With Burton Albion announcing that they had parted ways with manager Dino Maamria on Saturday, other clubs may also decide to soon pull the trigger.
Maamria was the eighth League One manager to leave his post this season and there will surely be a few more names departing before the end of the season.
Pressure is certainly being heaped on some managers, partly due to form but also due to pre-season expectations. With a congested December fixture schedule coming up, we may see a couple of changes in the coming weeks.
There are a couple of obvious names that spring to mind, Exeter’s Gary Caldwell and Wycombe’s Matt Bloomfield being just two, but we may see other sides opt for change in light of Maamria’s sacking, which was potentially a harsh one.
Here are three managers who seem most in danger of losing their job next…
Gary Caldwell – Exeter City
The most obvious candidate is Exeter City’s Gary Caldwell, having at one point in September been top of the table, the Grecians now sit in 20th.
That is very much due to their current dismal run of form which has seen them go winless in their last 11 league games. That winless run is the club’s worst in 28 years and Caldwell’s time in charge is surely coming to an end soon if their form does not pick up.
They face a tricky assignment next Saturday away at Stevenage, with a loss potentially ending Caldwell’s tenure. Now just two points clear of the relegation zone, Exeter may well opt for a change in management to spark the squad before a busy Christmas schedule.
Matt Bloomfield – Wycombe Wanderers
A side in almost as bad form as that of Exeter’s is Matt Bloomfield’s Wycombe. Having lost each of their last four league games, and without a win since early October, pressure is continuing to mount on the manager.
Wycombe have certainly underperformed this season, especially due to the fashion in which they started the 2023/24 campaign. Has Bloomfield lost the dressing room?, he doesn’t seem to think so but it seems highly unlikely that he possesses the ability to turn things around currently.
Fortunately they do still have a six-point gap between them and the relegation places but if their form does not pick up soon, they could creep into that battle.
Richie Wellens – Leyton Orient
Orient fans would’ve taken their side being sat in 16th place almost halfway through the season given the fact they were promoted last season. However Wellens’ side have won just once in the league in their last nine matches and haven’t won since mid-October.
Wellens potentially does have more time on his hands compared to the other two names listed, but likewise if their form doesn’t pick up soon, he could also be on the chopping block. That being said, Orient haven’t been playing awfully, and prior to being easily beaten 3-0 by Derby on Saturday, had only been beaten by more than a goal in the league twice.
They certainly need a change in luck, but that could potentially come with a managerial change, although Wellens does still seem to have a bit of time on his hands to turn things around. A loss away to Cheltenham next Saturday could change opinions though…
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