7 Worst Managers in Premier League History (Ranked)

Some managers have crumbled under the intense pressure of the Premier League. Here, we take a look at the seven worst managers to ever step into the dugout.

By: Anna Ciao

10/16/2024 06:50

Since the Premier League's inception in 1992, over 200 permanent managers have been appointed across various clubs, with varying degrees of success. Factors such as the state of the club upon their arrival, financial constraints, and other challenges often influence their performance and longevity.

The Premier League is widely regarded as the best league in the world, placing immense pressure on managers, who operate under constant scrutiny from fans and media alike. Despite entering the league with high expectations, some highly-rated managers have struggled to meet the demands, with their careers faltering as a result.

The cutthroat nature of modern football has claimed many managerial careers, with sackings becoming a common occurrence. In this unforgiving environment, avoiding underperformance has proven difficult for many, adding to the league's history of managerial turnover.

Ranking Factors

With that said, we've compiled a list of the seven worst managers to have taken charge of 25 or more Premier League games. These managers are evaluated based on the following criteria:

Points Per Game: How poorly the team performed under the manager, specifically how few points they accumulated during their tenure.
Relegations: Whether the manager’s time in charge ultimately led to the club being relegated from the Premier League.
Impact: The long-term effect the manager had on the club, including how their leadership affected the club's future and whether the club has since returned to the top flight.

Rank	Manager	Club	Years Active	Points Per Game
1	Daniel Farke	Norwich City	2019/20, 2021	0.53
2	Vincent Kompany	Burnley	2023/24	0.63
3	Rob Edwards	Luton Town	2023/24	0.68
4	John Gorman	Swindon Town	1993/94	0.71
5	Aidy Boothroyd	Watford	2006/07	0.74
6	Scott Parker	Fulham, AFC Bournemouth	2018/19, 2020/21 2022	0.77
7	Mick McCarthy	Sunderland, Wolves	2005/06 2009-2012	0.79

7. Mick McCarthy

Sunderland & Wolves

Mick McCarthy, a manager with an impressive Championship record, having won the second tier twice, struggled to replicate that success in the Premier League with both Sunderland and Wolves. His first attempt came with Sunderland during the 2005/06 season, following their Championship title win the previous year. However, McCarthy’s side couldn’t cope with the demands of the top flight and endured a dismal campaign. He was dismissed in March with the club 16 points adrift and relegation all but certain.

McCarthy’s second Premier League stint with Wolves was slightly more successful, as he managed to keep them in the top flight for two consecutive seasons (2009/10 and 2010/11). However, Wolves’ fortunes declined during the 2011/12 season, leading to his dismissal after a crushing 5-1 home defeat to West Brom. McCarthy's Premier League points-per-game average of 0.79 is the same as that of former Reading manager Brian McDermott, though McCarthy managed significantly more games.

Mick McCarthy Premier League Record

Years Active	2005/06, 2009-12
Matches	138
Wins	27
Points	109
Points Per Game	0.79

6. Scott Parker

Fulham & Bournemouth

Scott Parker initially took charge of Fulham as a caretaker manager during the 2018/19 season, stepping in after Claudio Ranieri’s dismissal and becoming the club’s third manager that season. Despite his efforts, Parker was unable to prevent Fulham's relegation from the Premier League. However, after being appointed as full-time manager, he successfully guided the club back to the top flight at the first attempt, securing promotion with a play-off final victory over Brentford.

The 2020/21 season, however, followed a familiar pattern, as Fulham once again struggled in the Premier League and were relegated. Parker then left for Bournemouth, where he achieved another promotion, this time finishing 2nd in the Championship. His tenure in the Premier League with Bournemouth was short-lived, though, as he was sacked just four games into the season following a devastating 9-0 defeat to Liverpool, the club's worst-ever loss.

Scott Parker Premier League Record

Years Active	2018/19, 2020/21, 2022
Matches	52
Wins	9
Points	40
Points Per Game	0.77

5. Aidy Boothroyd

Watford

Aidy Boothroyd's Premier League stint lasted just one season, as his sole campaign in charge of Watford ended with relegation in 20th place during the 2006-07 season. Boothroyd had initially taken over a struggling Watford side in the Championship and impressively turned their fortunes around, guiding them to an unexpected promotion. However, Watford were ill-prepared for the demands of top-flight football, and despite Boothroyd's efforts, the Hornets endured a difficult season. The mid-season sale of star player Ashley Young to Aston Villa further weakened the team’s chances of survival.

