As one of the most memorable Barclays Premier League seasons of the last ten years draws to a close, no doubt there will another managerial merry-go-round in the summer that follows.
Liverpool’s Rafael Benitez has been heavily linked with a move to either Italian giants Juventus or back to the land of his birth to manage his home-town club, Real Madrid. Relegated clubs Portsmouth and Burnley also face their own managerial dilemmas with Hull City, all but down themselves, having to confront the real possibility of a change at the top.
Likewise, West Ham United, managed by Gianfranco Zola, are rumoured to be considering a replacement for the likeable Italian who has had his differences with new co-owners, David Gold and David Sullivan.
Despite the Hammers securing their Premier League status with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Wigan Athletic last weekend, the owners are unhappy with events on the pitch this season, going so far as to state that entire squad is up for sale, apart from Saturday’s match-winner, midfielder Scott Parker.
For struggling and relegated sides, it’s perfectly conceivable that changes in management will occur. What may come as a surprise in the close season is if an established and seemingly successful team opt for a new man at the helm. This is the scenario causing a schism amongst supporters of Aston Villa, managed by charismatic Northern Irishman, Martin O’Neill.
A portion of Villa’s fan base have been critical of the end of season burn-out that has affected the team in the final third of games during the last couple of years. They feel that the team are in danger of stagnating and potentially losing their star players, including Ashley Young and newly inducted member of the PFA Team of the Year, James Milner.
These claims have drawn sharp rebukes from O’Neill himself, who has pointed to this season’s Carling Cup Final and FA Cup semi-final appearances and repeated finishes near the top of the table as signs of clear progression. These achievements are notable although there are concerns about Villa’s ability to maintain their lofty position should O’Neill not be given sufficient funds by Chairman Randy Lerner to strengthen in the summer.
Perhaps nothing can realistically save Burnley manager Brian Laws whose position looks untenable following Burnley’s demise and his abject record of 14 defeats in 17 games. Even though the club have vowed to stick by former Sheffield Wednesday manager Laws, they may look towards a manager with the experience of guiding a side to the Premiership on a limited budget. Unfortunately for them, Bristol City have just nabbed Steve Coppell who may have proven an ideal candidate.
Portsmouth’s short-term aim is survival as they look likely to struggle again next season, with the threat of another hefty-points deduction accompanying them to the Championship. Their manager Avram Grant may fancy his chances at another crack at the Premiership although administrator Andrew Andronikou has already told sources, including the Daily Mirror that he’s keen to reject the advances of clubs such as West Ham and Celtic. He plans to fight to keep Grant on,
“He has a contract that runs on, but it has break clauses, so I couldn’t blame him if he took up one of the offers likely to now come his way.
“However, I plan to entice him to stay on. He has brought success to this club and, because of that, he will be a wanted man both in this country and abroad.”
Hull City midfielder George Boateng gave a candid insight into how life at the club deteriorated following the infamous Boxing Day 2008 dressing down on the pitch at Eastlands when they trailed Manchester City 4-0 at half-time. He told reporters,
”After that we found it difficult to have confidence in the manager at the time, Phil Brown. That killed the confidence of everybody in the team.”
It seems that Iain Dowie, brought to the club in a temporary capacity, may be in line for a more permanent role owing to his popularity amongst the players, if not his unsuccessful attempt at staving off relegation.
Should Rafa Benitez decide to leave Liverpool, it is likely to be this summer’s most high-profile managerial departure. Meanwhile mega-rich Manchester City will probably offer Roberto Mancini an impressive war-chest as they plan a tilt for the title, with Liverpool striker Fernando Torres already sounded out as a target.
Even before the arrival of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, things in the blue half of Manchester have never been straightforward and if Mancini fails in Europe’s early stages should City get to the qualifying rounds of the Champions League, or if someone of the calibre of Jose Mourinho becomes available, who knows what might happen?
One thing is for sure, the Premier League sack race is likely to intensify this summer as clubs look for a reversal in fortunes or a change of direction. With the nature of the modern game, where success is ephemeral and memories short-lived, chairmen and fans across the country will already be eyeing up potential candidates should their ambitions not be matched in the near future.
William Geldart
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