Spurs rejected the only remaining firefighters with zero relegations for De Zerbi gamble
Spurs appointing Roberto De Zerbi in a relegation battle underlined how there are almost no reliable Premier League firefighters anymore.
De Zerbi was ‘cancelled’ all the way to a five-year, £60m contract to replace Igor Tudor and take over a Spurs side down in 17th, a point clear of the bottom three.
There were calls for Sean Dyche to be parachuted in, or for Harry Redknapp to take his first coaching role in nine years to save his former club.
But even those two managers, often cited among the proven top-flight firefighters who can rescue panicking clubs by Sorting Out The Defence and restoring ketchup to the menu, have Premier League relegations on their CV.
All the traditional options do: your Allardyces, your Hodgsons, the Pulis’ of this world. They have either been in charge of a Premier League club at the time of their drop into the Championship, or been involved at some point in a relegation season.
These are the only living managers who have taken over a Premier League club within five points of the relegation zone in the new year, and never suffered relegation as a coach in England’s top flight. The pool is hilariously shallow.
Oliver Glasner
Club: Crystal Palace
Date of appointment: February 19, 2024
Games left: 13
Position upon appointment: 15th, five points clear of relegation
Position at end of season: 10th, 23 points clear of relegation
The stroll to safety was a precursor to the first piece of silverware in Palace’s entire history and a European campaign which could yet deliver another trophy, even if it has felt throughout their two-year union that Glasner considers himself to be the settler rather than the puncher.
Frank Lampard
Club: Everton
Date of appointment: 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
Having successfully stood still after inheriting Rafael Benitez’s mess at Goodison Park, Lampard befell the same fate as a great many of these firefighters in being engulfed by the flames the following season.
A reminder that going from 16th and four points clear of relegation to 16th and four points clear of relegation was sold as a ‘miracle’.
Francesco Guidolin
Club: Swansea
Date of appointment: 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
It is faintly weird that Guidolin has not worked in any managerial capacity whatsoever since being sacked by Swansea almost a decade ago, with the Welsh side still outside the relegation zone by the time of his demise.
Perhaps the shame of being replaced by Bob Bradley forced the Italian into an unannounced retirement.
Dick Advocaat
Club: Sunderland
Date of appointment:Â 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
For three years, Sunderland basically new-manager-bounced their way through a series of relegation battles, only actually succumbing to the drop when they gave someone a full season.
Advocaat slotted into the middle of that sequence, snugly between Gus Poyet (took over in October 2013) and Sam Allardyce (relegated with West Brom and Leeds).
The Dutchman kept the Black Cats up, then resigned on the same day Liverpool sacked Brendan Rodgers because he couldn’t be particularly bothered with doing it all over again.
Paolo Di Canio
Club: Sunderland
Date of appointment: 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
Di Canio was eventually and inevitably dragged out of the Stadium of Light rather than leaving of his own accord. But a victory at St James’ Park forever secured his reputation as a Sunderland hero.
The Italian has not managed since, which is best for everyone really.
Mauricio Pochettino
Club: Southampton
Date of appointment: 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
It was a ruthless decision but an undeniably brilliant and transformative one not just for Southampton but in terms of the Premier League as a whole. There is indeed only one Nigel Adkins, but Pochettino represented a substantial upgrade from relegation battles to European tilts.
Pepe Mel
Club: West Brom
Date of appointment: 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
An absolute Sporcle stumbling block of the highest order.
Lawrie Sanchez
Club: Fulham
Date of appointment: 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
Having taken over too late to properly Michael O’Neill his Northern Ireland job share by calling up a load of Wigan, Sheffield United, Charlton and Watford players, Sanchez had to settle with dragging Fulham over the line by beating Liverpool and drawing with Blackburn.
Sanchez quit Northern Ireland to take over Fulham that summer; the Cottagers repaid him with a P45 by that December to allow for Roy Hodgson’s great escapism.
Alain Perrin
Club: Portsmouth
Date of appointment: 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
One of the fillings, alongside Velimir Zajec, around which Portsmouth constructed their mid-2000s Harry Redknapp-based sandwich.
Glenn Hoddle
Club: Southampton
Date of appointment: 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
