Predicting 3 EFL Championship managers who could be sacked by Christmas | OneFootball

FLW has predicted three Championship bosses who could be handed their respective P45's in the coming weeks

Although the Championship season is currently less than two months old, there has already been plenty of drama provided by all 24 clubs in the division.

There are plenty of sides harbouring immediate ambitions of promotion to the Premier League, which has led to several high-profile acquisitions and managerial changes in the off-season.

As expected in the season's early stages, the table is extremely congested due to several teams enduring mixed fortunes, with Middlesbrough already establishing a strong advantage in the promotion race under the newly-appointed Rob Edwards after missing out on last season's play-offs.

We also witnessed the first managerial change of the campaign in September when Ruben Selles' disastrous six-game reign at Sheffield United was ground to a halt through a 5-0 defeat at Ipswich Town, with Chris Wilder subsequently returning to Bramall Lane for a third stint at his boyhood club in an attempt to change the Blades' short-term fortunes.

However, as the campaign progresses, we are likely to see the table take much more shape when it comes to the automatic promotion and play-off races as well as the fight to stave off relegation to League One.

With that in mind, FLW have pinpointed three managers who could face the chopping block before Christmas if their fortunes don't improve.

Chris Davies - Birmingham City

Chris Davies was appointed as Birmingham City boss in June 2024 as the club's ownership group - Knighthead Capital Management - set about a well-documented rebuilding job in this part of the West Midlands.

The 40-year-old has, subsequently, been backed heavily in the transfer market, with Blues welcoming several 'statement' signings throughout his year-long tenure at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park, including Jay Stansfield and Kyogo Furuhashi.

Despite rarely blowing opponents out of the water in the third tier, Davies moulded together such an efficient side that broke a plethora of records en route to the title, including the EFL's all-time record points total of 111.

Owner, Tom Wagner, has - rightly or wrongly - sent expectation levels through the roof by hoping that the club ends its Premier League exile which, in turn, has only increased the pressure on Davies' shoulders amid a recent run of one win in six games across all competitions, although it is his first major lull.

With the American demanding short and long-term success due to the club's aims of a new 62,000-seater stadium, Davies could find his job under threat if results don't pick up.

Paulo Pezzolano - Watford

It should come as very little surprise that the man in charge of Watford features on this list, with that currently being Paulo Pezzolano.

The Uruguayan became the 21st permanent or interim boss to take over at Vicarage Road under the Pozzo family, and it's fair to say that his start in Hertfordshire has been extremely underwhelming.

Despite overseeing a major squad overhaul, Pezzolano has been openly criticised by supporters for his team selections and lack of creativity aside from Nestory Irankunda's set-piece brilliance and the composure of Imran Louza in the middle of the park.

The 42-year-old's cause wasn't helped either when the club's social media page released a video of a bizzare post-match talk to his players following a 2-1 success over Hull City on September 27th.

If the Hornets' lethargic start to the campaign was to continue, Pezzolano's reign could, like many others in recent times, be filed under the category of 'short-term disaster'.

Liam Manning - Norwich City

Liam Manning was another man who made a managerial switch in the off-season, joining hometown club Norwich City after guiding his former side, Bristol City, to last season's Championship play-off semi-finals.

The 40-year-old has steadily built a reputation as being a dependable pair of hands after his exploits with MK Dons, Oxford United and the Robins, although the pressure for immediate success at Carrow Road could prove detrimental to his chances of building a long-term project.

It has been an inconsistent start for the Canaries' new boss, having won more games on the road than in Norfolk, which has already set alarm bells ringing when it comes to mounting a bid for the play-offs after last season's failed experiment with Johannes Hoff Thorup at the helm.

Manning cannot argue with the quality at his disposal either, with City boasting, arguably, the division's most lethal forward in the form of Josh Sargent, who continues to flourish individually despite numerous flaws being exposed around him.

If the tide doesn't turn, Manning's tenure in East Anglia could be over before it was allowed the chance to get going.