5 high-profile managers who are under pressure
At the highest level of football, managers are one of the most scrutinized sets of individuals. Every result is directly attributed to the ability or inability of the team's manager and it's a high-pressure job thanks to the unrelenting scrutiny.
Top European clubs have a massive fan following and a lot at stake in every single campaign. It hasn't been two months since the 2022-23 season kicked off in Europe but we've already seen a few managers being fired from their jobs.
Thomas Tuchel is the most high-profile among coaches who've already been sacked in the opening stages of the new season. It's just the nature of the job these days. Managers are often scapegoated in the world of football when the going gets tough for a team. Sometimes it's their fault, sometimes it's not.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five high-profile managers who are currently under pressure.
#5 Brendan Rodgers (Leicester City)
Leicester City finished fifth in the Premier League in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns and eighth last term. It would be fair to say that the Foxes were starting to establish themselves as a formidable unit in the Premier League that regularly finished in the top half of the table.
However, after a summer where they stayed away from strengthening their squad due to financial troubles, Leicester are reeling this term. They're bottom of the table and winless after eight Premier League matches. It goes without saying that Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers is currently under immense pressure.
The owners are being generous for now as they have contributed to the team's fall from grace by virtue of their inability to invest in the transfer market. But there's a feeling that Rodgers is on borrowed time at the moment and will need to turn things around quickly if he is keep his job.
#4 Julen Lopetegui (Sevilla)
Julen Lopetegui has had a pretty good stint at Sevilla. He won the Europa League title with them in the 2019-20 season and also managed to secure Champions League qualification in each of his three full seasons.
But the manner in which they've started the 2022-23 season might prove to be enough to bring his time as the Andalusians' manager to an end. Sevilla fell 2-0 to Atletico Madrid on Saturday (October 1).
It was their fourth loss of the 2022-23 La Liga campaign. Sevilla are currently sixteenth with five points from seven games. They have managed to win one of their first nine games across all competitions so far this term.
According to AS, Sevilla's top brass have already decided that it's time to find a replacement for Lopetegui. Unless the Spanish coach can get his team to do a U-turn, he is likely to be fired soon.
Julen Lopetegui may depart Sevilla tonight and Jorge Sampaoli (who coached the club during the 2016/17 season) has already been contacted by the club, @Albertoflorenzo reports marca.com/futbol/sevilla…
#3 Simone Inzaghi (Inter Milan)
Simone Inzaghi's Inter Milan are sitting seventh in the Serie A table after eight matches. Their most recent 2-1 loss to AS Roma (October 1) is most likely to be seen as a major setback. Inzaghi guided the Nerazzurri to a second-placed finish in the league last term.
But the team is clearly not performing to the best of their capabilities this season. Speaking on air after Inter Milan's 2-1 defeat to AS Roma last night, reliable journalist Gianluca Di Marzio said that Inzaghi could end up in trouble soon.
His job is not in jeopardy just yet, but if things go on like this, "he will end up in the crosshairs". Di Marzio said (via SempreInter):
“They play again on Tuesday against Barcelona, so obviously nothing will change before then. He’s certainly being watched closely right now, but at the moment I couldn’t say that there is an ultimatum with the Barcelona match.”
“Up to now the relationship has been very close with Inzaghi. The club’s current situation isn’t even that ridiculous. Obviously, if he continues to lose, he’ll end up in the crosshairs.”
#2 Massimiliano Allegri (Juventus)
In the last two seasons, Juventus have been a far cry from the side that dominated Serie A in the last decade. Sacking Andrea Pirlo and bringing in Massimiliano Allegri was expected to help restore the club to its glorious days once again. But it quite simply hasn't worked out that way.
Juventus have endured a poor start to the new season. The Bianconeri have managed to win just two of their seven league games so far. They have drawn four and lost one and are sitting eighth in the Serie A table.
The football has been insipid and the squad looks weak. Allegri is under massive pressure to improve the results right now.
#1 Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
That Jurgen Klopp could be under pressure at Liverpool early this season was almost unthinkable last term. The German coach led Liverpool to FA Cup and Carabao Cup triumphs. They also reached the Champions League final and were in the Premier League title race until the very end.
However, after a dismal start to the 2022-23 season, Klopp is under pressure. His job is still a way away from hanging in the balance but the Liverpool manager needs to turn things around.
The Merseysiders are currently ninth in the Premier League after seven matches. They have won just two league games so far this season. Liverpool simply have to do better with the kind of personnel they have in their ranks.
Klopp:
"We couldn't really prepare for Brighton as we had no idea what they would do." #lfc [sky]