The Premier League season hasn’t even started, yet Julen Lopetegui has already held the undesirable distinction of being the first manager in the new campaign to be dismissed.
Wolves’ Chinese owners, Fosun International, announced late Tuesday that the club have parted company with Lopetegui just three days before they face Manchester United in the opening match of the 2023/24 season.
The renowned Spanish tactician took over in November on a three-year deal when Wolves were bottom of the league table before pulling them up to 13th, ensuring their top-flight survival.
Wolves didn’t provide specific reasons for Lopetegui’s sudden exit, but the club insisted in a statement that both parties had “accepted their differences of opinion on certain issues and agreed that an amicable end to his contract was the best solution.”
Wolves sporting director, Matt Hobbs, added Lopetegui has left the squad in “great shape which will give his successor the best possible chance of success,” and talks had been “ongoing in recent weeks, held with the utmost respect and cordiality” to give the club time to work on finding a successor.
Lopetegui said, “I wish Wolves and everybody at the club the very best of luck for the future, and thank them for the opportunity granted at the time to take charge of this wonderful club.”
FFP and COVID-19 take toll
It is understood that Lopetegui’s frustration results from the fact that Wolves sold several influential big names such as former captain Ruben Neves, veteran defenders Nathan Collins and Conor Coady, as well as star striker Raul Jimenez, but bought only one outfield player, Matt Doherty, this summer.
In an attempt to clear the air, Wolves chairman Jeff Shi has written an open letter to fans saying the club must be cautious with their summer spending in order to meet the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. He also declared that Fosun have no intention of selling Wolves and are committed to delivering success.
“The club is a long-term project and an important one for Fosun,” said Shi. “When we were in the Championship, when we were in the pandemic, when we’ve faced all kinds of challenges, on or off the pitch, the owners have always done their best to support us.
“They also share our happiness and excitement with every achievement, or positive step we make at the club, no matter how big or small.”
Wolves mascot Wendy on the pitch ahead of the Premier League match at Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, England, February 4, 2023. /CFP
Shi explained that Wolves were “very comfortable on FFP” following their return to the Premier League after a six-year absence in 2018 and before the COVID-19 because of a lower wage bill and stronger finishes in the league and Europe.
However, the impact of the pandemic on the club’s revenue and the need to continue to strengthen an ageing squad means Wolves “must pay even closer attention to FFP and manage it well.”
“FFP is one of the more short-term and benign challenges we have faced,” Shi observed. “The club has gone through much more difficult tests in the past and will do so again in the future… However, we are still progressing every day, because we never lose; we win or we learn, as one pack.”
Wolves players enter a huddle prior to a Premier League at Molineux in Wolverhampton, England, May 15, 2022. /CFP
Managerial merry-go-round
Lopetegui’s dismissal represented a concerning trend in the English topflight, the most-watched sports league in the world. According to the CIES Football Laboratory, the 55 percent of Premier League teams making a managerial change last season is the largest percentage of the top five European leagues.
The impatience of owners has been steadily increasing, with the number of teams making a managerial change almost doubling compared to the 1980s. Remarkably, in the inaugural year of the Premier League in 1992-93, there were only four changes, despite the division consisting of 22 teams.
Last season was not only noteworthy due to the number of clubs making changes, but also because there was an unusually high number of clubs making multiple changes and even more appointing interim managers. In total, 41 managers held positions at some point, with some even serving at more than one club.
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