Managerial dismissals drop across top four divisions – LMA figures

The number of managerial dismissals dropped across all of England’s top four leagues last season, figures released by the League Managers Association show.

Seven Premier League bosses were sacked during the 2016/17 campaign – a reduction from 15 the previous season, and the second lowest number over the past five years.

In both the Sky Bet Championship and League One, there were four fewer casualties than the 2015/16 term, with 15 managers fired in the second tier and 10 in League One.

There were 12 dismissals in League Two – one down on the previous year.

One of the most surprising sackings was that of Claudio Ranieri at Leicester, the Italian relieved of his duties just 298 days after delivering a dream Premier League title for the unfancied Foxes.

Two of the Premier League dismissals came at Swansea, where both Francesco Guidolin and Bob Bradley departed before Paul Clement took over and kept the Welsh side in the top flight.

Relegated Hull and Middlesbrough also dismissed managers, with Mike Phelan leaving the Tigers and Aitor Karanka sacked from Boro.

The other duo to be sacked from Premier League sides were Alan Pardew at Crystal Palace and Watford’s Walter Mazzarri.

Across all four divisions the number of dismissals totalled 44, down from 58, and those who were sacked averaged a tenure of 1.16 years in the job.

Arsene Wenger, who signed a new deal at the end of the season to remain as Arsenal boss for a further two years, remains the longest-serving manager in English football.

The 67-year-old is closing in on 21 years at the helm, with Exeter boss Paul Tisdale next on the list as he approaches 11 years at St James Park.

Bournemouth’s Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche of Burnley are the next highest-placed Premier League managers, sitting sixth and seventh respectively, with around four and a half years under their belts.

Wenger also tops the list of the most games managed by current managers with 1,642.

Harry Redknapp is second with 1,385, having taken charge of Birmingham’s final three Championship games of the season, guiding them to safety before taking the job full-time.

West Brom boss Tony Pulis (1,033) is fourth ahead of Rafael Benitez (1,028), who has just guided Newcastle back to the Premier League.

Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho (829) is the other current top-flight boss to make the top 10.

:: Figures accurate as of May 31, 2017