{"numbering":"no_numbering","slides":[{"title":"Were these head coaches fired too soon?","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/3-slide%20template%20%2835%29.jpg","credit":"Getty Images/NBCSP","published":1598494798,"caption":"

Say what you want about Brett Brown, the 76ers did reach the playoffs in each of the last three straight before he was fired. I think most Sixers fans would agree that the 76ers’ issues weren’t all Brown’s fault and they'd also agree a change was needed after seven years. In any case, it did get us thinking about Philly head coaches who’ve been fired either after several consecutive playoff seasons or prematurely. So we came up with a list of 10 coaches who you could make a case shouldn’t have been fired when they were. Some went on to great success elsewhere, some didn’t. But all of them had some pretty good moments before they were let go.

"},{"title":"Pat Corrales","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/pat-corrales-getty.jpg","credit":"Getty Images","published":1598495588,"caption":"

In his only full season as the Phillies’ manager, Corrales guided the Phils to an 89-73 record and a second-place finish in the N.L. East, just three games behind the eventual World Series-champion Cards. The Phillies were 43-42 and in first place in the N.L. East the following July and had won 11 of their last 18 games when Corrales was abruptly fired. The Phillies went on to go 47-30 under Paul Owens the rest of 1983 before losing the World Series to the Orioles. But Corrales’ .534 winning percentage with the Phillies is 8^th-highest in franchise history out of the 35 who’ve managed at least 200 games.

"},{"title":"Terry Francona","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/Terry-Francona-Getty%20.jpg","credit":"Getty Images","published":1598495649,"caption":"

Based on his record, Francona’s firing is understandable. He was 285-363 in four years with the Phillies. It’s what Francona has done since he got fired that makes you wonder if the Phillies realize what they had. Francona won two World Series titles with the Red Sox and averaged 93 wins per year in Boston. He’s now been in Cleveland eight years, averaging 91 wins per year and reaching a third World Series in 2016. He’s coached 16 seasons since leaving Philly and has never had a losing record. His 1,685 career wins are 18^th-most in history.

"},{"title":"Ken Hitchcock","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/Ken-Hitchcock-getty.jpg","credit":"Getty Images","published":1598495694,"caption":"

In his first three seasons, Hitchcock took the Flyers to the playoffs each year – the conference semis in 2003, the conference finals and an Atlantic Division title in 2004 and the first round in 2006. But just seven games into 2006-2007, Hitchcock was fired with the Flyers sitting at 1-6. The Flyers didn’t do much better under John Stevens that year, although they did make the conference finals to the Penguins the next year under Stevens. Hitchcock coached in Columbus for a few years, then took St. Louis to the playoffs five straight years.

"},{"title":"Peter Laviolette","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/Peter-Laviolette-getty.jpg","credit":"Getty Images","published":1598495742,"caption":"

The Flyers pulled the plug on Lavy just three games into the 2013-14 season. The Flyers had reached the Stanley Cup finals after he replaced John Stevens 24 games into the 2010 season and then reached the conference semifinals the next two years, but all it took for them to give up on Lavy was one year out of the playoffs in 2013 and that 0-3 start. The Flyers’ 23 playoff wins under Laviolette are 4^th-most in franchise history, behind only Fred Shero, Mike Keenan and Terry Murray. Laviolette has averaged 46 wins in five full seasons in Nashville and took the Predators to the Stanley Cup finals in 2017.

"},{"title":"Jimmy Lynam","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/Jimmy-Lynam-getty.jpg","credit":"Getty Images","published":1598495800,"caption":"

The 76ers averaged 45 wins per year under Lynam, reaching the playoffs three of four years, winning the Atlantic Division in 1989-90, reaching the conference semifinals twice in a row and recording the 8^th-best record in the NBA in his first three full seasons with a .581 winning percentage. But after one disappointing season – the 76ers went 35-47 in 1992 when Charles Barkley was surrounded by the likes of Armen Gilliam, Charles Shackleford and Ron Anderon – Lynam was fired. The 76ers then went through five coaches in the next six years before and didn’t reach the playoffs for another eight years before the Larry Brown Era began. (Full disclosure: Lynam now works as an analyst on 76ers Pregame and Postgame Live on NBC Sports Philadelphia.)

