Following Valencia’s 7-0 trouncing by Barcelona on Wednesday evening and with no wins to date in his managerial career, it’s fair to say that Gary Neville hasn’t had the best start to life in management.
However, he isn’t the only one who has struggled to make an impact after taking over at a new club. We take a look at the top five managers who have failed to live up to expectation.
5. John Barnes (Tranmere Rovers)
2009 – Barnes took the helm of the then League One side following an uninspiring spell in charge of Celtic. Along with assistant boss Jason McAteer, the side won just three of their first 14 games, a 5-0 defeat against Millwall proving to be the pair’s final game in charge.
Games in charge: 12
4. Terry Connor (Wolves)
2012 – After the surprising sacking of Mick McCarthy, Connor was placed in charge with the objective of keeping Wolves in the Premier League. Unfortunately, the side only managed to pick up four points during his reign and conceded 33 goals in the process. The side suffered successive relegations following this disastrous spell and found themselves playing in League One during the 2013-2014 season.
Games in charge: 13
3. Jacques Santini (Tottenham Hotspur)
2004 – A highly regarded coach in France, Santini arrived at Tottenham with a lot of promise after Euro 2004. However, after several rows with then Sporting Director Frank Arnesen, the former Lyon man resigned from his position.
Games in charge: 13
2. Paul Jewell (Derby County)
2007-2008 – On their return to the Premier League, Derby found the going tough. They relieved Billy Davies of his duties after a poor start to the campaign and hired Jewell in the hope that he could steady the alarming slide. Jewell, however, didn’t win a single game in the top flight and his side were relegated in March with a record low points total of just 11.
Games in charge: 58
1. Les Reed (Charlton Athletic)
2006 – Reed holds the unfortunate record for the shortest managerial career in Premier League history, after losing his job at the Valley after just seven matches. Dubbed as ‘Les-Misèrables’ by the press, Reed was relieved of duties and hasn’t managed in football since.
Games in charge: 7