Forest seeks to appoint a record fourth manager this season. Do frequent changes in coaching staff yield positive results?
Nottingham Forest are currently seeking a new manager this season after the board opted to terminate Sean Dyche’s 114-day spell following a disappointing 0-0 draw against last-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday.
Dyche was actually in contention for the Premier League Manager of the Month award for January, having secured seven points from a possible 12 last month for the relegation-threatened team. However, he has now been dismissed less than two weeks into February after the draw with Wolves left his team precariously just three points above the relegation zone.
Forest commenced the 2025-26 season with Nuno Espírito Santo at the helm, after the Portuguese manager guided them to Europa League qualification last season, but he lasted only three matches before a public dispute with owner Evangelos Marinakis led to his replacement in early September by Ange Postecoglou. Postecoglou’s unsuccessful tenure extended to eight winless matches before Dyche was appointed in October with Forest sitting in 18th place.
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After 18 matches, Forest now finds itself in 17th place with 12 league games remaining. Sources have informed ESPN that former Wolves manager Vitor Pereira is the preferred choice to become Forest’s fourth permanent manager this season, which would set a Premier League record once the new full-time coach is appointed.
While Forest’s destiny this season remains uncertain, there is certainly a precedent for Premier League clubs frequently changing managers multiple times within the same season. In fact, there have been 21 instances (including Forest) where teams have employed three permanent managers in a single campaign. Here’s a look at how those situations unfolded.
When it ‘worked’
Crystal Palace, 2014-15 (Tony Pulis, Neil Warnock, Alan Pardew) — Finished 10th
Palace’s season began poorly when Pulis departed less than 48 hours before the opening match, leading to Warnock’s immediate appointment, who managed only three wins in 18 before being dismissed following a home loss to Southampton on Boxing Day that left the team in the relegation zone. Pardew took over in January, and the subsequent boost was sufficient to elevate the Eagles to mid-table safety by the end of May.
Swansea City, 2016-17 (Francesco Guidolin, Bob Bradley, Paul Clement) — Finished 15th
While it may be a stretch to claim that 2016-17 was a standout season for Swansea, they did manage to escape a relegation battle by cycling through three head coaches. The Swans were inconsistent throughout, but they experienced a significant improvement in results after Clement’s arrival in January (including three wins in their final three matches), which ultimately allowed them to avoid relegation by seven points.
When it made no real difference
Leicester City 2001-02 (Peter Taylor, Dave Bassett, Micky Adams) — Finished 20th
Amid financial difficulties, Leicester had a poor start to the season, resulting in Taylor’s dismissal before the end of September. Despite multiple managerial changes, nothing could save the Foxes from relegation as they spent most of the season entrenched in the bottom three.
Portsmouth 2004-05 (Harry Redknapp, Velemir Zajec, Alain Perrin) — Finished 16th
After a solid start to the season, Redknapp had Portsmouth in 10th place when he left under controversial circumstances following a disagreement with chairman Milan Mandaric regarding Zajec as the new director of football. Zajec took over but the disruption led to a decline in results as Portsmouth fell toward the relegation zone. Perrin replaced Zajec in April and managed to secure the club’s Premier League status with a few games remaining.
Southampton 2004-05 (Paul Sturrock, Steve Wigley, Harry Redknapp) — Finished 20th
After a tumultuous six months in charge, Sturrock departed Southampton in August to be succeeded by Wigley, who failed to bring about any noticeable improvement in results or morale. Redknapp then made the surprising choice to leave local rivals Portsmouth to attempt to save the Saints from relegation, and had the opportunity to do so on the final day of the season. Unfortunately, a home defeat to Manchester United resulted in Southampton’s return to the second tier.
Portsmouth 2008-09 (Harry Redknapp, Tony Adams, Paul Hart) — Finished 14th
After winning the FA Cup the previous year, Portsmouth’s fortunes declined in 2008-09 as Harry Redknapp departed in October with the club in seventh place. Despite Adams overseeing an early unbeaten streak, a disastrous December and January saw Portsmouth lose eight of their nine league matches, leading them down the table. Fortunately, Newcastle United, Middlesbrough, and West Bromwich Albion all had worse seasons, ensuring Portsmouth was not in serious danger of relegation.
Fulham 2013-14 (Martin Jol, Rene Meulensteen, Felix Magath) — Finished 19th
A dismal season for all involved saw Fulham fall into the relegation zone by mid-September and, aside from a few fleeting moments of optimism, they remained there until the end of the season.
West Brom 2017-18 (Tony Pulis, Alan Pardew, Darren Moore) — Finished 20th
The situation was dire for West Brom in 2017-18 as a poor run of form saw them drop to the bottom of the table by early November. Pulis and Pardew both came and went, but the Baggies remained entrenched in the relegation zone by December. They did achieve notable victories over Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur under Moore at the end of the season, but it was far too little, too late.
Fulham 2018-19 (Slavisa Jokanovic, Claudio Ranieri, Scott Parker) — Finished 19th
Recently promoted Fulham struggled to establish themselves in the Premier League, resulting in them spending 32 of the season’s 38 gameweeks in the relegation zone. Parker did manage to spark a brief resurgence with a three-game winning streak in April, but overall, the Cottagers were disappointing throughout.
