Football Chaos: Two Premier League Managers Axed in Stunning 11-Hour Bloodbath

As the European football community focused on the Champions League draw results, two of Turkey's most prestigious clubs made decisive moves against a pair of struggling ex-Manchester United coaches.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær became the first casualty when Beşiktaş dismissed him on Thursday night. The Norwegian, nicknamed the 'Smiling Assassin', had assumed control in January, elevating a team from sixth place to fourth position. Despite impressive victories over title holders Galatasaray and Mourinho's Fenerbahçe, European competition qualification became Solskjær's undoing this campaign.

Beşiktaş suffered a crushing 6–2 aggregate defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League qualifying opener, forcing them into the Conference League preliminaries.

Following a tense qualification against Irish club St. Patrick's Athletic—where Solskjær's team surprisingly trailed 2–0 at home to a side currently fifth in Ireland's top division—Beşiktaş were eliminated from Europe's third-tier competition by Swiss club FC Lausanne, who are notably owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS, adding another Manchester United connection.

Mourinho's tenure at Fenerbahçe was similarly determined by European qualification failures. The decorated manager, who has won the Champions League twice, couldn't overcome Benfica in the crucial final qualifying round for the League Phase. While relegation to the Europa League might not have warranted dismissal alone, Mourinho's public criticism of club management following the second leg defeat sealed his fate.

Following Fenerbahçe's initial qualifying success against Feyenoord, Mourinho complained about transfer inactivity, stating: "I don't believe the club made sufficient effort to give me better resources for these Benfica fixtures. If Champions League qualification was truly crucial for my club, action would have been taken between the Feyenoord and Benfica ties."

Mourinho further commented: "I understand tomorrow's game holds great significance for supporters, but from a professional standpoint, it's simply another match. I don't believe careers will be impacted." That assessment proved remarkably inaccurate.