4 Managers You Would Expect to Do Better

Neil Lennon and Omonia have parted ways. He had been in charge since March 2022. He lasted until October 2022. 7 months. What happened? Why did Omonia pull the trigger?

Lennon took over a team which was in the Second Phase Second (or Relegation, if you’re nasty) Group. 8th place overall. Unknown areas for a team that has won the Cypriot Championship 21 times.

Omonia having to play PAEEK four times in a season

He arrived with all the fanfare someone with his pedigree would in Cyprus. They loved him. And rightly so. Of the 10 games they played in the Relegation Group (because I’m nasty) they lost only once. And that form continued into the Cup.

They only went and won it. Omonia got to the Play-Off round of the Europa League and had to play Belgium’s Genk to get through to the Group Stages. 

And they did.

Lennon asked for a ‘sexy group’. Omonia’s Europa League group is made up of themselves, Manchester United, Real Sociedad and Sheriff Tiraspol.

I apologise for nothing

The statistics don’t look great. Lennon started the league campaign with a 1-0 defeat to recently promoted Akritas Chlorakas. They have also lost to AEL and Apollon and the final game he was in charge of, against Nea Salamina. In the first 7 games Omonia won 3. The team have also lost every single game of their ‘sexy’ Europa League group so far. 

Adam Matthews, Gary Hooper and Brendan Barker were all brought in along with Iran international Karim Ansarifard, Bruno from Sheriff, Nemanja Miletic and my personal favourite Roman Bezus (I pronounce it like Jesus but with a ‘B’ but I’m pretty sure I’m the only one). Pretty solid outlay. And that doesn’t include Casama brought in from Stade Rennais for an actual fee (1.5 million euros for a Cypriot team is unheard of).

He blamed the performance due to lack of motivation of playing teams like Nea Salamina after playing against teams like Manchester United. If only there was someone whose job it was to make sure those players were motivated.

Huh, it looks like he’s the first entry, I guess. Unlike Omonia. Omonia are 8th right now.

2. Mick McCarthy

“He’s here and he’s perfect”

APOEL hired human meme machine Mick McCarthy in November 2020 to steer the club in the right direction following a less than stellar start to the 2020-2021 season. The team had been knocked out of the Europa League at the Play-Off round and had won only twice in their first 8 matches.

COVID-19 hit the team and at one point the team had 19 players missing due to an outbreak. The team’s form continued to suffer. 

McCarthy was released from his duties after 8 games, with the same win percentage as the coach previous. 

Any reason to use this gif though.

3. George Burley

Apollon Limassol took a punt at George Burley following his sacking from Crystal Palace the season before. They must have seen his record at teams like Ipswich Town, Derby County, Hearts or Southampton.

He came in at the end of the 2011/2012 season. He was gone by September, after 2 competitive games, with one win and one defeat. 

The official reason, as quoted by the president of Apollon at the time, is that it was due to a falling out between Burley and the Argentinian Sports Director involved in running the club. Unofficially, there were plenty of rumours that Burley had a… let’s say extended social calendar not becoming of someone taking their coaching job seriously.

Hahahaha … Hitting the sauce… GET IT!?!?

4. John Carver

On 4th June 2016, Omonia snapped up “the best coach in the Premier League” before any other team could get in on some of that ‘8 defeats in a row, worst form in Newcastle United’s history’ action. To add insult to injury, he was replaced by Steve McLaren.

Pictured: John Carver’s replacement at Newcastle for the 2016-17 season

(Photo by Victoria Borodinova: https://www.pexels.com/photo/boy-running-while-holding-umbrella-1619708/)

He was enticed to Cyprus by European matches, starting with a glamorous Europa League 1st Qualifying Round tie with Banant. Kings of Europe Banant.

Carver lasted until February 2017, after falling 2 points behind APOEL and following a quarter-final cup exit to Apollon, which was abandoned following crowd trouble, with fans of Omonia throwing flares and firecrackers onto the pitch in protest.

One lasting legacy Carver has had, was the signing of Matt Derbyshire for Omonia. Derbyshire went on to play for Omonia for 4 seasons, scoring 62 goals in 113 games. Derbyshire remains popular in Cyprus. Carver remains a joke, both in Newcastle and Nicosia.

Pictured: Carver’s replacement at Omonia 

(Photo by Youssef  Boukhrais: https://www.pexels.com/photo/2-man-sitting-on-white-beach-lounger-with-green-and-pink-patio-umbrella-in-between-112400/)