By Harvey Muldoon

With Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca having a falling out with the board, Wilfried Nancy with a dreadful start in Glasgow, Jimmy Thelin at Aberdeen suffering a poor run of form in the league, and Ruben Amorim frustrated with feedback from United higher-ups, we’ve seen four managers of top European clubs relived of their duties less than a week into 2026.

Chelsea immediately sought out their replacement, in the form of Strasbourg head coach Liam Rosenior, whilst Man United are eyeing up a potential return for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Celtic have reappointed interim manager Martin O’Neill, who managed to get a tune out of a Celtic side who have been out of sorts to say the least this season.

In terms of Chelsea, Enzo Maresca’s exit was confirmed on New Year’s Day, after a spell of bad form consisting of one win in seven Premier League matches.

Reports also indicate a fall-out between Maresca and the Chelsea board, with matters related to recruitment, player support, and communication. This could well have contributed to his early exit, and fan reactions have been overwhelmingly negative. Rosenior has a job in his hands to drive Chelsea up the league table and attempt to secure a top four finish.

New Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior via Getty Images

At Old Trafford, Ruben Amorim sacked after 14 months in charge. Manchester United officials claimed the decision was taken “reluctantly” and to give the team the “best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish.”

With a win rate of 38.1% across all competitions, it is surprising to most supporters that it has taken this long for the board to make the change. This is the worst record held by a Manchester United manager in the Premier League era. So, for many, his departure was always inevitable.

Similar to Maresca, Amorim had some disagreements with Man United’s ownership, particularly over transfer involvement and backing, along with criticism towards Amorim for tactical rigidity. Amorim was always opted to deploy a back-three when it didn’t always suit the squad.

Former United star Darren Fletcher was appointed interim manager, with signs of a tactical refresh in the 2-2 draw against Burnley yesterday at Turf Moor. The club continue their search for a full-time successor, but Fletcher says he’s enjoying his role for the time being.

Darren Fletcher takes charge of Manchester United training session via Getty Images

The fairytale of Wilfried Nancy was short and certainly not sweet. He departed the club after only 33 days in charge, which was kind to him. Making this the shortest managerial tenure in Celtic’s 138-year history.

Nancy suffered six defeats in his eight matches in charge, an unacceptable run of results for a club built upon success. A 3-1 home defeat to Glasgow rivals Rangers was the final nail in the coffin for the boss, as his exit from the club was announced in the days following from the loss.

In relation to the board, Head of Football Operations Paul Tisdale left the club. This gives the Celtic faithful a sense of hope as changes begin to be made.

Martin O’Neill at a recent press conference via Getty Images

Finally, for Aberdeen’s Jimmy Thelin, the club have been out with the top six in the Scottish Premiership throughout this season, with the decision to sack him coming less than a year after Thelin led Aberdeen to their first Scottish Cup in 35 years.

Despite that victory, a poor league campaign prompted the board to act, particularly after a 1-0 defeat to Falkirk. Peter Leven has stepped in as interim manager.

Stephen Robinson looks to be the favourite for the Aberdeen job, with Scott Brown, Jens Berthel Askou, Steven Naismith, and John McGlynn also mentioned amongst potential candidates.

The managerial sackings, once again, highlight how unforgiving modern football has become. With managers receiving less time to steady the ship, questions around recruitment strategies, club identity, and long-term planning continue to surface, as ultimately some clubs may benefit from a renewed sense of direction, while other risk repeating the same cycle of instability.

Sackings everywhere: Four top managers relived of their duties