months, sending them to the bottom of the table, the Black Cats board knew they had to move.
The Wearside giants appointed Gus Poyet on the 8th of October 2013. The new boss led the team to their first victory of the season in his first game but found it difficult to steer clear of relegation until the final stretch of the season. Wins against the likes of Cardiff City, Chelsea, and Manchester United towards the business end of the campaign meant Sunderland got propelled to the middle of the table and ended the season in a comfortable 14th place.
4. Francesco Guidolin (Swansea City, 2015-16 season)
Coming into the 2015-16 season, Swans fans were expectedly hopeful for a great season. They had finished a commendable 8th place the season prior under manager Garry Monk, a legend at the club who made no less than 226 league appearances for them. And now they were hoping for more glory. Unfortunately, things turned for the worse. They won just three of their first 15 games, and things were looking bleak. Monk had to go.
The replacement chosen was Francesco Guidolin – and he definitely had a tall order ahead of him, with the Swans languishing in 17th when the Italian came in. But despite buckling under pressure, Guidolin rose from the ashes and brought the Swans up with him, leading Swansea to a brilliant 12th place finish.
3. Tony Pulis (Crystal Palace, 2013-14 season)
After having brought in a whopping 23 new players, expectations were high on the shoulders of manager Ian Holloway to ensure the club don’t get relegated in their first season back at the top flight. However, after eight defeats in nine games, the Eagles were in dire straits and needed someone to get them out of the bottom of the table. After sacking Holloway, Palace turned to the veteran Tony Pulis.
Since the arrival of the Welsh boss, Crystal Palace’s fortunes immediately made a turn for the better. Wins against all their relegation rivals and a five-game winning run towards the end of the campaign ensured Palace’s safety at the top flight as they finished 11th.
2. Harry Redknapp (Tottenham Hotspur, 2008-09 season)
Considering that Spurs were coming in into this season as League Cup winners, and with the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane in their ranks, fans were understandably confident in their team’s prospects this season. However, after going winless in their first eight games of the season, which saw them lose six games, the Spurs board knew something drastic was needed and brought in a new manager in the form of Harry Redknapp.
Since the arrival of Redknapp, White Hart Lane would be taken away by a storm. Redknapp would win five of his first eight games and would lead Spurs to march on higher and higher up the table. Earning critical victories against Chelsea and Manchester City, Redknapp’s Spurs would eventually finish in eighth place, a whopping improvement from the 20th place disaster the Englishman walked in when he first signed for the club.
1. Roy Hodgson (West Bromwich Albion, 2010-11 season)
West Brom returned to the Premier League after a one-year absence during the 2010-11 season and had high hopes of beating the drop. During the first half of the campaign, it seemed they were poised to do more than just survive – beating the likes of Newcastle and Arsenal and earning valiant draws against Manchester United and Chelsea. But their fortunes soon turned and they languished in 17th place with just four months of the season left.
Enter Roy Hodgson, who was brought in to replace Roberto Di Matteo in an effort to secure their Premier League status beyond this season. Hodgson had a really tough task, as he was appointed head coach in February, barely enough time to get his squad adapted to his tactics. And yet, the future England manager did well in his stint at the Hawthorns, losing only twice since his appointment until the end of the season to lead the Baggies to a commendable 11th place finish.