LONDON, England -- You can see it in Leonid Slutsky's eyes: the same intense beam you see in the eyes of children as Christmas approaches. The man who once held down two massive jobs, managing CSKA Moscow and the Russia national team simultaneously for nearly a year in 2015-16, has been out of work since December 2016. But now he's back and can't wait to get started at Hull City, recently relegated from the Premier League.

It's an odd destination for a man whose achievements in the game should warrant...

Even before his appointment at Hull City, Leonid Slutsky had become a familiar face in English football: Since quitting CSKA Moscow in December 2016, he has been living in England as a guest of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

"Mr Abramovich is my friend and he is helping me achieve my dream, it's a challenge for him also," Slutsky said in April. "He is like my agent, the best agent in the world." 

According to ESPN FC sources, the 46-year-old has been in discussions for a several jobs, including...

The offseason can be dangerous territory for managers. Those who failed to hit their targets may find themselves with difficult questions to answer when meeting with club owners for a post-mortem, while others may be in demand from other clubs looking for a different approach from last season. There may be hirings and firings, changes of scenery or renewed commitment.

With that in mind, ESPN FC pinpoints five Premier League managers whose futures are by no means certain.

Slaven Bilic

West...

Hull City's return to the Premier League was doomed from the outset. A chronic lack of preparation brought the inevitable relegation, even though Marco Silva's January appointment ensured that they went down fighting.

Rating out of 10: 4

Highlight

The home win over Liverpool in early February was pretty special, but the opening-day victory over Leicester will live longest in the memory. Hull City were not given a prayer when hosting Leicester City, the reigning Premier League champions.

An utterly...

Hull City's farewell to the Premier League was humiliating in the extreme. Not only did they lose to an excellent Tottenham side to complete a pointless final month, the Tigers suffered the heaviest home defeat in their 113-year history.

Although Sam Clucas promised to limit the damage after Spurs had raced into a 3-0 lead at the break, it merely jolted Tottenham back into life. Four unanswered goals inside the closing quarter was inexcusable for a team that had been revived through togetherness...

The writing was literally on the wall for Hull City from the very first weekend. Daubed in four-foot lettering on the side of the KCOM Stadium, unedifying protests had been made against the club's owners, Assem and Ehab Allam, in the hours before the visit of Leicester City kicked off a new Premier League season.

City looked like an unhealthy addition to the top flight in August, unfit for survival and at war with itself. And so it came to pass when relegated in a 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace last...