"},{"title":"Charlie Manual ","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/ap_charlie_manuel_phillies.jpg","credit":"AP Images","published":1598495844,"caption":"

Just two years after the Phillies won 102 games, Charlie Manuel was fired with the Phillies sitting at 53-67 with 42 games left in the 2013 season. All Charlie had done was win 780 games in nine years, win the 2008 World Series and 2009 N.L. pennant, guide the Phils to seven straight seasons with at least 85 wins and take the Phillies to the best record in the National League from 2005 through 2012 at 727-569 (.561). Manuel was replaced by Ryne Sandberg, who quit halfway through the 2015 season. The Phils have not had a winning record since Manuel was fired.

"},{"title":"Greasy Neale","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/Greasy-Neale-getty.jpg","credit":"Getty Images","published":1598495966,"caption":"

In 1947, the Eagles lost in the NFL Championship Game. In 1948 and 1949 they won the NFL Championship. In 1950 Greasy Neale got fired. Neale, the only coach in franchise history to lead the Eagles to multiple championships, went 63-43-5 under Neale, and his .594 winning percentage is tied with Doug Pederson for best in franchise history. He was literally fired less than a year after taking the Eagles to their third straight NFL Championship Game. Neale, a one-time Phillies outfielder and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, never coached again.

"},{"title":"Roger Neilson","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/Roger-Neilson-getty.jpg","credit":"Getty Images","published":1598496009,"caption":"

You’ll notice a lot of hockey coaches in this list and there could have been more (Mike Keenan, Craig Berube, John Stevens). Neilson took over for Wayne Cashman in March of 1997-98, but in his only two full seasons the Flyers put up 93 and 105 points, finished second and first in the Atlantic Division and had the 5^th-best record in the NHL. The 1999-2000 team finished with the 3^rd-most points in the league. But with Neilson on medical leave for cancer treatment, Craig Ramsay coached the team in the playoffs, taking them to the conference finals. After the playoffs, GM Bobby Clarke unceremoniously fired Neilson and made Ramsay “permanent” coach, although he was fired just 28 games into the next season.

"},{"title":"Pat Quinn","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/Pat-Quinn-getty.jpg","credit":"Getty Images","published":1598496131,"caption":"

With the Flyers 22-17-11 in January of 1979, Bob McCammon was fired and Quinn took over, guiding the Flyers to a 18-8-4 record the rest of the season. The Flyers beat the Canucks in the first round of the playoffs before losing to the Rangers. A year later, the Flyers won the Patrick Division with 116 points and went all the way to the Stanley Cup finals, losing to the Islanders in six games. The Flyers recorded 97 points the next year and were again eliminated in the second round, this time by the Flames. Even though the 1982 team was headed for the playoffs, Quinn was fired with nine games left in the season – just 22 months after coaching in the Stanley Cup finals - and replaced by McCammon, who oversaw a first-round playoff loss to the Rangers. Quinn’s 141-73-48 record and .564 points percentage is 3^rd-best in Flyers history.

"},{"title":"Buddy Ryan ","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/Buddy-Ryan-getty.jpg","credit":"Getty Images","published":1598496281,"caption":"

Buddy Ryan’s career path was similar to Brett Brown’s. Took over a terrible team, built it into a consistent regular-season winner, reached the playoffs three straight years but underachieved once they got to the postseason. From 1988 through 1990, the Eagles went 48-31, won their first division title in nearly a decade and made the playoffs three straight years. But they were outscored 61-25 in their three playoff games and Ryan was fired after a second straight double-digit home wild-card loss. Buddy was the last Eagles coach to reach the playoffs in three straight seasons until Andy Reid.

"}]}

10 Philly head coaches who shouldn't have been fired