Chelsea to axe Pochettino? Five big managers already under pressure

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 26 Sept 2023 14:51 BST
• 4 min read

There is not a job in the world that possesses less security than being a football manager.

This is once again being illustrated during the 2023-24 European football season.

We are not even in October yet but already a number of high-profile managers find themselves under pressure.

READ MORE: Which football managers have been sacked this season?

Below, FootballTransfers outlines five coaches who find themselves under pressure already.

What football managers are under pressure?

Erik ten Hag (Man Utd)

After a promising first season at Old Trafford in which Erik ten Hag won the League Cup and reached the FA Cup final, it has been a dismal start to the new campaign for the Dutchman.

Despite another massive transfer spend in the summer - signing the likes of Rasmus Hojlund, Sofyan Amrabat and Mason Mount - United have struggled both in terms of performance and results.

READ MORE: Full list of current bosses as Ten Hag battles Sancho

They lost four of their opening six games in all competitions before halting the Premier League slump with a narrow 1-0 win at Burnley last weekend.

Some fans have turned against Ten Hag, who also has faces big problems off the pitch with the likes of Mason Greenwood, Antony and Jadon Sancho.

Mauricio Pochettino (Chelsea)

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has spent over €1 billion on transfers since taking over the club just over a year ago.

Despite that, he is now onto his fourth manager in Mauricio Pochettino after disastrous results on the pitch.

Chelsea finished 12th last season but current coach Mauricio Pochettino is doing no better so far this time around.

The Blues have just five points from their first six games and Pochettino will soon be fighting for his own job if things don’t start improving.

Max Allegri (Juventus)

Max Allegri’s return to Juventus in 2021 has been an unmitigated disaster.

The Bianconeri have won no trophies, been well off the pace in Serie A and played dismal football.

The majority of Juve fans have wanted Allegri out for some time now but the club have bizarrely stuck by him.

The knives are back out for Allegri following Sunday’s humiliating 4-2 defeat at lowly Sassuolo. The pressure could become unbearable if more bad results follow over the next weeks.

Rudi Garcia (Napoli)

How do you destroy a masterpiece in less than a month?

Just ask Rudi Garcia. The Frenchman succeeded Luciano Spalletti this summer after the Italian led Napoli to a historic Scudetto last season, the club’s first in 33 years.

Despite boasting a team full of stars, like Victor Osimhen and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Napoli are already seven points off the top of Serie A.

Napoli have looked a shadow of the team that enthralled all of Europe last season. The fans are already calling for Garcia’s head, while Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia have had public clashes with the coach.

Edin Terzic (Borussia Dortmund)

Edin Terzic was already under pressure at Dortmund coming into the current season.

That was after Dortmund’s incredible final day collapse that gifted Bayern Munich another Bundesliga title last campaign.

Although Dortmund are unbeaten domestically so far this term, they’ve not looked particularly good without summer sale Jude Bellingham.

A 2-0 defeat to PSG in the Champions League showed that this Terzic side looks far from impressive.