Watford 2019-20 (Javi Gracia, Quique Sánchez Flores, Nigel Pearson) — Finished 19th
Gracia was dismissed after securing just one point from the first four matches of the 2019-20 season, but Quique Flores similarly failed to provide any significant boost as the Hornets spent most of the season in the bottom three. They were seven points adrift at the bottom when Pearson took over in December and three points above the relegation line when he was let go with two matches remaining. Watford subsequently lost both games and were relegated, and it would be difficult to argue they did not deserve it.
Watford 2021-22 (Xisco Muñoz, Claudio Ranieri, Roy Hodgson) — Finished 19th
Another season marked by managerial turmoil at Vicarage Road saw Xisco, Ranieri, and Hodgson all come and go through the revolving door. Following a rather underwhelming start, the situation deteriorated as the season progressed, and a mere two wins under Hodgson from January onwards ultimately led to their relegation in May.
Leeds United 2022-23 (Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia, Sam Allardyce) — Finished 19th
After a confusing tenure under Marsch, Leeds dismissed the American coach in February after finding themselves outside the relegation zone only on goal difference following a loss to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest. Gracia was unable to achieve any improvement during his 12-game spell before Big Sam was brought in for the final month of the season in hopes of avoiding relegation. It did not succeed.
Tottenham Hotspur 2022-23 (Antonio Conte, Cristian Stellini, Ryan Mason) — Finished 8th
With Tottenham sitting fourth in the league and out of all cup and European competitions, growing tensions between Conte and the board reached a breaking point in March, leading to the Italian’s departure after just 16 months in charge. While things did not go drastically wrong afterward, brief stints under Stellini and Mason saw Spurs fall out of European qualification positions in the last two matches of the season, finishing in eighth place.
Southampton 2024-25 (Russell Martin, Ivan Juric, Simon Rusk) — Finished 20th
Recorded as one of the most disappointing seasons in Premier League history, Southampton was utterly ineffective from the outset. Looking hopelessly relegated from the very beginning, the Saints cycled through three managers only to be relegated after 31 matches, thus breaking the previous record for the earliest relegation in Premier League history, held by Derby County (2007-08) and Huddersfield Town (2018-19).
When it all went wrong
Crystal Palace 1997-98 (Steve Coppell, Attilio Lombardo/Thomas Brolin, Ray Lewington) — Finished 20th
Under long-serving Coppell, newly-promoted Palace were 10th in mid-November before a takeover disrupted their progress. Coppell transitioned to a director of football role, with Palace appointing marquee players Lombardo and Brolin as joint player-managers as a temporary measure. Results plummeted afterward, leading to relegation in April. Lewington then took charge for the final few league matches.
Sunderland 2002-03 (Peter Reid, Howard Wilkinson, Mick McCarthy) — Finished 20th
After narrowly avoiding relegation the previous season, Sunderland continued to struggle in 2002-03, fluctuating in and out of the drop zone during the first half of the campaign. Reid was dismissed in October and replaced by Wilkinson, who had been out of management for six years. Predictably, results deteriorated sharply, and the Black Cats lost all but three of their Premier League matches from mid-November until the end of the season, resulting in relegation.
Charlton Athletic 2006-07 (Iain Dowie, Les Reed, Alan Pardew) — Finished 19th
Following the resignation of popular manager Alan Curbishley after a decade in charge, Charlton quickly appointed Dowie, who had managed local rivals Crystal Palace the previous season. Dowie spent most of his brief tenure in the relegation zone before being sacked in November and replaced by his assistant Reed, who infamously lasted only 41 days in charge at The Valley—a Premier League record until Postecoglou’s disastrous spell at Forest earlier this season. Reed managed just one victory during his time, and Pardew was unable to salvage the situation as Charlton faced relegation.
Newcastle United 2008-09 (Kevin Keegan, Joe Kinnear, Alan Shearer) — Finished 18th
Keegan departed Newcastle in September after a dispute with the board regarding transfer control. Chris Hughton took over as interim manager, but results declined, leading to Kinnear’s appointment. Unpopular from the outset, Kinnear began with a notorious foul-mouthed press conference before stepping down in February due to health issues. With the team struggling, Hughton returned as caretaker before club legend Shearer was tasked with saving the season with eight matches left. Shearer managed one win (against rivals Middlesbrough), but the situation was already dire.
Aston Villa 2015-16 (Tim Sherwood, Remi Garde, Eric Black) — Finished 20th
In stark contrast to the high-flying 2025-26 season, Villa found themselves in dire straits a decade earlier when Sherwood’s initial positive momentum quickly dissipated, leading to months of misfortune. Arriving in early November with Villa at the bottom of the table, Garde proved too much of a stern disciplinarian to motivate his demoralized squad, resulting in their relegation from the top tier of English football for the first time since 1986-87.
Chelsea 2022-23 (Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Frank Lampard) — Finished 12th
After hovering around the top eight for the initial months of the season, the new co-owner and chairman Todd Boehly’s decisions led to turmoil at Stamford Bridge as Champions League-winning coach Tuchel was dismissed and replaced by Potter. Despite a fresh haircut, the former Brighton manager struggled to integrate as the underperforming Blues fell into mid-table obscurity while also being eliminated from all cup competitions. Potter was let go after just 31 matches, with Lampard taking over for the final stretch of what turned out to be a rather forgettable season.
