Shortest manager reigns in Premier League history
The absence of patience and relentless desire to achieve with a matter of immediacy means managers at the highest level are rarely afforded time.
The Premier League is a wild beast that doesn’t only go about chewing and spitting out some of the sport’s brightest global playing talents, but those tasked with marauding the touchline, too.
Being a manager is a tough old job, and the aforementioned need for instant success means long-term tenures are a dying breed. Out of the current crop of Premier League bosses, only five were in their current position for the start of the 2022/23 season.
Managers have short shelf lives, and here are the ten briefest tenures in Premier League history.
In truth, Ranieri did not need to carry on after overseeing the most improbable title triumph you and I are ever likely to see. Following his dismissal from Leicester, the veteran Italian soldiered on, but the end of his managerial career was littered with short stints before he rocked up at Cagliari for an emotional farewell.
A 106-day reign at Fulham was among those forgettable spells.
Having replaced Slavisa Jokanovic, the man responsible for returning the Cottagers to the Premier League, the Italian’s task was an enviable one. Ranieri started brightly with a 3-2 win over Southampton, but that would prove to be just one of three wins he’d oversee in charge of the club before getting the boot 17 games into his tenure.
A stellar captain during his playing days, some might’ve suspected that Adams was cut out for management at the highest level.
His CV would prove those suggestions completely wrong.
Adams initially served as Harry Redknapp’s assistant at Portsmouth, helping lead a side that falls under the ’streets won’t forget‘ category. He filled the head coaching vacancy as caretaker after Redknapp exited for Tottenham, before earning the job full-time in 2008.
However, the former Arsenal stalwart lasted just four months into his two-and-a-half-year contract. His reign was fraught and chaotic having overseen just two wins from 16 games.
Adams would call it quits on his managerial career following an ill-fated spell in charge of Granada eight years on from his Pompey dismissal.
Todd is regarded as one of Derby County’s all-time greats. He lifted two First Division titles at the old Baseball Ground after the Rams, led by Brian Clough, paid a British record fee for a defender to sign him in 1971.
The Derby legend returned to the touchline as Jim Smith’s assistant in 2000, eventually filling the void after Smith moved on in October 2001.
Todd, however, failed to inspire the Rams after a torrid start to the 2001/02 Premier League season. He barely lasted three months in the role, losing 11 of the 17 games he oversaw.
It’s fair to say Derby supporters look upon Todd’s playing career with greater fondness.
Jones forged quite the reputation at Luton Town as he helped the resource-shy Hatters compete towards the top of the second tier.
His impressive work in the EFL saw him earn a Premier League gig at Southampton, but Jones‘ 95-day reign on the south coast is regarded as perhaps the most comical in the division’s history.
The Saints boss quickly became unpalatable, with supporters finding it hard to get behind a manager seemingly incapable of taking responsibility. He’d fight back against fan and media criticism with vague references to „xG“, and how the underlying numbers he oversaw at Luton rendered him one of Europe’s brightest minds.
In truth, Jones had taken charge of a sinking ship at St. Mary’s and wasn’t solely responsible for their demise, but his brief tenure was disastrous nonetheless. A 2-1 defeat at home to a ten-man Wolves proved to be the final nail in the coffin.
Having served as Mick McCarthy’s long-time assistant at Wolves, Connor was given the head coaching role in the wake of his boss‘ departure in February 2012.
Wolves were languishing in 18th when Connor took over, but the lack of a fresh face meant the West Midlanders struggled to enjoy a resurgence during the second half of the season. They lost seven straight soon after Connor’s appointment and their relegation was confirmed in April having recorded just 25 points all season.
Connor, who did well to last the remainder of 2011/12, was not retained for the following season.
There’s an array of trigger-happy owners across the continent, but there may not be a group more content with churning through managers than the Pozzos.
No manager is ever safe with this Italian family lurking over their shoulder.
Flores has proven to be one of the more successful Watford managers of recent times having guided the newly-promoted Hornets to an impressive mid-table position during the 2015/16 Premier League campaign. Despite wildly overachieving, he left his post at the end of the season.
Nevertheless, Flores returned three years later after Javi Gracia was sacked just a month into the 2019/20 season. His stint on this occasion, though, was far less successful. An 8-0 drubbing at the hands of Manchester City early into his brief reign set the tone. The Pozzos were never going to stick by the Spaniard for long, and Flores departed less than three months into his comeback tenure having overseen just one win.
Bradley emerged as a pioneer in 2016 when he became the first American to manage in the Premier League.
However, his appointment was met with plenty of scepticism among the Swansea fanbase, and their fears were quickly realised as Bradley struggled from the get-go in south Wales.
Swansea’s American owners initially handed Bradley their full backing, but even they couldn’t stomach too much of the kamikaze football he oversaw. The Swans leaked goals at will and were able to secure just eight points from the 11 games Bradley led.
He departed British shores as a parody figure, with many likely remembering him as ‚Brad Bobley‘.
„I read something, some quote from the worst manager in the history of the Premier League – Frank de Boer.“
The Dutchman was on the receiving end of a trademark Jose Mourinho press conference assault, and, on this occasion, the Portuguese pragmatist wasn’t too wide of the mark.
De Boer ranks among the Premier League’s worst-ever managers. The former outstanding defender opted to take on the beast of the English top flight as a means of rebounding from a woeful spell at Inter. Crystal Palace was his chosen destination, but De Boer didn’t get enough time to enjoy the thrills and spills of south London.
He lasted a mere 450 minutes in the Premier League with his Palace team, one he’d later accuse of resisting his desire to implement a more proactive possession style, failing to score a single goal while De Boer marauded the touchline.
Meulensteen has spent much of his football career in coaching, although his brightest work has come as an assistant. He’s struggled in the hot seat.
The Dutchman served as one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s most trusted lieutenant at Manchester United for six hugely successful years between 2007 and 2013, leaving his post upon the Scotsman’s retirement.
Meulensteen swiftly returned to the Premier League to work under Martin Jol at Fulham and was later given the full-time job, with Jol gone just three weeks after Meulensteen had joined forces with his compatriot.
The Dutchman’s reign was brief, lasting a mere 75 days before Fulham fatefully pivoted to Felix Magath. Meulensteen has since failed to make a name for himself as a manager but remains a hugely respected coach.
Reed’s record as the Premier League’s shortest-reigning manager has been unbeaten since he left his post at the Valley on Christmas Eve 2006.
No one has come close to enduring a managerial spell of a mere 41 days.
Reed had garnered a lofty reputation for his work within the Football Association (FA), and had previously served as Alan Curbishley’s assistant at Charlton.
He’d later take on a long list of consultancy and directorial roles for several clubs after leaving the FA in 2004. Reed returned to Charlton in 2006 as Iain Dowie’s assistant and was given the head coaching position after Dowie’s sacking in November.
Reed, who was tagged ‚Les Misérables‘ and ‚Santa Clueless‘ during his six-week stint, departed the club with his reputation shattered. He oversaw seven Premier League games and lost five before Charlton turned to Alan Pardew.