The best managerial performances in the Premier League after just 12 games.
There has been a lot of talk lately that Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea could be in line to emulate Arsenal’s invincible season of a decade ago, but despite his good start to the campaign at Stamford Bridge, just where does he rank amongst the best managerial runs after 12 games of a Premier League season, scroll along to find out!
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10. Mike Walker – Norwich City, 1992/93
W: 8
D: 2
L: 2
Pts: 26
Walker got the Canaries off to a flyer in his first season, but the honeymoon was over quickly as the club plummeted towards relegation under his stewardship the following season.
9. Tim Sherwood – Tottenham Hotspur, 2013/14
W: 8
D: 2
L: 2
Pts: 26
Yep, you read that right, the former interim Spurs boss looked to be the answer to the club’s problems last term, only for it to turn sour in the end.
8. Ronald Koeman – Southampton, 2014/15
W: 8
D: 2
L: 2
Pts: 26
The New Saints boss has defied the critics by thrusting the club to the summit of the table despite losing a plethora of stars over the summer.
7. Avram Grant – Chelsea, 2007/08
W: 8
D: 2
L: 2
Pts: 26
Grant was a pragmatic, if uninspired choice to lead the Blues out of the post Mourinho era, but he guided the Blues to three near misses that season before finding himself on Abramovic’s chopping block.
6. Frank Clark – Nottingham Forest, 1994/95
W: 8
D: 3
L: 1
Pts: 27
The former Forest midfielder took over from Cloughie upon his retirement and guided them back to the top flight before showing the Premier League exactly how good they could be with an early season flourish.
5. John Gregory – Aston Villa, 1998/99
W: 9
D: 1
L: 2
Pts: 28
Gregory’s first full season in charge saw Villa explode out of the blocks to look like genuine title contenders for the first half of the campaign before falling away after Christmas.
4. Felipe Scoalri – Chelsea, 2008/09
W: 9
D: 2
L: 1
Pts: 29
‘Big Phil’ adapted to the Premier League well at first, but didn’t even make it to the end of the season as Roman Abramovic continued to struggle to replace Jose Mourinho.
3. Jose Mourinho – Chelsea, 2004/05
W: 9
D: 2
L: 1
Pts: 29
Mourinho’s best season in charge presently remains his first. He took the Premier League to the next level and started a dynasty that he has come back to continue.
2. Carlo Ancelotti – Chelsea, 2010/11
W: 10
D: 0
L: 2
Pts: 30
It must have been the eyebrow.
1. Guus Hiddink – Chelsea, 2009
W: 10
D: 1
L: 1
Pts: 31
Hiddink began his tenure well, and was a popular choice to land the job permanently, but he decided to honour his agreement with the Turkish national team instead.
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