1. Rafa Benitez (Liverpool)

It's not yet December and all Liverpool has to look forward to for the rest of the season is domestic football. Failure to advance past the group stage of the Champions League is regarded as a failure at Anfield, so while Benitez would appear safe for the rest of the season (if statements from the club are to be believed), his status for next season and beyond is unclear. With Europe finished and with six teams ahead of Liverpool in the EPL standings, the gaffer will be hoping for a monster FA Cup campaign to save his job.

2. Robbie Deans (Wallabies)

The Grand Slam Tour that was supposed to restore the lustre to Australian rugby is becoming a nightmare. A scratchy win over a threadbare England was followed by a draw with Ireland and a dreadful loss to Scotland - the first for 27 years. Next comes Wales, which in the eyes of most observers, is the best British team of them all. Wallabies coach Robbie Deans brought massive wraps with him after much success in the Super 12s with the Crusaders, but the Wallabies have foundered under his guidance. The old guard of Australian rugby, uncomfortable as they are with having a Kiwi at the helm, won't take such disappointing results for much longer.

3. Charlie Weis (Notre Dame)

The glamour team of American college football is 6-5 this year and poised to bring down the axe on coach Charlie Weis. A brilliant offensive strategist in the NFL, Weis has been a failure in five seasons as coach of Notre Dame, failing to deliver on a promise to return the team to its powerhouse days. Collingwood fans might not want to remember that Weis is something of a mentor for Magpie coach-in-waiting, Nathan Buckley.

4. Mark Mangino (University of Kansas)

Lauded when his Jayhawks squad went 12-1 two years ago, Mangino is now under the gun, for alleged improper behaviour towards his players such as grabbing players and verbal abuse. Funny how the complaints started at about the same time the team embarked on a five-game losing streak. Some are claiming it's all a smokescreen and that the university wants to fire Mangino because, ahem, he doesn't it the mould of a high-profile coach. Photos would suggest that Mangino would struggle to fit into anything, but funnily enough, his weight wasn't an issue two years ago when he was named Coach of the Year by the Associated Press.