The latest case is the burning dismissal of Liam Rosenior – who, by the way, during his brief time on the Blues’ bench, broke several negative records including the number of consecutive losses without even a goal to his name (5). And while Chelsea is proving to be a disoriented laboratory of coaches, this is not at all an anomaly by Premier League standards. In fact: England has never seen so many dismissals as this season. The blame lies with the ever-increasing stakes – especially on the economic side – and the financial pressures related to unexpected negative performance.
The result? Since the beginning of the 2025/26 season, as reported by the Financial Times, there have been as many as 9 coaching changes among 20 teams. With less than a year in charge: an average of 295 days. This is the lowest figure since the Premier League’s inception. And over these 34 seasons, the figure has progressively worsened: in 1995, with only one dismissal, a coach sat on the same bench for almost 1400 days on average. Then, from 2000 to 2020, the figure dropped, stabilizing between 500 and 1000. Only in the very recent years has there been a real collapse, a sign of impatience and short-term needs. And of many wrong plans.
Just ask Chelsea, which has had to deal with the dismissals of Maresca and Rosenior within a few months – also risking exclusion from European competitions. Manchester United has much to say about this as well, having changed an innumerable list of coaches in recent years, completely overturning just as many technical programs with a corresponding waste of resources – although sometimes changing pays off: just ask Michael Carrick, who took over the Red Devils in the fall and is bringing them back into Champions League contention. There are also some record dismissals: Ange Postecoglou remained on the Nottingham bench for only 39 days – and again, results in hand, the management was quick to change – while Igor Tudor at Tottenham lasted only 44. Just enough time to not get started and pack his bags.
So if you were missing the theatrical decisions of some old acquaintances from Serie A – Zamparini, Gaucci, Preziosi, Cellino: do we have “coach-eating” presidents? – now the gaze turns to the Premier League. Where long-term technical cycles once dominated: Sir Alex’s United, Wenger’s Arsenal, David Moyes at Everton – who has returned to the helm of the Toffees this year. Now, however, owners, often foreign, have no patience. They pay a lot, expect just as much, and with a certain urgency. There is too much business at stake to be patient in the name of the project, of the timelines that some coaches need to forge team chemistry. So raus: win immediately, or that is the door. And this is the Premier League.