Every EFL Championship manager graded out of 100% for how secure their job is right now | OneFootball

As we head into the first international break of the season, we graded every Championship manager out of 100% for how secure their job is currently.

As we reach the first international break of the season, Championship clubs will be reflecting on what has been an entertaining start to the campaign.

It has been an excellent start to the season for the likes of Swansea City, West Ham United, Middlesbrough and Wolves, but Burnley, Preston North End, Derby County and Cardiff City are among those who find themselves at the wrong end of the table.

There has already been one managerial casualty this season, with Paul Heckingbottom losing his job at Preston after their poor start, and there are a number of other bosses in the second tier who are on thin ice heading into the international break.

With that in mind, we graded every Championship manager out of 100% for how secure their position is currently.

Chris Davies - Birmingham City - 50%

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Chris Davies took over at Birmingham City in the summer of 2024, and he led the club to the League One title in his first season in charge, accumulating an EFL-record haul of 111 points in the process.

Blues owner Tom Wagner made no secret of the fact that the club were aiming to achieve back-to-back promotions last season, but the Midlands outfit finished in an underwhelming 10th place in the Championship, leading many to believe that Davies would be replaced over the summer.

Birmingham kept faith with Davies, and his position at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park looks more secure after a solid start to the season, but it feels as though the 41-year-old is always only a few bad results away from coming under serious pressure.

Tony Mowbray - Blackburn Rovers - 60%

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After previously managing the club for five-and-a-half years between 2017 and 2022, Tony Mowbray made a surprise return to Blackburn Rovers for a second spell in charge this summer.

Mowbray is an incredibly popular figure at Ewood Park having led Rovers to automatic promotion from League One in 2018 before overseeing a number of play-off pushes in the Championship, but his relationship with the hierarchy has been turbulent over the years.

After a nightmare summer transfer window that left him with a thin squad, Mowbray is already experiencing similar frustrations to his previous stint in Lancashire, and while he is unlikely to be in danger of the sack any time soon, it would be no surprise to see the 62-year-old walk away if the off-field issues continue.

Steven Schumacher - Bolton Wanderers - 80%

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Steven Schumacher led Bolton Wanderers to promotion from League One last season after a 4-1 victory over Stockport County in the play-off final at Wembley, ending the club's seven-year exile from the Championship.

It has been a decent start to life back in the second tier for the Trotters, and after a number of competitive performances were not rewarded with results, their impressive 4-3 win at Norwich City prior to the international break suggests that they are starting to find their feet at a higher level.

While it may not be all plain sailing for Wanderers this season, chairman Sharon Brittan is known for being patient with her managers, and Schumacher looks to be the perfect man to guide the club through the next stage of their journey.

Michael Skubala - Bristol City - 75%

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After guiding Lincoln City to the League One title with a total of 103 points, Michael Skubala departed Sincil Bank to take over at Bristol City this summer.

Skubala was backed heavily by the Robins in the summer transfer window, with strikers Lorent Tolaj and Dom Ballard arriving for big money, and their investment has been rewarded with a relatively strong start to the season.

However, Bristol City have been a difficult club to manage over the years, with a host of bosses finding it tough to deliver sustained success at Ashton Gate, and, as Skubala is yet to fully prove himself at Championship level, it is too early to say whether he could be the one to lead them to the Premier League.

Nicky Hayen - Burnley - 10%

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Nicky Hayen took over at Burnley this summer after the club's relegation from the Premier League, but it has been a nightmare start to life at Turf Moor for the 46-year-old.

Hayen looked to be an exciting appointment for the Clarets after his success with Club Brugge in his native Belgium, but he has failed to win any of his first 10 games in charge in all competitions, and the Lancashire outfit currently sit bottom of the Championship table.

A last-gasp equaliser from Derby County denied Hayen his first win as Burnley head coach last time out, and with the three-week international break now underway, his job looks to be hanging by a thread.

Brian Barry-Murphy - Cardiff City - 60%

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Brian Barry-Murphy led Cardiff City to automatic promotion from League One in his first year in charge last season, guiding the club back to the Championship at the first attempt.

While the Bluebirds have certainly been competitive on their return to the second tier, positive performances have not quite translated into results just yet, although they did get their first victory of the season before the international break with a 3-1 win over Charlton Athletic.

Whatever happens this season, Barry-Murphy is unlikely to come in for criticism from supporters, many of whom are firmly behind the Irishman, but, if Cardiff were to be dragged into a relegation battle, unpredictable owner Vincent Tan may decide to pull the trigger.

Nathan Jones - Charlton Athletic - 90%

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Charlton Athletic looked to be heading towards League Two when Nathan Jones arrived in February 2024, but the Welshman was able to save them from relegation before leading them to promotion to the Championship via the play-offs the following season.

After a strong start, it was a nervous second half of last season for the Addicks as they slowly dropped down the table, but they were able to retain their second tier status, which only enhanced Jones' reputation at The Valley.

Having transformed the club with his passion and intensity, the Charlton board would surely be reluctant to part company with Jones any time soon, and his job is arguably one of the safest in the Championship.

John Eustace - Derby County - 30%

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Just a few months ago, the prospect of John Eustace losing his job at Derby County would have been unthinkable.

Having only narrowly avoided relegation in the 2024-25 campaign, the Rams spent much of last season in and around the play-off places, eventually missing out on the final day as Hull City pipped them to sixth spot.

Derby were widely expected to kick on and challenge for promotion again this time around, but they have won just one of their first eight games of the season, and Eustace desperately needs results after the international break if he is to avoid the sack.

Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw - Lincoln City - 100%

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After losing Skubala to Bristol City following promotion, it is fair to say that Lincoln City's decision to appoint Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw as joint head coaches raised a few eyebrows.

Cohen and Shaw had been part of Skubala's coaching staff during the Imps' promotion-winning campaign, and rather than disrupting what had been an incredibly successful formula, the club opted for continuity by handing the pair the top job.

While the move appeared to be a huge gamble by Lincoln, it is already looking to be something of a masterstroke, and after early victories over the likes of Bolton Wanderers, Preston North End and Bristol City, Cohen and Shaw will be keen to continue proving the doubters wrong.

Kim Hellberg - Middlesbrough - 90%

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Kim Hellberg made the move from Swedish side Hammarby to take over at Middlesbrough in November following Rob Edwards' controversial switch to Wolverhampton Wanderers, and it has been an eventful start to his tenure at the Riverside Stadium.

After missing out on automatic promotion and losing to Southampton in their play-off semi-final tie, Boro were handed a promotion reprieve after the Saints were kicked out of the final as a result of Spygate, but the Teesside outfit suffered further heartbreak as they were beaten 1-0 by Hull City at Wembley.

However, despite failing to lead the club to promotion last season, Hellberg retains almost universal support among the Boro fanbase, and the strong backing he was given by owner Steve Gibson in the transfer market this summer suggests he also still has plenty of faith in the 38-year-old.