Managerial starts that were as bad if not worse than Steve Bruce’s at West Brom
- Oliver Martin
- 4 March 2022
Following Bruce’s awful introduction to life at the Baggies, we look at five other bosses who promised a new manager bounce only to leave their sides flatlining.
After the sacking of Valerien Ismael, West Brom fans were hoping a new man would have them boinging again, with a play-off place the very least of their aspirations.
However, the appointment of veteran manager Steve Bruce has spelt disaster for the West Midlands club. Having taken just one point from a possible 15, the Baggies have plummeted down the table to 13th and defeat to Hull on Saturday could see them closer to 20th than the top six.
But don't despair Baggies fans, it could be even worse…
Frank de Boer - Crystal Palace
Premier League managerial stints don't get much worse than this.
After escaping relegation in 2016/17, Palace needed a new boss after Sam Allardyce stepped down over the summer. Despite a poor showing as Inter head coach which lasted just 85 days, the higher-ups at Palace decided that De Boer was the man for the job. However, they were quickly proven wrong.
De Boer saw the Eagles thumped 3-0 by newly promoted Huddersfield in his first game in the dugout at Selhurst Park. The Dutchman didn't have much luck a week later at Anfield either, succumbing to a 1-0 loss.
Netherlands registered as many shots on target against #CZE as Crystal Palace scored Premier League goals under Frank de Boer.
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) June 27, 2021
None. pic.twitter.com/qsTxLRdiPA
Two more defeats at the hands of Swansea and Burnley was enough for the Palace board to pull the plug on De Boer's time in London. The only goals during the short-lived De Boer era came in a cup victory over Ipswich.
Remarkably, Palace's abysmal run continued despite the managerial change. The Eagles would have to wait until their eighth Premier League game to find the back of the net, although the expertise of Roy Hodgson meant they ultimately avoided relegation.
Bob Bradley - Swansea
New Leeds boss Jesse Marsch won't want to follow in the footsteps of fellow American manager Bob Bradley.
A poor start to the 2016/17 Premier League season spelled the end for previous Swans manager Francesco Guidolin. In turn, Bradley became the first American to manage in the top flight. Questions were immediately raised by fans of the Welsh club.
A promising showing during a 3-2 defeat at Arsenal in Bradley's first game gave supporters a glimmer of hope for the future. However, the hope was short-lived. A tedious goalless draw with Watford followed by two more defeats didn't help Bradley's cause, with the Swans now boasting just two points from 15.
Bradley's first win as a Premier League gaffer came in a nine-goal thriller against Crystal Palace, but this was swiftly followed by a 5-0 humiliation at Spurs. Three consecutive defeats in December was the final nail in the coffin for the American, who was sacked on Boxing Day.
Since then, Bradley has returned to his home country where he is currently the head coach and sporting director of Toronto FC.
Avram Grant - West Ham
Just two years after leading Chelsea to the 2008 Champions League final and fresh off the back of an FA Cup final with Portsmouth, you would have thought that Avram Grant would be a dream appointment for the Hammers.
Previous head coach Gianfranco Zola had almost relegated the east London club, so it was up to Grant to turn things around in the 2010/11 season. It quickly became apparent that he wasn't up to the job.
Four defeats in the opening four games left fans wondering what had happened to the once great Israeli manager. Grant seemed more intent on progressing in the League Cup than Premier League survival, with the Hammers reaching the semi-finals.
In the league however, West Ham would have to wait 15 games to rack up their second win of the season.
In hindsight, it probably wasn't the best idea to stick with Grant until May, as West Ham were relegated from the top flight. The board handed Grant his P45 with one game to go, but it was too little, too late.
Sam Allardyce - West Brom
Needing a miracle to remain in the top flight, West Brom turned to a man who had never been relegated from the Premier League. What could go wrong?
Just one win from the opening 12 games of the 2020/21 season sealed Slaven Bilic's fate and Big Sam was appointed with the sole remit of keeping the Baggies in the top flight.
It quickly transpired that Allardyce's two-and-a-half year break from the dugout had taken its toll.
Season-ticket holders at The Hawthorns had a miserable start to life under Allardyce, witnessing 18 goals conceded before West Brom found the net once.
Their away form wasn't much better either, as they suffered losses to West Ham, Sheffield United and crashed out of the FA Cup to League One side Blackpool.
Allardyce's first victory came over a month into his reign against Wolves. He would only manage three more wins as the Baggies finished in 19th place, handing Allardyce his first Premier League relegation in 17 seasons in the top flight.
Jan Siewert - Huddersfield
To be fair to Siewert, even the highest profile managers would have struggled with this seemingly impossible scenario.
Suffering from second-season syndrome, David Wagner was shown the door 23 games into the 2018/19 Premier League season, with Siewert coming in to replace him.
The young German certainly didn't boast the most impressive CV, previously plying his trade in the lower leagues in his home country.
Siewert struggled from the outset, losing his first four games as a coach, including a 5-0 humiliation at Stamford Bridge.
His fifth game in charge, a 1-0 triumph over Wolves, would prove to be his only win in 15 games as a Premier League boss.
Huddersfield went on to lose eight consecutive games and were relegated by March, a Premier League record, with Siewart picking up just five points from a possible 45.
