This weekend sees the final round of Premier League and Championship games heading into the season’s first international break, which is extended as the traditional September and October breaks have been merged into one block.
International breaks are traditionally a time for managers to fear, as clubs can make a change if their early season form has not lived up to expectations. This month we have already seen Wycombe Wanderers and Preston North End part company with Michael Duff and Paul Heckingbottom respectively.
Here we take a look at five other managers whose clubs have been underperforming in the early weeks of the season and will be keen to get a result this weekend, or they could find themselves having to ask serious questions
Roberto De Zerbi (Tottenham Hotspur)
During the Daniel Levy era, there were regular frustrations from the fan base over levels of investment in the squad. However, that has definitely not been the case this summer after a number of big-money signings, with over £300 million spent on Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Savio and Jan Paul Van Hecke as they look to bounce back from successive 17th-place finishes.
However, it has been a disastrous start to the season, with the vocal unrest from the last campaign still very much there after failing to score a goal in their opening four games, with back-to-back defeats followed by successive goalless draws leaving them once again fourth from bottom of the table.
Tomorrow sees Spurs host Aston Villa, who have also been struggling early in the season and are 19th with just one point, although they did win their opening Champions League game against Club Brugge. Should their expensively revamped squad continue to misfire, De Zerbi will find himself under increasing pressure for failing to deliver.
Nicky Hayen (Burnley)
Belgian boss Hayen was appointed in July to replace Scott Parker and will no doubt have been targeting an immediate return to the Premier League, the reality has been very different as the Clarets find themselves propping up the table.
The Carabao Cup hasn’t provided much respite either as they needed penalties to get past League One side Notts County in the First Round, before being knocked out by another third-tier side in Bradford City in Round Two.
Whilst it’s still early days in the season, nine games without a win in 90 minutes falls far below what was expected. Hayen will hope veteran forward striker Jamie Vardy, recruited on a free, will help turn things around.
Russell Martin (Leicester City)
It felt like a gamble when the beleaguered Foxes appointed Martin in the summer following back-to-back relegations. Martin’s own reputation has been damaged after his sacking at Southampton midway through their disastrous 12-point season, then becoming the shortest-reigning Rangers manager in history.
Two points from their opening three games did nothing to improve the mood at the King Power Stadium, and even their first win of the season only offered minor respite as four days later they were beaten 4-0 at home by fellow relegated side Oxford United.
Martin may have been given some breathing space following last weekend’s win at Stockport County, but this will need to be the start of an upturn in results rather than being a one-off otherwise his time in the East Midlands may prove as brief as his spell in Glasgow.
Jon Brady (Port Vale)
Brady may be cut more slack than others in this list considering the level of the overhaul at Vale Park this summer, with 15 players going out and 13 coming in and one of the loan arrivals, goalkeeper Mason Terry, seeing his loan cut short less than a month into the season following a hand injury.
Last weekend’s 1-0 win over Exeter City was Vale’s first of the season, having taken just two points from their opening five games, lifting them off the bottom of the table as they look to avoid suffering back-to-back relegations having been in the EFL since 1919.
Unbeaten Walsall provide tomorrow’s opposition and a win would provide some hope that they are beginning to overcome a tough start.
Adam Murray (Barrow)
Like most of the others on this list, the Bluebirds are looking to bounce back after relegation last season- a campaign which saw them go through four permanent managers, with Paul Gallagher only lasting five games.
However, after eight games of their National League return, they have picked up just one win and six points. Tuesday’s defeat at Solihull Moors, the hosts’ first win of the season, deepened the problems at the Cumbrian side.
The heavy turnover of managers last season shows that chairman Paul Hornby shows no hesitation in pulling the trigger if results are not matching expectations, which is a warning sign to Murray if their current run goes on much longer.
