From Tottenham's Recent Firing to EPL's Hall of Shame: Discover the 5 Most Disastrous Caretaker Managers in History

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club has parted ways with caretaker manager Cristian Stellini, following the conclusion of the 2021-22 season. The Italian took charge of Spurs on a temporary basis after the sacking of former manager Jose Mourinho in April 2021, but failed to impress the board with his results. While caretaker managers are often seen as a short-term solution to fill the void left by a sacked or departed manager, they are still held to the same standards as permanent managers. Here, we take a look at some of the worst caretaker managers in English Premier League (EPL) history. Keith Millen – Crystal Palace (2017) After the sacking of Frank de Boer just four games into the 2017-18 season, Keith Millen was appointed as caretaker manager of Crystal Palace. However, his time in charge was far from successful. Millen oversaw four defeats in four games, without managing to score a single goal. His brief stint in charge remains one of the worst in EPL history. David Unsworth – Everton (2017) Following the sacking of Ronald Koeman in October 2017, Everton appointed David Unsworth as caretaker manager. Despite being a popular figure at the club, Unsworth struggled to get results on the pitch. He won just two of his eight games in charge, and Everton were knocked out of the Europa League during his tenure. Unsworth was replaced by Sam Allardyce in November 2017. Les Reed – Charlton Athletic (2006) Les Reed was appointed as caretaker manager of Charlton Athletic in November 2006, following the sacking of Iain Dowie. However, his time in charge was disastrous. Reed oversaw just one win in his seven games in charge, and Charlton were relegated at the end of the season. Reed was replaced by Alan Pardew in December 2006. Alan Curtis – Swansea City (2015) After the sacking of Garry Monk in December 2015, Alan Curtis was appointed as caretaker manager of Swansea City. However, his time in charge was far from successful. Curtis won just one of his eight games in charge, and Swansea were knocked out of the FA Cup and the Europa League during his tenure. Curtis was replaced by Francesco Guidolin in January 2016. David Pleat – Tottenham Hotspur (2003) David Pleat was appointed as caretaker manager of Tottenham Hotspur in September 2003, following the sacking of Glenn Hoddle. While Pleat was initially successful, winning his first two games in charge, his time in charge quickly unravelled. Spurs won just one of their next nine games, and Pleat was criticised for his tactics and team selection. He was replaced by Jacques Santini in June 2004. These five caretaker managers represent some of the worst examples of short-term appointments in EPL history. While the role of caretaker manager is often a difficult one, it is still important for clubs to choose the right person for the job. In the case of Stellini, Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to make a more successful appointment as they seek to move forward and challenge for silverware in the 2022-23 season.