Championship Managerial Changes Ahead of New Season
The numbers tell a significant story.
Among the 18 teams that participated in last season's Championship and are competing again this year, only one retains its manager from August 2024.
This sole survivor is Portsmouth's John Mousinho, who shared his thoughts with BBC Sport: "I don't know if it means I'm next or what. It's a really brutal league from every aspect. If you get something wrong, you get punished. If you don't execute a press correctly and you give the ball away, you tend to get punished—similarly, that happens with head coaches as well."
In comparison to other top leagues, the Championship's managerial turnover is stark. In the Premier League, 11 of the 17 teams that started last season still have the same manager as of August last year. League One has seven of 17, while League Two boasts a healthier 10 of 18 teams retaining their managers.
As the Championship season kicks off on Friday with a match between promoted Birmingham City and relegated Ipswich Town, BBC Sport is here to recap the managerial landscape.
New Faces
Since the conclusion of last season in May, 11 teams in this year's Championship have appointed new managers. Among these, six have chosen individuals with no prior managerial experience in the second tier.
Hull City dismissed Ruben Selles after a six-month tenure that narrowly saved them from relegation to League One, bringing in Bosnian Sergej Jakirovic as his successor.
QPR concluded last season with Marti Cifuentes on gardening leave, appointing former Rennes manager Julien Stephan in his first role outside France.
Troubled Sheffield Wednesday parted ways with Danny Rohl by mutual consent, promoting his assistant Henrik Pedersen, who faces a challenging task amid the club's financial difficulties.
Relegated Southampton have recruited the highly regarded 32-year-old Will Still, who previously managed Reims and Lens in France, while Watford have appointed Uruguayan Paulo Pezzolano to replace Tom Cleverley.
Lastly, West Bromwich Albion has entrusted Ryan Mason, 34, with his first permanent managerial position after several caretaker roles at Tottenham Hotspur.
Meanwhile, Chris Davies had a stellar first season in management, leading Birmingham City to a record-breaking 111 points and the League One title. Will he find the Championship equally manageable?
A Managerial Merry-Go-Round
The aforementioned Selles and Cifuentes have quickly returned to the managerial scene. Sheffield United , who finished third last season but lost in the play-off final, have hired Selles in hopes of achieving promotion to the Premier League.
Cifuentes, also from Spain, is tasked with leading Leicester City after they sacked Ruud van Nistelrooy, following a season battling relegation with QPR.
Liam Manning, who guided Bristol City to a play-off finish for the first time since 2008, opted to join his hometown club, Norwich City , leading to the appointment of former Barnsley manager Gerhard Struber as his replacement.
Middlesbrough dismissed Michael Carrick after two consecutive seasons without a top-six finish, hiring Rob Edwards, who previously led Luton Town to Premier League promotion.
'If You're Worried About Job Security, You Shouldn't Do It'
Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom is among three coaches in the league with prior promotion experience. After managing Barnsley and Leeds United, he led Sheffield United to promotion in 2023 and acknowledges the pressures faced by managers.
"It's how it is. If you're worried about job security or the fact the buck stops with you, then you shouldn't do it," he told BBC Radio Lancashire. "For me, it's arguably the best thing about it. It's crazy. I don't know all of the guys who have gone personally, or the politics and environments in their clubs, but I bet a lot of money they weren't the worst performing person in their organization when they got sacked. It's just the way it is."
Valerien Ismael had a challenging start at Blackburn Rovers after taking over in February, but the team nearly secured a top-six finish with a strong late-season performance and will aim to build on that momentum.
Also looking to continue their success is Nathan Jones at Charlton Athletic , who led the Addicks back to the second tier after five years with victory in the League One play-off final.
Frank Lampard guided Coventry City to a fifth-placed finish last season after taking over from long-serving Mark Robins in November, hoping to keep the Sky Blues competitive this year. John Eustace helped Derby County navigate away from trouble after joining from Ewood Park in February.
Kieran McKenna's tenure at Ipswich Town has been eventful, leading the Blues to successive promotions from League One before suffering relegation from the Premier League in May.
Managers at Millwall and Oxford United are seasoned veterans in the division. Alex Neil, now with the Lions, is on his fifth team at this level, having previously won promotion to the Premier League with Norwich City, while Gary Rowett, who also spent four years managing Millwall, is on his fifth Championship side.
Robins faced challenges after becoming Stoke City's third manager of the season in December, aiming to achieve a top-half finish for the first time since their Premier League relegation in 2018.
Alan Sheehan begins his first full season as Swansea City manager after a successful stint as caretaker. Meanwhile, Wrexham has retained Phil Parkinson, who has achieved three consecutive promotions from the National League to this level. This marks his return to the second tier since 2019 and makes him the longest-serving manager in the division, having taken charge in July 2021.
Portsmouth's Mousinho could have easily joined the ranks of sacked managers last season. He successfully led the team back to the Championship in style during the 2023-24 season, although it took until October 19 to secure their first victory upon their return.