REVEALED: Pochettino, Hoddle and Lampard are far better Premier League firefighters than Allardyce
West Brom fans will point out that Sam Allardyce is no survival specialist. Mauricio Pochettino has won a relegation battle without ever taking a club down.
In their increasing panic, Leeds have reached for the Big Sam button. Allardyce is expected to be appointed for the club’s last four games of the season, replacing Javi Gracia in the Elland Road hotseat.
The former England manager’s reputation as a Premier League survival expert has been carefully honed over successful parachute spells at Blackburn, Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Everton, each of whom he dragged clear of danger after being brought in mid-season.
But his record is not flawless; there is one blot on the copybook. Allardyce made things considerably worse at West Brom in 2020/21, a firefighter pouring petrol on the flames, before seemingly heading into the podcasting sunset.
With anxious top-flight clubs calling on a whole range of coaches to rescue them – Unai Emery at Aston Villa; Julen Lopetegui at Wolves; Nathan Jones and Ruben Selles at Southampton – it begs the question as to which managers can genuinely say they have navigated a relegation battle without ever losing one?
Roy Hodgson has done phenomenally back at Crystal Palace but he took Watford down in 2022 and played a part in Blackburn’s 1999 demise. Dean Smith could pull Leicester clear but had no answer to Norwich’s troubles. Jamie Carragher reckons Everton might be safe, yet Sean Dyche was involved in two Burnley relegations.
It was once the case that the exact same names were drudged up every time a club found itself starting down at the Championship, desperate to force a new manager bounce. Let’s get Alan Pardew (relegated Charlton and West Brom) in, they thought. Has anyone given Harry Redknapp (relegated QPR) a ring? What are Steve Bruce (relegated Hull), Tony Pulis (relegated West Brom), David Moyes (relegated Sunderland) and Mark Hughes relegated QPR and Stoke) up to?
These, however, are the only bosses to win a mid-season battle against the drop without even a sniff of a Premier League relegation on their C.V.
Jesse Marsch
Club: Leeds
Date: February 28, 2022
Games left: 12
Position upon appointment: 16th, two points clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 17th, three points clear of relegation
Frank Lampard
Club: Everton
Date: January 31, 2022
Games left: 18
Position upon appointment: 16th, four points clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 16th, four points clear of relegation
Steven Gerrard
Club: Aston Villa
Date: November 11, 2021
Games left: 27
Position upon appointment: 16th, two points clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 11th, 23 points clear of relegation
Carlo Ancelotti
Club: Everton
Date: December 21, 2019
Games left: 20
Position upon appointment: 15th, four points clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 12th, 15 points clear of relegation
Ralph Hasenhuttl
Club: Southampton
Date: December 5, 2018
Games left: 23
Position upon appointment: 18th, one point from safety
Position at end of season: 16th, five points clear of relegation
Claude Puel
Club: Leicester
Date: October 25, 2017
Games left: 29
Position upon appointment: 14th, one point clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 9th, 14 points clear of relegation
Craig Shakespeare
Club: Leicester
Date: February 23, 2017
Games left: 13
Position upon appointment: 17th, one point clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 12th, 10 points clear of relegation
Paul Clement
Club: Swansea
Date: January 3, 2017
Games left: 18
Position upon appointment: 19th, one point from safety
Position at end of season: 15th, seven points clear of relegation
Francesco Guidolin
Club: Swansea
Date: January 18, 2016
Games left: 16
Position upon appointment: 17th, one point clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 12th, 10 points clear of relegation
Guus Hiddink
Club: Chelsea
Date: December 19, 2015
Games left: 21
Position upon appointment: 15th, four points clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 10th, 13 points clear of relegation
Dick Advocaat
Club: Sunderland
Date: March 17, 2015
Games left: 9
Position upon appointment: 17th, one point clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 16th, three points clear of relegation
Pepe Mel
Club: West Brom
Date: January 9, 2013
Games left: 18
Position upon appointment: 14th, four points clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 17th, three points clear of relegation
Gus Poyet
Club: Sunderland
Date: October 8, 2013
Games left: 31
Position upon appointment: 20th, six points from safety
Position at end of season: 14th, five points clear of relegation
Paolo Di Canio
Club: Sunderland
Date: March 31, 2013
Games left: 7
Position upon appointment: 16th, one point clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 17th, three points clear of relegation
Mauricio Pochettino
Club: Southampton
Date: January 18, 2013
Games left: 16
Position upon appointment: 15th, three points clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 14th, five points clear of relegation
Martin O’Neill
Club: Sunderland
Date: December 3, 2011
Games left: 25
Position upon appointment: 16th, one point clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 13th, nine points clear of relegation
Ricky Sbragia
Club: Sunderland
Date: December 4
Games left: 23
Position upon appointment: 18th on goal difference
Position at end of season: 16th, two points clear of relegation
Juande Ramos
Club: Spurs
Date: October 27, 2007
Games left: 28
Position upon appointment: 18th, one point from safety
Position at end of season: 11th, 10 points clear of relegation
Lawrie Sanchez
Club: Fulham
Date: April 11, 2007
Games left: 5
Position upon appointment: 15th, four points clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 16th, one point clear of relegation
Alan Curbishley
Club: West Ham
Date: December 13, 2006
Games left: 21
Position upon appointment: 18th, two points from safety
Position at end of season: 15th, three points clear of relegation
Alain Perrin
Club: Portsmouth
Date: April 7, 2005
Games left: 7
Position upon appointment: 16th, four points clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 16th, six points clear of relegation
Graeme Souness
Club: Newcastle
Date: September 5, 2004
Games left: 34
Position upon appointment: 17th on goal difference
Position at end of season: 14th, 11 points clear of relegation
David Pleat
Club: Spurs
Date: September 21, 2003
Games left: 32
Position upon appointment: 18th on goal difference
Position at end of season: 14th, 12 points clear of relegation
Chris Coleman
Club: Fulham
Date: April 17, 2003
Games left: 5
Position upon appointment: 15th, six points clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 14th, six points clear of relegation
Glenn Hoddle
Club: Southampton
Date: January 28, 2000
Games left: 16
Position upon appointment: 17th, two points clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 15th, 11 points clear of relegation
Sir Bobby Robson
Club: Newcastle
Date: September 2, 1999
Games left: 32
Position upon appointment: 19th, four points from safety
Position at end of season: 11th, 23 points clear of relegation
Christian Gross
Club: Spurs
Date: November 19, 1997
Games left: 24
Position upon appointment: 16th, one point clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 14th, four points clear of relegation
Alan Ball
Club: Southampton
Date: January 21, 1994
Games left: 17
Position upon appointment: 20th (of 22) on goal difference
Position at end of season: 18th, one point clear of relegation