The January international break is traditionally a perilous period for football managers whose teams have not been performing well.
It’s just past midway in the season and a time when owners of struggling clubs in the top four English divisions reflect on the pros and cons of disposing of the gaffer.
The mindset of the owners is invariably on the lines of whether to sack the manager immediately and have a fresh start before it’s too late, or give the fellow a few more games in which to turn things around.
So it hardly came as a surprise when Claudio Ranieri was axed by Watford earlier this week after just 114 days.
He became the eighth managerial casualty from the Premier League this season and the second from Watford.
In October, Ranieri replaced Xisco Munoz despite the Spaniard having led the Hornets to promotion the previous season.
Under the ownership of Gino…
