The worst managers in Premier League history | OneFootball

Premier League management is a ruthless gig, and only a handful who have ventured into this challenging and unforgiving landscape have succeeded.

Many succumb to the pressure, while others simply lack the tactical nous to compete with their more accomplished rivals.

We highlight five managers who were nothing short of embarrassing in the Premier League.

Scott Parker – Fulham

Scott Parker has an uncanny ability to look completely out of his depth, especially when competing in the Premier League and his managerial record in the top flight supports that assertion.

Parker took charge of Fulham in 2019, tasked with rescuing a side sitting 19th in the Premier League from the jaws of relegation.

Fulham were ten points from safety when Parker joined. After his first ten games, the Cottagers were relegated, still ten points from safety after winning just three games under the Englishman’s leadership (L7).

Parker led Fulham to Premier League promotion the following campaign but left the club by mutual consent at the end of the season after failing to keep them in the top flight, winning just five out of 38 games (D13, L20).

Win percentage: 17%

Daniel Farke – Norwich City

Daniel Farke had two attempts at keeping Norwich City in the Premier League and failed spectacularly on both occasions with a dreadful win percentage to match.

The German’s promotion-winning campaign of 2018/19 was phenomenal, but what followed was an abysmal 21-point haul that saw the Canaries finish bottom of the Premier League.

They won just five of their 38 games (D6, L27), finishing the campaign 14 points adrift of safety. It didn’t take long for Farke to return Norwich to the Premier League, doing so the following season.

But it was the same old story for the Canaries in the 2021/22 season, and Farke was sacked midway through the campaign after losing 15 Premier League games in a row.

Win percentage: 12%

Terry Connor – Wolverhampton Wanderers

If there was ever a coach ill-suited for the head coach role, Terry Connor undoubtedly fit that description.

Connor’s decision to accept a promotion from assistant manager to first-team boss at Wolverhampton Wanderers in February 2012 turned out to be a historic failure.

After failing to attract any decent enough candidates, a struggling Wolves side turned to their assistant manager for salvation.

Connor muddled through the remainder of the season as the club sank deeper into the abyss of the relegation zone.

At the end of the season, the statistics made for a pretty grim reading as Connor’s Wolves side failed to win any of their 13 games (D4, L9), netting just 12 times and conceding 33.

Win percentage: 0%

Frank de Boer – Crystal Palace

There was plenty of excitement when Frank de Boer took over at Crystal Palace in 2017 – a move that was supposed to usher in a new era of eye-catching football.

In his inaugural press conference, the Dutchman vowed to revolutionise the whole philosophy of the club and implement a new possession-based approach.

However, reality deviated from the envisioned script. Instead, De Boer completely failed to get a tune out of his squad, which, some would argue, was far more suited to a more direct approach.

De Boer lost all four of his games in charge without scoring a single goal and was out on his ear just 77 days into his tenure.

He was famously labelled ‘the worst manager in the history of the Premier League’ by Jose Mourinho, and his stint at Palace stands as a notable record of ineptitude, one that will be challenging to surpass.

Win percentage: 0%

Paul Jewell – Derby County

Derby County’s 2007/08 season is one for the history books but for all the wrong reasons.

Their paltry 11-point haul remains the worst tally in Premier League history, and even with the economic gulf widening in the division, no team has gotten close to beating the unfortunate record.

Paul Jewell was one of the managers who oversaw this catastrophe at Pride Park Stadium. The ex-Wigan Athletic boss replaced Billy Davies in November with the Rams four points from safety after 14 games.

Jewell began his reign with a three-match losing streak before earning his first of just five points against Newcastle United.

Derby attempted to help him by recruiting Robbie Savage, Hossam Ghaly and Laurent Robert in January, but to no avail, as Jewell failed to record a single victory in the top flight.

Win percentage: 0%