Ange Postecoglou’s time as Nottingham Forest manager has officially gone down as the shortest managerial reign in Premier League history, lasting just 39 days.
The former Tottenham Hotspur boss was shown the door by club owner Evangelos Marinakis barely 20 minutes after Forest’s 3-0 defeat to Chelsea at the City Ground, a result that capped a miserable run of one draw and four losses in five league games.
Postecoglou was appointed on September 9, replacing Nuno Espírito Santo, who himself had been dismissed after just three games following a disagreement with the club hierarchy over transfers. Nuno had guided Forest to an impressive seventh-place finish last season, their best in the league since 1995 and secured European qualification for the first time in 30 years.
Despite that, Postecoglou’s arrival was met with skepticism. His previous job at Tottenham ended on a low note after he was sacked in the summer, just months after lifting the Europa League trophy, Spurs’ first silverware in 17 years, but finishing a disappointing 17th in the league.
Now, Postecoglou tops the list of the shortest managerial reigns in Premier League history, overtaking Les Reed’s 41-day spell at Charlton in 2006.
Here, Insight Media Sports Arena looks at how his time is compares with other fleeting tenures.
10. Colin Todd – Derby County (98 days)
A club legend as a player, Colin Todd couldn’t replicate that success in the dugout. Appointed in 2001 with Derby languishing second from bottom, his short-lived spell ended after just three months and an embarrassing FA Cup exit to Bristol Rovers.
9. Nathan Jones – Southampton (94 days)
Appointed in December 2022, Jones endured a nightmare run with seven defeats in eight matches. A home loss to Wolves sealed his fate and made him Southampton’s shortest-serving permanent manager.
Joint 8. Terry Connor – Wolves (91 days)
Longtime assistant to Mick McCarthy, Connor was thrust into the spotlight in 2012. He failed to win a single game in 13 attempts, picking up only four points before Wolves were relegated.
Joint 8. Quique Sánchez Flores – Watford (91 days)
Returning to Watford for a second spell in 2019, Flores’ comeback went horribly wrong. He managed only one win and oversaw an 8-0 hammering by Manchester City before getting the axe.
6. Bob Bradley – Swansea City (84 days)
The American coach never got going in Wales. His use of American terms like “road games” drew ridicule from fans, and after 29 goals conceded in 11 matches, Bradley was gone, winning just two games
5. Frank de Boer – Crystal Palace (77 days)
Four matches, four defeats, zero goals. That was all it took for Palace to end De Boer’s reign in 2017. His tenure remains the shortest in terms of games managed in Premier League history.
4. René Meulensteen – Fulham (75 days)
A former Manchester United assistant, Meulensteen’s odd methods such as asking players to “find their spirit animal” didn’t work at Fulham. He won just three of 13 games before being replaced.
3. Javi Gracia – Leeds United (69 days)
Hired in February 2023, Gracia won just three of 12 games and left Leeds hovering above relegation on goal difference. His replacement, Sam Allardyce, couldn’t save them either.
2. Les Reed – Charlton Athletic (41 days)
Known for co-authoring the FA’s Coaching Guide, Reed managed just one win from six games in 2006. His bleak spell earned him the nickname “Les Misérables” among fans and media alike.
1. Ange Postecoglou – Nottingham Forest (39 days)
Postecoglou’s Forest side failed to win in eight games across all competitions, recording two draws and six defeats. His brief, turbulent stay was even shorter than Brian Clough’s infamous 44-day spell at Leeds United in 1975 and, humorously, shorter than Liz Truss’s time as Prime Minister, who was once outlasted by a lettuce in a viral gag.
For Postecoglou, it marks yet another abrupt end to what began with high hopes and for Nottigham Forest, this is another chapter in their ongoing search for stability as the Premier League continues
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