The Athletic FC Podcast
Episode: Is ‘sacking season’ still a thing?
Date: December 10, 2025
Host: Ayo Akamolere
Guests: Jack Pitt-Brooke, Mark Critchley, James Horncastle
Overview
This episode explores the current state of "sacking season" in football, examining whether the traditional December flurry of manager dismissals is fading in the modern game. The panel unpacks why clubs may be more patient, what triggers a manager’s downfall, the shifting pressures in the Premier League, how the Championship’s dynamics play a role, and which new managers could soon break through. The conversation touches on high-profile case studies in both England and Europe, and concludes by profiling rising coaching talents.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. What Makes a Manager’s Position Untenable?
- Fans' Sentiment: Hostility from supporters can quickly destabilize a manager’s position.
"When it gets that toxic, the manager has to go." — Jack Pitt-Brooke [03:04]
- Owner-Manager Relationships: Public disagreements with ownership almost always accelerate exits.
"When you start raising that kind of topic in public, like it's pretty obvious what's going to happen down the line." — Jack Pitt-Brooke [03:04]
- Loss of Dressing Room: If players no longer believe in the manager, the board takes notice.
"You can definitely tell when the players... don't really believe in what they are being told... that becomes very, very apparent on the pitch." — Jack Pitt-Brooke [06:51]
- Expectations vs. Performance: Pressure hits when club ambitions and results diverge.
"Once there's a gap there between what you thought and what you expected a manager to achieve and what is actually happening... that's usually the telltale sign." — Mark Critchley [04:23]
2. The Challenge of Midseason Appointments
- Lack of Preparation/Players: New managers miss pre-season and encounter squads built for someone else’s style (notably cited with Postecoglou at Forest).
"[Postecoglou] took over... when they didn't have a transfer window, they didn't have preseason and they're in the Europa League... he was getting very, very limited actual training time." — Jack Pitt-Brooke [08:29]
- Rare Successes: Sometimes midseason hires (like Klopp at Liverpool, Conte at Tottenham) work—usually if expectations and club situations align.
3. Case Studies in Struggle: Wolves & Managerial Turnarounds
- Dire Circumstances: Wolves' severe struggles—0 wins in 15 games, rising ticket cost—undermine managerial prospects.
"That's... £939 per point at home." — Ayo Akamolere [10:06]
- Player Turnover: Success hinges on sustaining momentum with evolving squads.
4. Why Are Clubs Resisting Sackings This Season?
- Premier League Volatility: The league is hyper-competitive, with little separating mid-table and bottom sides.
"It feels like... the most volatile one of the more competitive Premier League seasons that we've had for a long time." — Mark Critchley [12:34]
- Financial Regulations: PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules) and sacking costs encourage patience.
"It's a costly business. And so I think that's part of the equation as well." — Mark Critchley [14:32]
- Parachute Payments: Relegated clubs are less fearful, seeing strong incentives and success rates to bounce back with parachute money.
"Clubs are probably less scared of relegation... you're really cushioned by parachute payments." — Jack Pitt-Brooke [15:42]
5. Historical Trends: What was Different about the 2022–23 Season?
- The ‘World Cup Effect’: The winter break gave struggling clubs an opportunity for new managers to have a 'mini-preseason'.
"That season you could think, well, if we sack him, the new bloke will have a pre-season... So we saw a lot of sackings before the World Cup." — Jack Pitt-Brooke [18:13]
6. The Strength of Promoted Sides Pressures Established Clubs
- Promoted clubs' success raises the overall standard and narrows margins for error, sometimes adding pressure but also, this year, not enough for a sacking spree.
"Every club... is looking around the league and saying, how are we not above them? Because everyone feels flawed, everyone feels beatable, essentially..." — Mark Critchley [22:11]
Focus on High-Pressure Jobs and Notable Case Studies
Spurs (Thomas Frank) and Manchester United (Ruben Amarim)
- Spurs: Fans unhappy with style, but injury crisis and transition phase suggest patience is warranted.
"I just think it's probably time for a bit of patience and to give him the chance to rebuild..." — Jack Pitt-Brooke [26:49]
- Man United: Internal support for Amarim is strong; the club has consciously lowered expectations after recent struggles.
"The expectations have been significantly lowered for United this season, more so than... any other year..." — Mark Critchley [28:35]
Real Madrid and Xabi Alonso (La Liga)
- Challenges of Top Jobs: At Madrid, even "good" results may not be enough if the manager's approach clashes with the club culture.
