Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Nottingham Forest, Chelsea and Tottenham had 10 permanent managers between them last season
ByPaul BattisonBBC Sport Journalist- Published17 minutes ago
More than 200 managers and coaching staff lost their jobs last season in English football in a "hire and fire culture" which "undermines the profession", says League Managers Association (LMA) chief Richard Bevan.
Statistics provided by the LMA show that managers in the top two divisions of men's football are staying in their job for the shortest time in history.
The statistics cover the top four men's leagues in English professional football and the top two in women's.
The Premier League saw nine managers dismissed last season with an average tenure of 0.87 years which is the shortest period of time in the LMA's records,, external going back to the 2013-14 campaign.
A number of clubs in the league changed their manager on multiple occasions, with Nottingham Forest having four permanent head coaches, while Tottenham and Chelsea had three apiece.
"Certainly in my 18-19 years the hire and fire culture that's ever-present definitely undermines the profession," Bevan said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Bevan says managerial instability is not a bedrock for success and pointed instead to clubs such as Manchester City, Arsenal, Bournemouth and Newcastle as examples.
Arsenal won their first Premier League title in 22 years this season during Mikel Arteta's seventh campaign as head coach, while Pep Guardiola has left Manchester City after winning 17 major trophies in 10 years.
Andoni Iraola has left Bournemouth after a three years which ended in the Cherries qualifying for Europe for the first time, and although Newcastle have under-performed this season, Eddie Howe has had a largely successful near five-year stint in charge.
"When you look at short-termism, compare it to the way Man City, Arsenal, Bournemouth, Newcastle ... many other clubs look at the investing time and trust in their managers," said Bevan.
"Longevity to managers, the same in many industries and people listening this morning, it's the best recipe for success."
In comparison, there were five Women's Super League managers sacked with the average tenure for dismissed managers being 2.12 years.
There were four dismissals in the WSL2, while their average tenure was 4.14 years.
Bigger financial stakes, increased pressure from fans on social media and club owners making moves to protect financial assets are all contributing to the faster managerial turnover.
The LMA class dismissals as managers who have been sacked, meaning Iraola, who left Bournemouth upon his contract finishing, and Guardiola, who agreed with City to end his deal a year early, are not counted in their average tenure statistics.
Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca and ex-Burnley boss Scott Parker are also not included after parting ways with their respective Premier League clubs mutually.
In men's football, there were 51 dismissals across the top four leagues, which is the fourth-highest total in a single campaign in the last 20 years.
The Championship saw 22 managerial movements, which the LMA class as dismissals, transfers, resignations and contract expiries as opposed to just sackings.
Of those 13 were sacked with Bevan adding: "Time is not a commodity afforded to Championship managers."
Like the Premier League, the Championship's average tenure of 0.74 years for dismissed managers last season is the lowest figure on the LMA's record.
More than 150 coaches also lost their jobs over the season.
Related topics
Follow your club with BBC Sport
- Published12 March

Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast
Get football news sent straight to your phone
- Published16 August 2025