Boothroyd remained with the club to try and lead them back to the Premier League but fell short, parting ways with Watford by mutual consent in 2008. He never managed in the Premier League again, though he found later success with England’s U21 setup, notably winning the Toulon Tournament in 2018.

Aidy Boothroyd Premier League Stats

Years Active	2006/07
Matches	38
Wins	5
Points	28
Points Per Game	0.74

4. John Gorman

Swindon

John Gorman's managerial career in the Premier League came about through his long-standing friendship with Glenn Hoddle, with whom he spent much of his coaching career. When Hoddle left Swindon Town for Chelsea following the Robins' promotion to the top flight in 1993, Gorman was handed the reins. However, it was always going to be a challenging task for Gorman, as Swindon lacked the financial resources to compete at that level. This was reflected on the pitch, as the team failed to win any of their first 15 league games.

Swindon ultimately finished bottom of the table, setting an unwanted record by conceding 100 league goals—a Premier League record that stood for 30 years. Gorman was dismissed in November of the following season with the club struggling in the First Division. After his sacking, he reunited with Hoddle as an assistant for both England and Tottenham, but never managed in the Premier League again.

John Gorman Premier League Stats

Years Active	1993/94
Matches	42
Wins	5
Points	30
Points Per Game	0.71

3. Rob Edwards

Luton

Rob Edwards played a key role in Luton's remarkable rise to the Premier League, guiding the Hatters to the top flight with a dramatic play-off win over Coventry. It marked Luton's first appearance in the top division since the 1991/92 season, just before the Premier League era began. However, Edwards faced an uphill battle to keep the club in the top tier. Despite some early promise, Luton's form nosedived, winning just one of their final 16 games, which ultimately sealed their relegation on the final day of the season.

Although the team’s fate seemed inevitable for much of the campaign, there were moments when it looked as though they might fight their way to safety. Edwards has since stayed on as manager, determined to lead Luton back to the Premier League, though their return to the Championship has proven challenging so far.

Rob Edwards Premier League Stats

Years Active	2023/24
Matches	38
Wins	6
Points	26
Points Per Game	0.68

2. Vincent Kompany

Burnley

After a dominant Championship season in 2022/23, where Vincent Kompany's Burnley amassed 101 points to win the title, the Belgian struggled to keep the Clarets in the Premier League. Burnley spent most of the campaign in the bottom three, ultimately facing relegation despite spending over £100 million on new signings. Many of these players failed to adapt, leading to a slow start from which the club never recovered.

Despite this setback, Kompany's reputation remained strong, and he was appointed manager of Bayern Munich following Thomas Tuchel's departure, after the German club failed to win the Bundesliga for the first time in over a decade. Kompany's tenure started impressively, overseeing a commanding 9-2 victory against Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb in his first Champions League match.

Vincent Kompany Premier League Stats

Years Active	2023/24
Matches	38
Wins	5
Points	24
Points Per Game	0.63

1. Daniel Farke

Norwich

Daniel Farke managed Norwich City through two separate Premier League campaigns, both of which ended in relegation, solidifying the Canaries' reputation as a "yo-yo club." Appointed in May 2017, Farke led Norwich to the Championship title in the 2018/19 season. However, their return to the top flight in 2019/20 was short-lived, as they finished with just 21 points in a dismal campaign. Despite this, Farke retained his position and guided Norwich back to the Premier League as champions in 2020/21, amassing a club-record 97 points.

Yet, the 2021/22 season unfolded in similar fashion to their previous Premier League stint, with Norwich’s reluctance to spend and lack of top-flight quality contributing to another relegation battle. Farke became the first manager in English top-flight history to lose 15 consecutive games and was dismissed in November 2021 with Norwich bottom of the league. They went on to finish the season in last place once again.

Farke took over at Leeds United in 2023 but narrowly missed out on a third Championship promotion after a play-off final defeat to Southampton in 2023/24.

Daniel Farke Premier League Stats

Years Active	2019/20, 2021
Matches	49
Wins	6
Points	26
Points Per Game	0.53

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Written by: Anna Ciao

Anna Ciao is a sports content contributor at Betimate. Born and raised in a rural village in China, I have had a passion for football and various sports such as basketball, volleyball, badminton, from a young age. Along with diligent studies, I achieved an IELTS score of 8.0 in the English language, and I have become a content contributor specializing in sports, particularly football, as I am today. I hope that my articles are helpful to readers.