da casino： With the recent sacking of Roberto Di Matteo from Premier League side West Bromwich Albion, it got me thinking about the managerial sackings and new appointments that have taken place so far this season. Di Matteo is the 5th manager to be sacked in the top flight this season and the number is much higher across the Football League. Are clubs starting to push the panic button too soon when it comes to their managers and poor form? And what is the right amount of time for a manager to prove his worth in this era of football?
da bwin： Professional football is not just a sport, it is also a business and with the vast amount of money involved in the game there has to be important business decisions made by football clubs in order for them to prosper. In the case of Di Matteo, the sacking was a surprise to most people despite their league position and recent poor form, I certainly heard no fans calling for him to be sacked. The Albion side did not play like they had lost faith in the manager but the decision was made and the West Brom board saw it as an “essential move if the club are to retain it’s Premier League status.”
Di Matteo was only appointed as the Baggies head coach back in June 2009 and in his first season he guided the club into the top flight by automatic promotion finishing in 2nd place. Although West Brom were amongst the favourites for promotion, the former Chelsea midfielder was impressing in his early managerial career. His first season in management at MK Dons saw them finish 3rd in League One but they lost on penalties in the Play-Off Semi-Final. This current campaign was only his third season in management and with the task of keeping West Brom in the top flight, it was his biggest challenge yet. Despite their recent poor form which saw them suffer 13 defeats in 18 games, there were still three clubs below them in the table. I suppose the West Brom board did not want to risk a relegation battle with an inexperienced manager.
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When I heard the rumours that Chris Hughton was going to be Di Matteo’s replacement I was disappointed with what would be a like-for-like move. But with the appointment of Roy Hodgson I can start to see why the WBA board made their decision despite how harsh it may seem. In Hodgson they have manager with a variety of experience, especially in turning clubs around in the Premier League – most notably his first year at Blackburn Rovers and Fulham. With West Brom being the yo-yo club of the decade they would be desperate more than any other team to consistently stay in the top flight and I believe with a man like Hodgson they will be able to achieve that. Although I do wish a quick return to management for Di Matteo who’s one of the best up and coming managers in our game.
Other managerial changes have proved to be good moves; despite Gerard Houllier’s slow start at Aston Villa they have become a much better side to watch than under O’Neill, however the club are still in the lower half of the table and will have to start getting results if they want to avoid an unthinkable relegation battle. More surprising was the sacking of Sam Allardyce from Blackburn Rovers and the promotion for coach Steve Kean to manager who has got the side playing a more attractive style of football with mixed results.
One of the best managerial changes has to be Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool, with his appointment of Steve Clarke as coach the side are currently 2nd in the form table and have started to turn their losses away from home into victories. Newcastle United’s sacking of Chris Hughton and appointment of Alan Pardew was perhaps one of the more puzzling changes this season, Hughton was only in his 2nd season in full time management after winning The Championship last year. Pardew offers more experience than Hughton but it wasn’t the kind of replacement that seemed worthwhile as Newcastle were mid-table by December rather than bottom of the Premier League. Another question that this debate asks is the treatment of new successful managers; Di Matteo and Hughton would not be alone in getting the boot after guiding a team to promotion, just ask Billy Davies after his time at Derby County.
On one side I believe the clubs were right to sack their manager if they believe that the club will not progress, but there are less and less managers staying in charge of football clubs for a long period of time. Only three managers across the top four divisions in England have been at their club for over a decade and that stat suggests that in today’s football there is only room for instant success – but that’s a story for another day.
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