The dust has barely settled on Manchester City’s Premier League triumph, and the Sky Blues have an FA Cup final date this weekend. But the Premier League 2024 news has been dominated this week by matters off the field.
Yes, the managerial merry-go-round has begun to spin and at a furious pace.
All eyes have been on London where two high-profile managers have already left the building. Mauricio Pochettino has departed Chelsea by mutual agreement after just one year in charge, while David Moyes’ five-year reign at West Ham United has come to an end. Meanwhile, down on the South Coast, Roberto De Zerbi has walked out of Brighton.
With a sixth-place position and a Carabao Cup final, it’s easy to argue that Poch has done a decent job at Stamford Bridge. The pre-season Premier League 2024 betting odds certainly suggested that sixth would be a good outcome for the Blues with a young and dysfunctional squad, hastily assembled since the arrival of American owner Todd Boehly.
Chelsea won their last five league games, but word in West London has it that Pochettino has wanted out for a while, finding the structure of the club difficult to work in, and that suggestion could make it more difficult for the owner to attract a high-profile manager. Meanwhile, Pochettino will be on the radar of other teams looking for a head coach, notably Juventus and maybe even Manchester United.
Poch was linked to the Red Devils previously when they plumped for Erik ten Hag, but the current Manchester United boss has been under serious pressure for some months thanks to a limp performance in Europe and an eighth-place finish in the Premier League.
And if, as expected, United suffer at the hands of Manchester City in Saturday’s FA Cup final, it could signal the end for ten Hag, and then the Old Trafford club will join Chelsea in the search for a new man.
Both clubs are rumoured to be interested in bringing in Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna, who has just led the Tractor Boys to an unexpected promotion to the top-flight.
McKenna was an U18 coach at Manchester United before joining Michael Carrick as an assistant to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during the Norwegian’s reign at Old Trafford.
He took over at Ipswich in 2021 and, after an 11th-place finish in League 1, he won back-to-back promotions to reach the Premier League, and Ipswich were the first club to achieve that feat since Southampton in 2012.
The UK press is reporting that United officials have already spoken with McKenna’s representatives and, if the club does decide to pot ten Hag, there will be a shortlist comprising McKenna, Pochettino, Brentford boss Thomas Frank, and Leicester City’s Enzo Maresca.
If United do fancy McKenna, they will be in competition with Chelsea, who are also said to be interested in the 38-year-old. The Blues will want to move quickly, and they too have been linked with Maresca, as well as former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi.
The Italian’s departure from the South Coast means the Seagulls too are looking for a new manager, and they have been monitoring, guess who? Yep, Kieran McKenna. But former Brighton manager Graham Potter could well be on his way back to he club where he most impressed.
Lopetegui lands at the London Stadium
Despite thriving under Moyes and winning a first trophy since 1980, the 2023 Europa Conference League, West Ham fans, well many of them, have been clamouring for a change, and they have had their wish granted. Moyes has departed, and former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui has already walked in as his successor.
Hammers fans seem pleased to welcome the 57-year-old, who has also managed Spain and Sevilla and, after Moyes had a big hand in recruitment during his tenure, the club will be turning to a European model, with technical director Tim Steidten taking more responsibility in that area.
Lopetegui left Wolves last year after just nine months in charge, and he has been biding his time, making it clear he was keen to remain in the Premier League.
He impressed at Molineux, inheriting a team which was in serious trouble in November 2022 when he won his first game in charge against Everton, and he picked up eight more victories to guide Wolves to a lower mid table finish in 13th. Lopetegui was concerned by the club’s financial situation and left by mutual consent in August 2023.
While West Ham fans are keen to see a more expansive style of play, they may have to be patient. Seven of Lopetegui’s wins at Wolves were achieved with clean sheets as he tightened up the defence, but he guided Sevilla to a top for position and a Europa League win in 2020, and I wouldn’t back against him succeeding in East London.
It looks like newly-relegated Burnley will be saying goodbye to manager Vincent Kompany, who looks destined for Bayern Munich, and David Moyes may be a good fit for the Clarets who will be hoping for an instant return.
As a lifelong Burnley fan, this SBOTOP writer wouldn’t say no.
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