We are into May and the final month of the Premier League season – a campaign which has delivered Premier League highlights time and time again and continues to do so.
For all of the drama, all of the talking points, this SBOTOP writer continues to be surprised by one particular aspect – the managerial merry-go-round which has often been unforgiving but now seems more ruthless than ever before.
In fact, if there were Premier League betting odds on who would be the next top flight manager to lose their job, there would be potential for a lucrative field day.
Next I hear is that Leeds United may be about to appoint a new manager.
Reports suggest the club is considering sacking Javi Gracia and appointing a third manager of the season after losing four of their last five games.
Hired as Jesse Marsch’s successor on a “flexible contract” in February with the brief of maximising the team’s chances of avoiding relegation, Leeds were in the bottom three at the time.
He initially seemed to steady the ship but April was, put simply, a month to forget with 23 goals conceded and just four points collected from a possible 21.
Despite Sunday’s 4-1 reverse at Bournemouth, they remain above the drop zone but with daunting-looking games coming up against champions Manchester City and Newcastle.
Should the board decide to dismiss the Spaniard, previously in charge of, among other clubs, Watford and Qatar’s Al Sadd, they will need to identify another manager. With feasible options limited at this late stage of this season, it is possible they could reinstate Michael Skubala as interim head coach for the final four matches of the campaign.
We wait and see.
If the smart money is to be believed, Sam Allardyce is being lined up.
Now as far as I’m concerned, he is one of the best ever managers in the history of the Premier League – his achievements at Bolton mightily impressive, whereas he has also done well at most of the other clubs who gave him a chance.
Placed 17th in the Premier League, the job of keeping Leeds from the drop is by no means a simple one – with games against City, Newcastle, West Ham and Spurs to come.
Yet if anyone can save them, it is ‘Big Sam’.
Watch this space!
One club which has no regrets about switching a manager recently is Crystal Palace who are all but safe.
At full flight, Palace are pure south London swagger.
As the Guardian reported this week, Roy Hodgson and his evergreen companion Ray Lewington look to be having the time of their lives.
Whether the veteran boss and his trusted lieutenant fancy next season in charge is a question Hodgson refuses to answer but, regardless, there is no doubt the decision to bring in the 75 year-old for Patrick Vieira has proved an inspired move.
Two more managers who came into their clubs after the season had started are also proving to be astute appointments.
Roberto de Zerbi is a candidate for manager of the year as far as I’m concerned and his Brighton side stole the headlines again at the weekend against Wolves.
A day earlier the club secured a record deal for Watford’s Brazilian striker João Pedro for £30 million, which makes a change given the Seagulls have sold many of their best talents in recent times.
They actually thrashed Wolves without Moisés Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister and Kaoru Mitoma in their starting XI.
Just an alarm bell that has rung for this observer, however.
They have been linked with moves for Liverpool duo James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Personally, given the age of the former Milner and the injury-record of the latter, I respectfully think they should aim higher than that.
Another manager who was elsewhere when the campaign began is Gary O’Neil.
He took charge of newly promoted Bournemouth after their 9-0 hammering at Anfield in late August.
But, with a month of the season to run, they are 10 points clear of the relegation zone and level with big-spending Chelsea.
At the end of Bournemouth’s rout of Leeds on Sunday, his squad embarked on a victory lap after all but securing their top-flight status.
That is a fine feat from O’Neil in his first role as a senior manager.
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