"Real Madrid is such a unique club... The right type of manager is the manager who says to the players, you know, you're great players. We'll figure out a way together to win this game." — Jack Pitt-Brooke [31:52]
- Tactical vs. Man-management: Alonso’s methodical, tactical style is clashing with Madrid’s traditionally star-centric, ego-managed mode.
"If you try to define Zidaneism... apart from just clapping your hands on the touchline... which is very different from... Alonso's come from." — Mark Critchley [33:56]
The Next Generation: Managers on the Rise
Cesc Fabregas at Como (Italy)
- Unique Dual Role: Coach and co-owner, wielding unprecedented influence.
"Cesc has more power and influence at Como than he could expect anywhere else." — James Horncastle [38:49]
- Adaptability and Acumen: Praised for tactical flexibility and in-game management.
- Interest from Top European Clubs: Already eyed by the likes of Arsenal, Barcelona, Man City, Leipzig, Leverkusen, Roma, and Inter.
"There is no doubt in my mind that Cesc has what it takes to maybe go to Barcelona, maybe go to City, maybe go to Arsenal..." — James Horncastle [40:14]
Frank Lampard at Coventry
- Transformation in the Championship: Coventry are dominating, playing attractive football, and Lampard has grown as a manager.
"He's developed a really, really strong group ethic there at Coventry. And frankly, I'd love to see them in the Premier League next season." — Jack Pitt-Brooke [41:22]
Liam Rosenior at Strasbourg
- Effective Communicator & Thinker: Led Strasbourg into Europe in his debut season, praised for sophisticated philosophy.
"He just comes across as like a deep thinker about the game, an effective communicator..." — Mark Critchley [42:53]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- "When it gets that toxic, the manager has to go." — Jack Pitt-Brooke [03:04]
- "[At Manchester United]... 80% of Athletic subscribers say, no, he shouldn't [be sacked], even though it was a complete flip reverse... when they lost heavily at Crystal Palace." — Mark Critchley [04:23]
- "[Postecoglou at Forest]... was a bizarre appointment... tactical 180 from Nuno... he was getting very, very limited actual training time while hoping to play a style of play which is completely, completely different..." — Jack Pitt-Brooke [08:29]
- "Clubs are probably less scared of relegation than they used to be, I think, because they see that the championship is so weighted in favour of teams in receipt of parachute payments..." — Jack Pitt-Brooke [15:42]
- "If you try to define Zidaneism... I don't know what it would actually be, apart from just clapping your hands on the touchline and saying, yeah, come on, lads, and just being Zinedine Zidane..." — Mark Critchley [33:56]
- "Cesc is in a unique position in world football. He is a coach and co-owner of the team. He coaches Como and it means Cesc has more power and influence at Como than he could expect anywhere else..." — James Horncastle [38:49]
Key Timestamps
- 02:23 – Opening discussion; state of managerial sackings
- 03:04 – Jack on what makes a manager's position untenable
- 04:23 – Critchley on the telltale signs of an impending sacking
- 06:51 – The media’s intuition around sackings (Pitt-Brooke & Critchley)
- 08:29 – The difficulties for managers taking over midseason
- 10:06 – Wolves’ dire season and managerial challenges
- 12:34 – Why sackings are down this season: volatility and finances
- 15:42 – Effect of parachute payments and reduced relegation anxiety
- 18:13 – The World Cup season as an outlier for sackings
- 22:11 – Promoted sides and league competitiveness
- 26:49 – Should Thomas Frank be sacked at Spurs?
- 28:35 – Reuben Amarim and the Manchester United context
- 31:52 – Xabi Alonso’s struggles at Real Madrid
- 38:49 – James Horncastle on Cesc Fabregas
- 41:22 – Lampard’s revival at Coventry
- 42:53 – Rosenior at Strasbourg as an emerging manager
Closing Thoughts
The panel converges on the view that "sacking season" is evolving in the modern game. More factors—financial, competitive, and strategic—now buffer managers from the axe, but the old triggers (toxic atmospheres, clear failings) haven’t disappeared. Meanwhile, new managerial talent is emerging from unexpected quarters, and the pressure cooker environments of the elite clubs remain as volatile and unique as ever.
For more insight:
- Check The Athletic’s interview with Como president Mehrwan Sorwasso and previous episodes for profiles on emerging managers.