8 extremely harsh managerial sackings in recent history.
SEE ALSO:
Khedira Chelsea – verbal agreement in place
Bale Manchester United – Real ready to sell
Top 40 hottest female tennis players in the world 2014.
8) Manuel Pellegrini (Real Madrid)
Given just one season at Real Madrid, Manuel Pellegrini was sacked for finishing second to perhaps the best Barcelona team of all time, despite notching up a then club-record 96 points in La Liga. The Chilean has since gone on to great things with Malaga and Manchester City.
SEE ALSO: Serena Williams season review in pictures, as tennis icon makes 2014 a year to remember
7) Frank Rijkaard (Barcelona)
Although his replacement Pep Guardiola revolutionised Barcelona, it still seems harsh that Frank Rijkaard was sacked after doing so much of the work that future Barca sides were built on, with the Dutchman bringing many trophies and superb Ronaldinho-inspired football to the Nou Camp in his reign.
6) Fabio Capello (Real Madrid)
Another Real Madrid casualty, Fabio Capello was sacked by the club despite winning the title in 2006/07, with his side deemed not entertaining enough.
5) David Moyes (Manchester United)
A controversial choice, but replacing Sir Alex Ferguson was always going to be a difficult challenge for any manager, and David Moyes was simply not given enough time to fix things. Louis van Gaal has since replaced him, spent a fortune, and not done any better.
4) Harry Redknapp (Tottenham Hotspur)
The only manager to break the top four for Tottenham Hotspur, Harry Redknapp turned Spurs into an exciting team to watch with superb attacking football and ambition, but was ultimately sacked as Chelsea won the Champions League, cruelly denying them a spot in the competition next season. The club have since gone backwards under three different managers.
3) Roberto Di Matteo (Chelsea)
Never fancied by Roman Abramovich, Roberto Di Matteo was shown the door by Chelsea as soon as his side hit a remotely poor spell of form, despite miraculously guiding the club to the Champions League and FA Cup double in 2011/12.
2) Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea)
Winning the double for Chelsea in his first season at Stamford Bridge, Carlo Ancelotti did a slightly less impressive job in his second season, though that was only when Abramovich started meddling with goings on in team selection and with the coaching staff. The Italian has since won titles with Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, and remains one of the best coaches in the world.
1) Vicente Del Bosque (Real Madrid)
A bizarre sacking by Real Madrid in the early 00s, Vicente Del Bosque oversaw one of the most successful periods of the club’s history with title wins in La Liga and the Champions League (two each in the space of four years). The Spaniard has since gone on to enjoy World Cup and European Championship glory with Spain at international level.