Being a Premier League manager is one of the toughest jobs in football. The pressure is unrelenting, the expectations sky-high, and patience from owners and fans is often in very short supply. Some managers last years, building dynasties and legacies. Others, however, barely have time to unpack their office before being shown the door.
From high-profile flops to doomed short-term appointments, here’s a rundown of the 12 shortest managerial reigns in Premier League history—featuring some familiar names, a few surprise entries, and the new entry, Ange Postecoglou.
12. Ivan Jurić – 105 days (Southampton, 2024–25)
When Ivan Jurić took charge of Southampton in December 2024, fans hoped the fiery Croat could reignite a struggling side. Instead, his 16-match tenure produced just two wins and an early relegation—the earliest ever confirmed in Premier League history. The Saints finished rock-bottom, and Jurić’s departure in April marked yet another chapter in Southampton’s revolving-door approach to management. His brief stint showed how chaotic things had become at St. Mary’s.
11. Colin Todd – 98 days (Derby County, 2001–02)
Derby legend Colin Todd might have shone as a player under Brian Clough, but his managerial spell was forgettable. Appointed in October 2001, he oversaw a dire run of form, losing 11 of 17 games. By January, with the Rams rooted to the bottom of the table, Todd was gone. His managerial career may not have matched his playing legacy, but at least his time in charge was too short to tarnish his reputation completely.
10. Nathan Jones – 95 days (Southampton, 2022–23)
Nathan Jones’ time at Southampton was as bizarre as it was brief. Arriving from Luton Town with lofty self-belief, Jones quickly alienated fans and players alike with his erratic press conferences and rigid tactics. The Saints lost seven of his eight league games, though they somehow managed to beat Manchester City in the League Cup. His 95-day tenure is remembered less for results and more for his memorable claim that he was “one of the best managers in Europe.”
9. Terry Connor – 91 days (Wolves, 2012)
When Wolves parted ways with Mick McCarthy, they promoted long-serving assistant Terry Connor to steady the ship. It didn’t go well. Under Connor, Wolves failed to win a single match in 13 attempts, collecting just four points as they tumbled toward relegation. Though he technically wasn’t sacked—he was moved back to an assistant role—the 91-day spell remains one of the shortest and bleakest in Premier League history.
8. Quique Sánchez Flores – 85 days (Watford, 2019)
Quique Sánchez Flores’ second stint at Watford was a disaster from start to finish. Rehired in September 2019 after a previous successful spell, his return quickly descended into chaos. The Hornets were thrashed 8-0 by Manchester City, managed just one win in 10 games, and looked devoid of confidence. By December, he was gone. Watford’s infamous managerial turnover claimed yet another victim.
7. Bob Bradley – 84 days (Swansea City, 2016)
When Swansea appointed Bob Bradley—the first American to manage in the Premier League—it was a historic moment. Unfortunately, it was also short-lived. Bradley’s spell was undermined by poor results and cultural disconnects, as fans mocked his “PKs” and “road games” terminology. The Swans won just two of 11 matches, conceding goals for fun, and Bradley was sacked before the new year. His reign lasted only 84 days, but it left an indelible mark on football Twitter.
6. Frank de Boer – 77 days (Crystal Palace, 2017)
Frank de Boer arrived at Crystal Palace promising attacking football and continental flair. What followed was one of the worst starts in Premier League history. Palace lost their first four matches without scoring a single goal, and De Boer was sacked after just 77 days. Jose Mourinho memorably called him “the worst manager in Premier League history.” A harsh assessment, perhaps—but not one De Boer’s record did much to dispute.
5. René Meulensteen – 75 days (Fulham, 2013–14)
A former Manchester United assistant under Sir Alex Ferguson, René Meulensteen was hailed as a coaching genius when Fulham appointed him. But man-management proved tougher than expected. His attempts at “philosophical motivation”—including telling players to “find their spirit animal”—failed to inspire results. He lasted just 75 days, winning only three of 13 games before being replaced by Felix Magath.
4. Javi Gracia – 69 days (Leeds United, 2023)
Javi Gracia’s brief spell at Leeds United started brightly but ended in disarray. Tasked with keeping the club up amid a relegation scrap, Gracia won three of his first six games. Then came April—a month of horror featuring a 5-1 thrashing by Crystal Palace and 6-1 humiliation by Liverpool. Fan unrest boiled over, and Leeds’ board dismissed him after just 69 days and 12 matches. Sam Allardyce was drafted in next—but his time was even shorter.
3. Les Reed – 41 days (Charlton Athletic, 2006)
Les Reed’s ill-fated tenure at Charlton lasted less than six weeks, ending on Christmas Eve. He managed just one win in seven games and suffered a humiliating League Cup exit to League Two Wycombe. Ironically, Reed had written The Official FA Guide to Basic Team Coaching before taking the job—only to become a symbol of managerial failure. The tabloids dubbed him “Les Miserables,” and he never managed in the Premier League again.
2. Ange Postecoglou – 39 days (Nottingham Forest, 2025)
When Nottingham Forest replaced the pragmatic Nuno Espírito Santo with the free-flowing Ange Postecoglou, many questioned the fit. The skeptics were right. In just over a month, Forest played eight games without a single win, scoring only once. Fans turned quickly, and owner Evangelos Marinakis pulled the trigger after 39 days—making Postecoglou’s reign one of the shortest in top-flight history. The experiment was over before it began, leaving Forest in disarray.
1. Sam Allardyce – 30 days (Leeds United, 2023)
No one has managed more English clubs than Sam Allardyce, but his final act was his shortest. Hired in May 2023 to rescue Leeds United with just four games left, Big Sam couldn’t perform one last miracle. Leeds went down, and Allardyce left by mutual consent after exactly 30 days. It was a quiet end to the career of a man once famed for saving teams from the brink.
A Ruthless League With No Patience
From legends like De Boer and Allardyce to one-time hopefuls like Jones and Jurić, this list shows just how unforgiving the Premier League can be. In a results-driven environment, reputations mean little, and even experienced managers can find themselves gone before the next international break.
Whether it’s the relentless pressure from owners, the impatience of fans, or the unpredictability of football itself, one thing’s certain—the Premier League managerial merry-go-round never stops spinning. And as Ange Postecoglou’s record-breaking 39-day spell proves, the ride is only getting faster.
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