Leyton Orient: Has Omer Riza just taken the hottest seat in football?
- Published
It's not easy being a football manager, and nowhere has that been more true this season than at Leyton Orient.
On Thursday, Omer Riza became the fifth man to take charge of the club this season, following Danny Webb's resignation after two months as manager.
Andy Edwards, Alberto Cavasin, Andy Hessenthaler all came and went earlier in a campaign which has seen the financially-imperilled club slump to the bottom of the League Two table.
The O's have had 11 managers since owner Francesco Becchetti bought the East London club in July 2014, but is Riza taking on the toughest job in England?
Here, BBC Sport takes a look at some of the hottest manager's seats in football, starting with a team who showed that sometimes change can be a good thing.
Watford 2014-15: Beppe Sannino, Oscar Garcia, Billy McKinlay and Slavisa Jokanovic
21 wins in 36 games and promotion to the Premier League wasn't enough to save Slavisa Jokanovic's job at Watford
Surely no club will be able to beat Watford's record of going through four permanent managers in a season and still achieving promotion to the Premier League?
The Hornets started the season under the management of Italian Beppe Sannino but he resigned at the end of August with the team second in the Championship table, saying that he had "gone as far as I can" in the role.
Sannino's replacement Oscar Garcia was forced to step down just 27 days after being appointed because of ill health.
Garcia's tenure was lengthy compared to the next man in the hotseat, with Scot Billy McKinlay lasting just eight days.
The former Blackburn midfielder was unbeaten in his two games but owner Gino Pozzo decided to bring in Slavisa Jokanovic in October in the "long-term interests" of the club.
The Serb guided the Vicarage Road side back to the Premier League after an eight-year absence, but was unable to enjoy the fruits of his labour, as Spaniard Quique Sanchez Flores replaced him in June 2015.
Notts County 2015-16: Ricardo Moniz, Mick Halsall & Richard Dryden, Jamie Fullarton and Mark Cooper
Gone in 90 minutes: Mark Cooper gave no hint that he would be leaving Notts County before his final game in charge, a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Carlisle
Perhaps looking to follow in the Hornets' footsteps, Notts County also saw four different coaching staffs take charge of the first team last season, with Mick Halsall and Richard Dryden sharing responsibilities for the 12 days between Ricardo Moniz's departure and Jamie Fullarton's hiring.
Sadly for Magpies fans, the changes didn't have the desired effect, as Fullarton would last only 69 days before they finished 17th in League Two under the care of Mark Cooper, who lasted just 48.
Cooper quit the club at the end of the season to move to National League side Forest Green, explaining that he was "excited to be joining a club with a clear aim and strategy" and that "a lot of clubs are run day-to-day and don't plan for the future".
Such upheaval is nothing new to Meadow Lane though as, if you include caretakers, there have been 20 managerial changes since 2009, with four 'permanent' managers lasting fewer than 100 days in charge.
Things might be looking up for current boss Kevin Nolan, himself a former Orient manager, as with seven wins from his first 14 games, he should have few worries about adding to his 77 days in the job to date.
Still time for someone to match the O's?
Gary Rowett (right) is the fifth permanent Derby County manager in the past 14 months
Two other clubs in the EFL have had their side selected by four different people so far this season.
Derby County appointed Nigel Pearson on a three-year deal in May 2016 but less than five months later he left by mutual consent.
Chris Powell took over on a caretaker basis before giving way for the return of Steve McClaren on 12 October.
McClaren managed to outlast Pearson, but on 12 March his second spell was brought to an end after a 3-0 defeat by Brighton.
Former Rams defender Gary Rowett was appointed two days later, no doubt hoping to avoid a repeat of his fate at previous club Birmingham, where he was relieved of his role despite guidinmg them to seventh in the table.
Just 36 miles away, Coventry City have also had the distinction of four different managers giving pre-match team talks this term.
Tony Mowbray resigned in September after 18 months in charge with the Sky Blues already three points adrift at the bottom of League One.
Technical director Mark Venus took over until the club appointed Russell Slade on 21 December.
However, Slade, who had started the season at Charlton before being dismissed in November, lasted just 16 matches and was sacked with the club 13 points adrift.
Mark Robins is now the man in the chair at the Ricoh Arena and has led the Sky Blues to two wins from his four games in charge.
Despite the turmoil surrounding the club, with fans desperately unhappy at the way the club is being run by owners Sisu, the Sky Blues could end the season with silverware as they play Oxford United in the final of the EFL Trophy on Sunday.
The hottest seats on the planet
BBC Radio London's Leyton Orient commentator had a few words of encouragement for the new boss
While Leyton Orient can stake a claim for the toughest job in English football, they can't match the changes seen at Italian club Palermo in recent years.
The Serie A strugglers made their 11th coaching switch in two seasons in January when they hired Diego Lopez, though the turnover seems to have come to an end with the departure of former president Maurizio Zamparini in February.
Staying in Italy, Leeds chairman Massimo Cellino managed to get through an impressive 36 coaches in his 22 years as Cagliari owner to earn himself the nickname 'the manager eater'.
Turkish club Genclerbirligi had six different managers during the 2015-16 season, with one of them, Yilmaz Vural, lasting only one game before being fired, reportedly after asking for the club to sign new players in the winter transfer window.
And spare a thought for managers in Brazil, where regular sackings are an unfortunate part of the football culture. Serie B side Nautico are among the worst offenders, having had seven different coaches in charge for a game in one calendar year in 2013, and a further 10 changes since.
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