The final weekend of the regular season in the National Football league ends on black Monday. It is the day traditionally used for teams to dismiss their head coach.
The Premier league has no equivalent, there is no set period where a win/loss record is tallied and the hard data makes the call. Even so January fifth may go down as black Wednesday for four premier league managers.
Avram Grant had seemingly pulled his West Ham side from the brink over Christmas with a healthy points return of seven from nine but a five nil shellacking from Newcastle has sealed his fate. The former Chelsea man has never seemed comfortable in a relegation slugfest. His luck in taking over Jose Mourinho's Chelsea and thus leading them into a Champions league final was just that, luck. He has never had the forceful personality nor the midas touch needed in the transfer market for the Hammers job.
Gerard Houllier took a major risk in replacing Martin 'O Neill at Aston Villa. The Villa owner Randy Lerner had made it quite clear that belts would have to be tightened at Villa Park and O' Neill knew that beyond the Villa first eleven quality was scarce. Houllier, it must be said is a long-term manager. He will have a vision, a grand plan but can Villa afford to wait out the season with the spectre of relegation hanging over them? Th Frenchmen will have to be practical with the pennies in the coming weeks. If he gets any.
Roy Hodgson has had the look of man facing the gallows for quite sometime now. He took the job at the behest of deeply unpopular owners, he inherited a dis-jointed and ultimately poor squad and replaced a popular manager. His signings such as Christian Poulsen and Paul Konchesky have failed miserably. He has failed to inspire the misfiring Fernando Torres and his selection and tactics have been baffling at times. Old Trafford awaits on Sunday for Liverpool with their old foes smelling blood. It may very well be do or die for Roy.
Carlo Ancelotti should not be a man living in fear of the sack. He took Chelsea to the double last season, despite not having anywhere near the funds his predecessors had. Yet with the champions losing to Wolves, it is not inconceivable that Roman Abramovich may look to bring in an temporary manager for the rest of the season. He has previous in this, replacing Felipe Scolari with Guus Hiddink halfway through the 08-09 season. The Italian needs funds to supplement and in some cases replace some of his ageing squad. Should Roman keep the chequebook closed however than Carlo could be saying arrivederci.
Some of the above may survive, they may even prosper and look back on January fifth as the dark before the light. But it is unlikely. The dye has been cast with all four. It could be a bright summers day when the axe falls, but it was a black night in January that has in all probability sealed their fate.
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