When Danny Schofield replaced Carlos Corberan as Huddersfield Town’s head coach in July, following the latter’s move to Olympiakos, not even the most pessimistic among you would have imagined that both would be out of a job just two months later.
Well, unless you are particularly au fait with the Greek giants’ famously ruthless hire-and-fire policy that is. Even Roman Abramovic himself has the patient of a veritable saint compared to Evangelos Marinakis. If Massimo Cellino is the ‘manager eater’, than Marinakis certainly has a taste for blood lust too.
Needless to say, Steve Cooper, head coach of Olympiakos’ sister club Nottingham Forest, could probably do with an upturn in form following the September international break.
Given his P45 after just six weeks, 11 games and two wins, at least Carlos Corberan lasted longer than some of his predecessors; football’s hottest hot-seat leaving many a backside scalded over 12 years of hiring, firing and occasional celebrating.
Ewald Lienen – June 2010 to August 2010
Talk about a sign of things to come. Lienen hadn’t even unpacked his suitcase before he was booted out the door after just one month of competitive football in 2010. Marinakis, who had taken over at Olympiakos in June, wasted little time in showcasing his merciless streak; Lienen paying for an untimely defeat in the Europa League qualifiers to Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Remarkably, he would never even take charge of a domestic game at Olympoakos.
Ernesto Valverde – August 2010 to June 2012
One of many big-name tacticians to test themselves in this most high-pressure of environments, Valverde looks like Olympiakos’ very own Sir Alex Ferguson in contrast to Lienen. Two whole seasons. Consider yourself blessed Ernesto.
Before his Barcelona days, Valverde won two Greek titles and two domestic doubles during his second spell in Piraeus. The soft-spoken Spaniard is one of the few who jumped before he could be pushed too.
Leonardo Jardim – June 2012 to January 2013
Another who went on to bigger and better things post-Olympiakos, guiding a Monaco side containing Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva and Fabinho to the Ligue 1 title. Remarkably, Olympiakos were unbeaten domestically and ten points clear at the top when Jardim got the boot.
Michel – February 2013 to January 2015
As you might imagine, given the situation he inherited following Jardim’s baffling departure, Michel won the league at a canter in 2014. Another followed in 2015. That still didn’t save the Real Madrid legend after Olympiakos fell behind PAOK the next campaign however.
Michel is reportedly returning for a third spell, taking Corberan’s place. We’d recommend not getting too comfortable on the Karaiskis Stadium bench.
Vitor Pereira – January 2015 to June 2015
Two trophies in five months is hardly a bad return. That did not stop Olympiakos from terminating Pereira’s contract following behind-the-scenes disagreements however. Now at Corinthians after a very public flirtation with Everton.
Marco Silva – July 2015 to June 2016
Another season, another head coach, another Super Lig title. After beginning his one-and-only season with a record 11 consecutive wins – plus a 3-2 Champions League victory over Arsenal – the now-Fulham boss walked away after less than a year in charge. Probably the right move, Marco.
Victor Sanchez – June 2016 to August 2016
Even by Olympiakos’ standards, this was remarkable. Like Lienen, the former Deportivo la Coruna boss paid the price for an early European knockout. Two games is all Sanchez got. Hardly enough time to put your stamp on a new club.
Paulo Bento – August 2016 to March 2017
Sometimes, all it can take is a brief wobble for Marinakis’ trigger finger to twitch. Olympiakos were seven points clear, into the semi-finals of the Greek Cup and the last-16 of the Europa League when ex-Portugal coach Bento was binned. His crime? A three-game losing run.
Besnik Hasi – June 2017 to September 2017
Corberan is not the only coach to have been sacked after just 11 matches. Concerns over his defensive football and poor man-management skills cost Hasi his job.
Takis Lemonis – September 2017 to January 2018
Remarkably, Lemonis has had four different spells at Olympiakos, either as a permanent or temporary gaffer. His most recent ended prematurely despite lifting the club from fifth to first in the blink of an eye.
Then again, don’t be surprised if Lemonis returns to familiar surroundings once again should Michel start slowly.
Oscar Garcia – January 2018 to April 2018
Formerly of Brighton and Watford, Garcia doesn’t even have a trophy to show for his time in Greek football. An early exit from the domestic cup was the straw that broke this particular camel’s back.
Pedro Martins – July 2018 to August 2022
For a while at least, Olympiakos appeared to have bucked a trend. Four years and over 200 games is almost like a millennia in Olympiakos terms. A stunning 4-0 home defeat to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Champions League qualifiers brought a sorry end to the club’s longest-serving coach this century.
Carlos Corberan – August 2022 to September 2022
Maybe Marinakis owes Martins an apology. With just two victories from 11 matches, Corberan has the worst win percentage of any Olympiakos coach since the 1980s. Well, worst of any to have taken charge of more than two games anyway.
Make no mistake, Pedro Martins was certainly the exception rather than the rule.
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