Wigan fire manager Hutchings
2007-11-05 13:28
England - Wigan fired manager Chris Hutchings on Monday after the club slipped into the Premiership relegation zone with six straight defeats.
Hutchings had only been in charge for six months, having stepped up from the role of assistant after Paul Jewell left to take a break from soccer.
The 50-year-old Hutchings, who was also fired from a brief spell by Bradford in 2000 after he had been promoted from assistant coach, helped lift Wigan up two divisions and into the Premier League for the first time.
Although Wigan has stayed in the top division for two years, chairperson Dave Whelan opted to fire Hutchings following Saturday's 2-0 loss to visiting Chelsea.
"The club wish to put on record their immense gratitude for Chris' efforts, in particular his contribution to the meteoric rise of Wigan Athletic over the past six and a half seasons," Wigan said in a statement.
He won two of his first three games and briefly led the club to the top of the Premier League, but Wigan has not won in any competition since and exited the League Cup in August with a 1-0 loss to League Championship club Hull.
Hutchings' assistant Frank Barlow will lead the team on a temporary basis, starting with Sunday's match at Tottenham - the club immediately above Wigan in the standings.
Former Liverpool, Blackburn and Newcastle manager Graeme Souness has been mentioned by British papers as a replacement for Hutchings, who is the fourth Premier League manager to lose his job this season.
Chelsea, Tottenham and Bolton have also changed coaches.
- AP