The rise and fall of British or Irish managers in the Premier League

05 October 2015 12:01

Liverpool sacking Brendan Rodgers on Sunday has brought the number of clubs in the Barclays Premier League with British or Irish managers down to eight.

Here, we look at what that tally has been at the end of each season since the competition's inception.

1992-93: (22 clubs with British or Irish managers)

Manchester United won the inaugural Premier League title under Alex Ferguson - who was minus the knighthood at that stage - with every single club ending the season under a British or Irish boss. It marked the end of the line for one of the all-time greats, Brian Clough, whose Nottingham Forest side finished bottom.

1993-94: (21)

United retained the title under Ferguson. Argentinian Ossie Ardiles became the newly-formed league's first manager from outside Britain and Ireland when he was appointed Tottenham boss ahead of the campaign.

1994-95: (22)

Ferguson was pipped to the title by Kenny Dalglish's Blackburn. Ardiles was sacked in October and replaced by Gerry Francis, making it a full complement of British or Irish managers once again.

1995-96: (20)

Another season with every club having a manager from Britain or Ireland, although the number dropped as the league was cut to its current 20 teams. Ferguson's United reclaimed the title after a memorable battle with Kevin Keegan's Newcastle.

1996-97: (18)

This was the season that Frenchman Arsene Wenger took over at Arsenal, while Ruud Gullit was the other overseas boss, the Dutchman having taken charge at Chelsea. Ferguson reigned supreme again though.

1997-98: (17)

Wenger's Arsenal became champions, while Chelsea (Gianluca Vialli) and Tottenham (Christian Gross) had foreign bosses in charge at the end of the campaign. Rock-bottom Crystal Palace went through a brief spell under Attilio Lombardo and Tomas Brolin, who had gone before the season concluded.

1998-99: (16)

Ferguson's United won the treble. Liverpool opted to go French as Gerard Houllier took over as their boss, Gullit became manager at Newcastle and Gross was replaced by ex-Arsenal boss George Graham at Spurs.

1999-2000: (17)

Another triumphant season for Ferguson and United, while Sir Bobby Robson replaced Gullit at Newcastle. Wimbledon had Norway's Egil Olsen in charge for most of the campaign, but he was sacked just before the end and Terry Burton took over.

2000-01: (17)

Ferguson's United were champions again. Chelsea replaced one Italian with another as Claudio Ranieri came in for Vialli.

2001-02: (16)

Wenger claimed his second title with Arsenal, while compatriot Jean Tigana joined the Premier League's overseas management contingent as Fulham boss.

2002-03: (17)

The title returned to Ferguson's United. Tigana was sacked by Fulham before the end of the season, with Chris Coleman assuming control.

2003-04: (17)

Title number three for Wenger at Arsenal, but the group of overseas managers in the division remained small.

2004-05: (15)

Chelsea won the title in their first season under Portugal's Jose Mourinho, while other notable overseas names arrived like Spain's Rafael Benitez at Liverpool and Dutchman Martin Jol at Tottenham. Elsewhere, former England boss Robson's illustrious managerial career came to an end with his sacking at Newcastle.

2005-06: (16)

Mourinho guided Chelsea to the Premier League title once more, but overseas managers still firmly in a minority.

2006-07: (16)

Ferguson lifted the title yet again at Old Trafford. Mourinho, Wenger, Benitez and Jol were the only bosses from outside Britain and Ireland.

2007-08: (15)

Ferguson was on top again, Mourinho left Chelsea and was replaced by Israeli Avram Grant, Tottenham brought in Spaniard Juande Ramos for Jol, while Manchester City had Sven-Goran Eriksson at the helm.

2008-09: (16)

United and Ferguson completed another three-in-a-row effort with the Premier League title. Chelsea started the campaign with Brazil's Luiz Felipe Scolari in charge and finished it under Holland's Guus Hiddink. Harry Redknapp came in for Ramos at Tottenham, Mark Hughes replaced Eriksson at City and Italian Gianfranco Zola was appointed West Ham boss.

2009-10: (13)

At the end of a season that saw Italy's Carlo Ancelotti bring the title back to Chelsea, the number of clubs with British or Irish managers had taken a notable dip compared to a year earlier. Manchester City also went Italian as Roberto Mancini succeeded Hughes, while the likes of Portsmouth and Wigan appointed overseas managers in Grant and Spain's Roberto Martinez respectively.

2010-11: (15)

Ferguson's United reclaimed the title. Benitez was replaced at Liverpool by Roy Hodgson, who was subsequently replaced himself by Dalglish and went on to succeed Italy's Roberto Di Matteo at West Brom. Houllier took over at Aston Villa in place of Martin O'Neill. The total of 15 British or Irish managers includes Kevin Keen at West Ham, although he only looked after the final game of the season following Grant's sacking.

2011-12: (15)

Mancini's City became champions. At Chelsea, Ancelotti's successor Andre Villas-Boas only lasted until March, when the Portuguese was replaced by Di Matteo. Villa went back to British with Alex McLeish, while Jol came in for Hughes at Fulham.

2012-13: (12)

Ferguson brought the Premier League trophy back to Old Trafford in what proved his final season before retiring. Rodgers had his first campaign as Liverpool boss. The campaign ended with the lowest number yet of clubs having British or Irish managers - and the tally of 12 includes City, who had only dismissed Mancini with one game to go as Brian Kidd took temporary charge.

2013-14: (11)

Chilean Manuel Pellegrini marked his first season in charge at City by winning the title - but Rodgers' Liverpool pushed them mighty close. Mourinho returned to Chelsea. Ferguson's replacement at United David Moyes was sacked before the end of the season, with Ryan Giggs put in charge for the last few games.

2014-15: (12)

Mourinho claimed his third league title as Chelsea boss. Dutchman Louis van Gaal was handed the reins at United.

2015-16 (eight, as it stands)

During the post-season, Sam Allardyce left West Ham, with Slaven Bilic taking charge, Nigel Pearson was replaced by Ranieri at Leicester, while Quique Sanchez Flores took over at Watford, and the number has now sank lower still after Rodgers' departure from Liverpool.

Source: PA