Publications
Partners
With Paul Lambert, Sam Allardyce and Mauricio Pochettino heading my list thus far, and I should clarify that these are in no particular order, it’s time to explore the remainder of a list shrouded in probable ignominy.
Alan Pardew
Newcastle managed a 10th place finish last season, and while there’s no great shame in that, Geordie fans will be loathe to recall the second half of their season. An abysmal record of fourteen humiliating defeats and only five victories from their last twenty matches saw Newcastle United fans growing increasingly frustrated with manager Alan Pardew.
Worse still, in January Pardew verbally abused Man City manager Manuel Pellegrini before being dismissed to the stands in March for a head butt on Hull’s David Meyler. So, a bad temper coupled to an inability to lift his charges out of a slump when required, renders Pardew a place on my list.
Newcastle have at least signed a few new players, though they may yet count the cost of selling Mathieu Debuchy to Arsenal.
Garry Monk
I like Garry Monk, he was a solid enough defender in his playing career, and has a no-nonsense attitude in interviews and toward his players. Unfortunately talking a good game does not a good manager make.
Swansea sacked Michael Laudrup last season as the club battled against relegation, but Monk’s record since taking over has hardly made for better reading. The Swans staved off relegation by nine points and finished in 12th place, but I seriously doubt he’ll do enough to keep them afloat for a second season running.
I see a case of second-season syndrome coming here.
Alan Irvine
Sorry, who? Alan Irvine was appointed manager of West Brom in June following a stint as Everton Youth Coach between 2011 and June 2014. His managerial career thus far has also seen him take charge of Preston North End and Sheffield Wednesday, and while neither of those make for standout reading on a CV, West Brom may just have unearthed a managerial genius.
Please click on the following link to read the remainder of this piece, and don't forget to comment & vote http://ruffgrain.com/2014/08/08/the-managers-sack-race-continued/
