Relegated Swansea and Stoke release coaches in record purge

File: Swansea manager Carlos Carvalhal (left), kicks the ball during their English Premier League match against Manchester City at Etihad stadium in Manchester, England. Photo: AP

LONDON: The departures of coaches Carlos Carvalhal and Paul Lambert from relegated English Premier League clubs on Friday raised the number of manager changes to a record 15 this season.

Swansea decided not to renew Carvalhal’s contract and Stoke let go of Lambert by “mutual consent.” They were the third and fourth coaches to leave their roles this week, following Sam Allardyce at Everton and David Moyes at West Ham.

There were 10 changes during the league, plus the pre-announced exit of Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. The previous record was 13 in 2013-14 for a league season from Aug. 1 to May 31. Carvalhal succeeded Paul Clement at Swansea in December, three days after leaving Sheffield Wednesday.

Carvalhal won five of his first nine league games as Swansea climbed to 13th place, but they picked up only three points from the last 27 on offer and were relegated in the last round last Sunday. They finished 18th, confirmed after losing to Stoke 2-1 at home.

Swansea spent seven consecutive years in the topflight. Stoke lasted a decade in the league. Lambert was appointed on a 2 1/2-year deal in January after Mark Hughes was sacked. But Lambert won just two of his 15 games in charge; his first fixture against Huddersfield in January and what proved to be his final match at Swansea last weekend.

“Whilst he was unable to guide us to Premier League safety after being appointed in January, it certainly wasn’t due to a lack of effort, professionalism and dedication on his part,” Stoke said of Lambert on its website.

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