The 2026 January window has not only been busy for players but brutal for managers. Softfootball have gathered, that Between January 1 and February 11, several high-profile coaches have either been sacked or left their roles amid mounting pressure and internal issues.
Enzo Maresca
Enzo Maresca was sacked by Chelsea on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2026, after just 18 months in charge, following a dramatic breakdown in his relationship with the club’s hierarchy and poor recent results, despite earlier successes like winning the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup.
Ruben Amorim
Ruben Amorim was sacked as Manchester United head coach on January 5, 2026, following a fiery press conference after a draw with Leeds United, with the club citing a lack of progress and issues with his public criticism of the hierarchy as reasons for his departure after 14 months in charge.
Liam Rosenior
Liam Rosenior left Racing Club de Strasbourg on January 6, 2026, to become the new head coach of Premier League side Chelsea.
Xabi Alonso
After two-and-a-half years with the German side, Alonso was appointed as the new head coach of his former club Real Madrid in June 2025, but he left the club seven months later by mutual consent.
Horst Steffen
On 29 May 2025, Steffen became the head coach of Bundesliga club SV Werder Bremen, signing a contract until 2028. He was sacked on 1 February 2026.
Habib Beye
Habib Beye was sacked as the head coach of Stade Rennais on Monday, 9 February 2026. The dismissal followed a poor run of form in which the club suffered four consecutive defeats in all competitions, including a 3-1 loss to Lens and a 3-0 exit from the Coupe de France against Marseille. Tensions within the squad, specifically involving senior players like goalkeeper Brice Samba, also contributed to his departure.
Roberto De Zerbi
Roberto De Zerbi was not technically “sacked”; instead, he departed Marseille by mutual agreement on Wednesday, 11 February 2026. The decision followed a series of damaging results, most notably a humiliating 5-0 home defeat to rivals Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday, 8 February, and an earlier 3-0 loss to Club Brugge that resulted in the club’s elimination from the Champions League.
Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank was sacked as the head coach of Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, 11 February 2026, the dismissal followed a 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle United on Tuesday night, leaving Spurs in 16th place in the Premier League and just five points above the relegation zone. Frank’s tenure lasted only eight months after he was appointed as the successor to Ange Postecoglou in June 2025.
With pressure mounting across Europe, this wave of departures highlights how impatient clubs have become. As the season intensifies, more managerial changes could follow if results fail to improve.
