PLAYING THE SHORT GAME: MANAGERS WHO FAILED TO FIND THEIR FEET IN CUT-THROAT WORLD OF ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

■ LES REED. Eight games. Charlton, 2006

■ Taking over with the club struggling after eight defeats in their first 12 league games, Reed failed to improve matters. He picked up just four points in seven games, suffered a League Cup exit against Wycombe and was sacked on Christmas Eve.

■ BOB BRADLEY. 11 games. Swansea, 2016

■ The first American to manage in the Premier League, Bradley lasted only from October to December last year although unlike Reed, he at least made it through Christmas before being sacked on December 27. He took eight points from 11 games and left Swansea 19th in the table, having also struggled under Francesco Guidolin, but they finally found their man as Paul Clement secured topflight survival.

■ TERRY CONNOR. 13 games. Wolves, 2012

■ Mick McCarthy’s successor was hardly the experienced name Wolves supporters had been promised, with his erstwhile assistant never having managed professionally. Four points from 13 games, and Wolves’ relegation, meant he would go back to being McCarthy’s assistant at Ipswich.

■ JACQUES SANTINI. 13 games. Tottenham, 2004

■ The Frenchman’s only wins came against Newcastle, Birmingham, Everton and in League Cup ties against Oldham and Bolton, the latter after extra-time. His resignation was put down to personal reasons, widely reported to involve disagreements with Spurs’ then sporting director Frank Arnesen.

■ PAUL STURROCK. 13 games. Southampton, 2004

■ The Scot won four of his first six games in charge, opening up with a 2-0 success against Liverpool, though defeat to rivals Portsmouth would not have helped his case and a five-match winless run to close the 2003-04 season left Saints in 12th place. He was sacked two games into the following season, despite a 3-2 win against Blackburn in the second of those matches.

■ CHRIS HUTCHINGS. 13 games. Wigan, 2007

■ Hutchings stepped up having been assistant to Paul Jewell but early wins against Middlesbrough and Sunderland proved a false dawn, with only two further points and a League Cup exit to Hull City to show for his reign. An earlier spell succeeding Jewell in similar circumstances at Bradford also lasted just 12 games into the Premier League season, but an Intertoto Cup campaign helped stretch his reign to 21 matches in all.

■ PAOLO DI CANIO. 13 games. Sunderland, 2013

■ The Italian’s abrasive style provided the shock therapy to keep the Black Cats in the Premier League in the 2012-13 season, aided by a 3-0 derby win against Newcastle memorable for Di Canio knee-sliding down the St James’ Park sidelines in celebration. He quickly wore out his welcome the following season, though, and was sacked before September was out.

■ SAMMY LEE. 14 games. Bolton, 2007

■ Little Sam was handed the task of replacing Big Sam Allardyce, having previously been his assistant. He won only one of 11 league games, against Reading, with his only other success coming against Macedonian side Rabotnicki in the Uefa Cup, and went on to resume his partnership with Allardyce.