Ten Hag’s Shock Dismissal And The Growing Trend Of Short-Lived Coaching Stints

Erik ten Hag’s time at Bayer Leverkusen has come to a dramatic and premature end. On September 1, 2025, the Dutch manager was shown the door after just two Bundesliga games in charge this season — a 3–0 defeat to Mainz and a 2–1 loss at home to promoted Karlsruhe. That decision, arriving barely a year after his appointment, now stands as the quickest sacking in Bundesliga history. Ten Hag himself admitted he was “completely surprised,” pointing to the summer exodus of players and lack of stability in the squad.

But Ten Hag is not the first to discover that patience in football management is wearing thinner by the season. When results fail to appear almost instantly, clubs increasingly act with ruthless speed. Here are four other coaches who suffered the same fate, losing their jobs almost as soon as they got them.

Les Reed – Just 41 Days at Charlton (2006)

Back in late 2006, Charlton Athletic turned to their academy director Les Reed after sacking Iain Dowie. But Reed’s promotion quickly became a nightmare. His side managed just one win in six weeks, and the lowest point came with a League Cup defeat to Wycombe Wanderers, a team three divisions below. By Christmas Eve, Reed had been dismissed after only 41 days, the press branding him “Les Misérables.” He is still remembered as one of the shortest and most ill-fated appointments in Premier League history.

Frank de Boer – 77 Days at Crystal Palace (2017)

When Frank de Boer was appointed at Crystal Palace in June 2017, the club promised a bold new identity built on possession football. Instead, it unravelled immediately. Palace lost their opening four league matches without scoring a single goal, and though De Boer did oversee one League Cup victory, the rot was too deep. Just 77 days into his reign, on September 11, 2017, he was dismissed, making his tenure the shortest in Premier League history at the time. The much-hyped “project” was abandoned before it had a chance to take shape.

Bob Bradley – 85 Days at Swansea City (2016)

Bob Bradley made history in October 2016 as the first American to manage in the Premier League. Hopes were high, but Swansea quickly found themselves sinking deeper into relegation trouble. Over 11 matches, Bradley’s team conceded an alarming 29 goals, picking up only two wins.

His reign lasted just 85 days, ending on December 27, 2016, with the Swans languishing near the bottom of the table. Bradley later reflected that the atmosphere at the club had been “toxic,” but the results gave Swansea little choice.

Quique Sánchez Flores – 85 Days Back at Watford (2019)

Watford’s revolving-door policy of managers is notorious, but even by their standards, Quique Sánchez Flores’ second spell was stunningly brief. Returning in September 2019 to replace Javi Gracia, Flores lasted less than three months. The Hornets won only one league match, endured an 8–0 demolition at Manchester City, and remained rooted to the bottom of the Premier League. On December 1, 2019, he was sacked after just 85 days, his return ending in disappointment and confirming Watford’s reputation for brutal impatience.

A Growing Pattern

Ten Hag’s exit from Leverkusen may have shocked fans, but football history is littered with similarly swift dismissals. From Les Reed’s ill-fated 41-day stint at Charlton to Quique Sánchez Flores’ second short-lived Watford tenure, these stories underline the shrinking margins of error modern coaches face. Clubs that once gave managers time to settle now act almost instantly, demanding results from the first whistle.

For Ten Hag, his dismissal will sting — but as history shows, he is far from alone in the club of managers who barely got started before being told to pack their bags.