I’m not sure how or why I started this, but the other day I decided to look at what the Premier League looked liked in the 2016-17 season. I think I was looking at how/why Leicester sacked Claudio Ranieri the year after he won the Premier League and was pushing the club through the Champions League (while also threatening relegation). Maybe it had something to do with Thomas Frank.
Anyways, that led me to look at who the managers were that season. It was actually a pretty interesting season. This was Pep Guardiola’s first with Manchester City, Jose Mourinho was at Chelsea, and Jurgen Klopp hadn’t even joined Liverpool.
Here are a few notable managerial announcements/changes:
Man U: Sacked Louis Van Gaal, appointed Mourinho
Southampton: Ronald Koeman departs
Everton: Ronal Koeman arrives
Chelsea: Antonio Conte arrives
Man City: Pep Guardiola’s first season
Hull City: Steve Bruce resigns, Mike Phelan joins
Sunderland: Sam Allardyce begins his reign with England’s NT
Swansea City: The [brief] Bob Bradley era
Hull City: After sacking Phelan, bring in Marco Silva
Leicester City: Wow they sacked Ranieri!
Looking back at it all, this was a heck of a time on the Premier League managerial merry-go-round. Nothing was more shocking than Ranieri’s departure (which I learnt about while heading home from Wembley Stadium after Spurs exited the Europa League).
But there are some other interesting ones there too. Bob Bradley’s disastrous tenure at Swansea stands out, and Guardiola’s spell at City didn’t get off to the best start possible. And how could we forget Sam Allardyce’s time with the England national team?
Fitzie’s track of the day: I Meant Every Word I Said, by The Milk Carton Kids
And now for your links:
BBC: “Bayern Munich open talks to extend Kane contract”
The Independent: “Dominic Calvert-Lewin denied dream homecoming as Everton and Leeds share spoils”