Francesco Guidolin has become the first managerial casualty of the 2016/17 Premier League season after Swansea parted ways with the Italian.
The strugglers, who are outside the bottom three on goal difference after five defeats from their first seven games of the season, have replaced the former Udinese boss with Bob Bradley.
Bradley, who led the United States to the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup, arrives from French Ligue 2 club Le Havre.
We can confirm the club has parted company with Francesco Guidolin, who will be replaced by Bob Bradley. pic.twitter.com/ezFbt1bxAQ
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) October 3, 2016
Guidolin led Swansea to Premier League survival last season after replacing caretaker boss Alan Curtis in January.
The club took more than a month to appoint him after Garry Monk was relieved of his duties in December 2015, but have acted much more quickly this time.
They were 17th in the Premier League when Guidolin joined, and ended last season 12th in the league, 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
To say Swans fans aren’t exactly thrilled with the new appointment is a bit of an understatement.
https://twitter.com/NickJSelby/status/782901411013091328
#HuwOut make it trending lads
— Hampe (@Hampeeeee_) October 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/charlcarrollx/status/782905579190775808
Disgusted, absolutely disgusted. Not my club any more!
— Crocusville (@Crocusville) October 3, 2016
And it’s not just those in South Wales who have their doubts about Bradley’s ability to turn things around at the Liberty Stadium.
Relegation confirmed
— Halkat Jawani (@BowledHim) October 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/azymanzur/status/782901798193532929
https://twitter.com/ALAN_O_LEARY_22/status/782902122719379457
‘We are obviously disappointed to part company with Francesco,’ Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins said in a statement.
‘We felt he deserved his opportunity after the work he did last season. Unfortunately we have not been able to carry performances over from last season and we felt we needed to change things as soon as possible in order to move forward in a positive way.’
Catch up with the latest episode of Football Friday Live right here…