As we approach November one thing is certain and that is that a significant number of managers at all levels of professional football will lose their jobs.
In most cases, changing the manager will placate the fans of the clubs involved but it most cases it won’t change the ultimate league position of their team. It is always the manager that is the fall guy and rarely the players.
A year ago, a significant number of Arsenal fans would have been happy to see Mikel Arteta shown the exit door but now he is a hero to those same fans, and you would be hard pressed to now find an Arsenal fan who admits that he or she ever wanted Arteta sacked.
Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea delivered Champions League success but that ultimately counted for nothing. He conducted himself with great dignity and protected the club during the drama surrounding Roman Abramovich. Scott Parker masterminded Bournemouth’s return to the Premier League last season and again that counted for nothing after losing to Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal, which is hardly a disaster, and Bournemouth now sit in the top half of the table. Bruno Lage was credited with making Wolves attractive to watch and last season they comfortably finished in mid table. Now they are considering bringing back the manager Lage replaced in Nuno Espirito Santo.
Social media and media speculation only serves to heighten the pressure on managers and Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa, Ralph Hasenhuttl at Southampton, Steve Cooper at Nottingham Forest and Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City are all under pressure currently.
The situation in the EFL is even worse. Giving Rob Edwards at Watford just 11 games in charge before sacking him is ridiculous. It takes time and patience to build success but that is in short supply in football.
Owners and chairmen appoint managers and the main thing managers seek is time and support particularly in recruitment. Owners are often guilty of promising the earth on the appointment of a manager and then moving the goalposts when the transfer windows open which leads to frustration and negativity and a lack of belief from the players in the future direction of the club.
The managerial merry go round will continue of course as in the modern era short termism rules in football but a constant change of manager for the majority of clubs achieves little.