Manager Merry-Go-Round

Another weekend, and another manager gets the sack. 

Exit stage left Mr Tim Sherwood. 

The Premier League is barely 10 games into a 38 game season and yet there have been enough managerial changes, sackings and appointments to last you a lifetime. So far there have been 3 departures already, with all 3 of them coming in the month of October. You would be forgiven for feeling a little light-headed wondering how so much could happen in such little time, but in an increasingly competitive game where points can have such a significant impact on not only the club's numerical position in the table, but also it's wider finances and commercial prospects, managers continue to suffer from premature exits in the pursuit of club success.

1. Brendan Rodgers (Liverpool) - 4/10/2015

Ex-Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers

There were quiet doubts over Brendan's appointment to the Liverpool job when he left managing Swansea in 2012, with many wondering whether he would live up to the grand expectations of the club to recapture it's league and Cup successes of ages gone by. After a year in the post he almost silenced his critics, leading his Liverpool side to second place in the League in the 2013/14 season. For long parts of the season it looked certain that Liverpool were finally going to break their trophy drought of having not won the Premier League title since its inception in 1992. However,  a loss against Chelsea and a dramatic 3-3 draw against Crystal Palace in which Liverpool had a 3-nil lead, cost them vital points and subsequently handed the title to Manchester City. 

To make matters worse Liverpool lost their formidable striker Luis Suarez to Barcelona that summer, their promising striker Raheem Sterling to Man City the following summer and their legendary captain Steven Gerrard to the MLS (US) in the same period. As a result all eyes were on Liverpool's recruitment process, and how they were going to replace such key players in order to challenge for the title once again.

The answer wasn't an encouraging one. In his 3 years in charge, Rodgers bought 31 players for a total of just over £290 million. Yet they were unable to bring the manager and the club any silverware, which in the end was just simply not good enough. The Liverpool board seemed to agree, and in early October he was sacked following a draw with Merseyside rivals Everton. His replacement was the charismatic Jürgen Klopp, former manager of Borussia Dortmund.

2. Dick Advocaat (Sunderland) - 4/10/2015

On the same day Rodgers was sacked from Liverpool, Dick Advocaat resigned from his post as the Sunderland manager. Having been brought in on a temporary contract in March 2015 until the end of the season, Advocate successfully completed his team's last-gasp escape from relegation, at which point he quickly resigned from his post. However, very curiously he reversed his decision and chose to stay on as manager after all. But after a poor run of form which saw Sunderland achieve no wins in their opening 8 games, Advocaat again resigned from his role, eventually being replaced by Premier League veteran Sam Allardyce.

3. Tim Sherwood (Aston Villa) - 25/10/2015

Ex- Villa manager Tim Sherwood

With just 1 win in his opening 10 games, it's perhaps no surprise that Tim Sherwood was shown the door earlier on today. What is probably more surprising however, is Villa's terrible run of form considering their defiant effort to avoid relegation last season, with 3 wins and 1 draw in their remaining 7 Premier League matches. Sherwood also guided the club to the FA Cup final, eventually losing 4-0 to Arsenal. And with a subsequent £46,850,000 spent on bringing in new signings to the club, it is no wonder Sherwood and Villa fans alike had high hopes for the upcoming 2015/16 season. 

Upon the arrival of Barcelona youngster Adam Traore to Villa Park, Scott Sinclair (who also signed with Villa in the summer), stated that "to sign a player from Barcelona just shows the club is moving forward".

On the back of their current form, I would argue they're moving backwards.

So, with 3 managers gone in just the first 3 months of the campaign, current under-pressure managers must be nervously looking over their shoulders asking "who's next?"