On April 2, Graham Potter was fired, just hours after Brendan Rodgers was fired by Leicester City. A day after their teams’ return from the international break, both moves were completed. The former Chelsea boss, however, is by no means the first. Here are the EPL coaches who have been fired so far in 2022–2023.
Potter’s departure, while not completely unexpected, is the latest expensive Chelsea change in a time of change and upheaval. Potter and his staff’s contracts from Brighton were purportedly purchased for £21.5 million by new club owner American Todd Boehly after Potter fired Thomas Tuchel back in September.
Since then, despite having back-to-back trade windows with more than $300 million in acquisitions each time, Chelsea has only won seven of its 22 matches under Potter. They have made an unexpected run to the quarterfinals of the Champions League, but they are still in 11th position in the Premier League. The team officially announced that Bruno Saltor would serve as temporary manager.
Leed United, Jesse Marsch
The previous manager of Leeds United of America left a day after the team’s 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, the team announced Marsch’s dismissal. They earned 18 points in 20 games (4-6-10 win-draw-loss record) and are currently fighting for safety for the second consecutive year. On February 21, Javi Gracia of Spain was chosen to take over.
Tottenham , Antonio Conte
Conte did not stay in north London for the entire season. After hiring the Italian in November 2021, Tottenham beat Arsenal late in the season to finish in the top four and earn a place in the Champions League. Conte’s team lacked inspiration, marquee signings so far have fallen short of expectations, and they were eliminated from every competition despite having more points at this juncture in the season than last, prolonging the 15-year trophyless drought. The remainder of the season will be handled by Cristian Stellini, who took over in February after Conte endured gallbladder surgery.
Leicester , Brendan Rogers
Although Rodgers led Leicester City to their first-ever FA Cup victory and four top-10 league wins during this period, his fifth season was uninspired. The Foxes, who were widely anticipated to compete for a spot in a European championship, are currently in severe danger of relegation in 19th place with 25 points. The fact that Rodgers lost his job after the international break to Crystal Palace, who were about to fire Vieira, by a score of 2-1, proved to be the final straw.
Tuchel was fired by Chelsea on September 7 following their 1-0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Champions League. Tuchel had led Chelsea to the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League championship, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup in the same season. Tuchel’s strategies simply didn’t have the same impact after investing $310 million on transfers this past summer. Despite using three central defenders and two wingbacks, his midfield lacked control, his forwards struggled to overcome low blocks, and his defenders frequently let the opposition in. Graham Potter of Brighton & Hove Albion was brought in as a full-time substitute by Chelsea.
Everton, Frank Lampard
The Toffees had a strong defensive start to the season and were positioned in the center of the pack in the standings, but it ultimately proved to be unsustainable. Everton’s absence of cohesion, chemistry, and balance has led to the club’s difficult relegation battle for the second consecutive year. After 20 games, Lampard’s squad managed a 3-6-11 record in wins, draws, and losses, and is currently ranked 19th. After taking over, Sean Dyche guided the group to a nail-biting 1-0 victory against Arsenal at home.
Crystal Palace, Patrick Vieira
Just two days before a 4-1 loss to Arsenal, Vieira’s previous team, the Eagles let him go. Paddy McCarthy was the interim manager for that match against the Gunners, and Palace had not won a single game all of 2023 going into it. Roy Hodgson, who led the squad from 2017 to 2021, is returning to assist as a result of the team’s poor run of form this season. After two years as Nice’s manager in Ligue 1, Vieira joined the club in 2021.
Aston Villa , Steven Gerrard
Aston Villa was anticipated to strive for a top-10 result given their hiring during the most recent transfer windows. However, because of Gerrard’s lackluster strategies, player placements, and captaincy choices, a team that includes Philippe Coutinho, Emiliano Buendia, Boubacar Kamara, Jacob Ramsey, Leon Bailey, and others is also struggling to remain afloat in the Premier League. The Villans will now focus on developing under new head coach Unai Emery, who previously led Arsenal from 2018 to 2019.