5 top managers who failed in the Premier League
The Premier League might see a few new faces in the stadium dugouts. After all, with some clubs dramatically underachieving or getting knocked out of important competitions, club directors might move quickly to get a new man at the helm.
Often, managers will get the sack after the club's expectations aren't met. Mauricio Pochettino's high-profile exit from Tottenham in 2019 hit the headlines after sub-par performances from the side. Jose Mourinho has seen quite a few sackings in the Premier League too. Getting the sack happens often in the Premier League, but only after the manager is given a few years to strengthen the team's position.
Breaking: Jose Mourinho sacked as Tottenham manager @TheAthleticUK #THFC
However, there have been some managers whose managerial debuts in the Premier League went so horribly that their sacking was inevitable and quick. Hardly a rookie, these managers were often legends in their own right, usually succeeding with teams abroad. Call it a jinx or a joke, their short stint in the Premier League ended shamefully as they quickly sought greener pastures in other leagues.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five such managers who could not bring their tactical brilliance to England's top-tier football league.
#5 Louis van Gaal | Manchester United
After David Moyes was sacked by the club, Louis van Gaal was confirmed as Manchester United's new manager in 2014, and he came with a lot of promise. He had won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, the Eredivisie with AZ, and La Liga with Barcelona, while also taking the Netherlands to third place in the 2014 World Cup. Van Gaal looked like the manager who could revitalize Manchester United after Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement. Unfortunately, he wasn't.
Notably, van Gaal's record with Manchester United - a 52.43% win rate - is the worst of his entire managerial career. Mixed results saw the club slip from a fourth-place finish in his first season to a fifth-place finish in his sophomore year. It didn't come as a shock when Louis van Gaal was fired from the club, even though he won the FA Cup with the side.
#4 Felix Magath | Fulham
When Fulham signed the German manager in February 2014, it looked like a brilliant coup. The club were in dire straits at the time, and with 12 games to go in the season, were struggling to get out of the relegation zone. Felix Magath seemed like the right choice, especially because he had famously led clubs - including FC Nurnberg, Eintracht Frankfurt and Werder Bremen - out of relegation conundrums in the past.
Championship side Fulham have confirmed that manager Felix Magath has been sacked. http://t.co/GGyJjrMwHL
Their belief in the manager's capabilities, however, was quite short-lived. Fulham were relegated to the Championship within three months of his appointment. Even worse, Magath led Fulham to four consecutive losses at the beginning of their season in the second tier. After eleven consecutive games without a win, Fulham sacked Magath only 7 months into his appointment.