Managerial Changes

With Newcastle and Blackburn both changing managers in the first 20 games of the season and both at least 4 points out of relegation, does this mean a new standard for smaller money teams?

Going into game 18, Newcastle has 22 points and are comfortably seated in 8th on the table.  Blackburn is 13th on the table but only 1 point behind Newcastle and could conceivably jump into the top 10 with a win in their upcoming match.


What is par for the course for a lower money team?  We all know that there is a top 5 (Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham) that are the big money players right now with the changes in Liverpool.  Aston Villa is on the cusp and could be considered one as well in some circles.  But for a Newcastle, Blackburn, Fulham, Blackpool, etc.; what is considered a great year?

• Non-relegation--  specially for the newly promoted, the fight against relegation is always an uphill battle.  Anytime a promoted side, much less three, stay in non-relegation zone, it is a positive.
• Beating the similar teams-- For a team in the mid table, success and failure can be judged by how you do versus the teams you match up with.  Take Blackpool for example, 10th in the table with blowout losses to Arsenal and Chelsea.  Other than a 2-0 loss to Birmingham, there is no loss that is looked at as bad. 
• Non-EPL success-- Birmingham and West Ham are a respective 16th and 20th in the EPL table as we speak but there is no murmur about manager firing at this moment.  Both are in the Carling Cup semi-finals, that's why.  If West Ham were eliminated early in the Carling Cup and last place in the table, then rumors would be buzzing about axing the manager.  This success at least buys some time.

We will look more into the psyche involved in the hiring and firing of managers in the upcoming weeks but that is the beginning to a look into the mangerial game in the EPL.