MURPHY WANTS SACKINGLAW
DANNY MURPHY has a solution to the Football League’s firing frenzy – introduce a managerial sacking window.
Seven managers have left their positions inside 11 days, with Aston Villa parting company with Roberto Di Matteo on Monday, Cardiff sacking Paul Trollope a day later and Micky Mellon exiting Shrewsbury on Thursday.
Andy Hessenthaler and Warren Feeney were axed by Leyton Orient and Newport the week before, with Nigel Pearson – not expected to return – suspended by Derby County sandwiched in between. Tony Mowbray quit Coventry City with the club ten games winless on September 29.
Ridiculous
Sacking season is well under way, but it will have to go some to beat last year’s total, which was a staggering 59 changes across the Championship, League One and League Two.
Murphy, the former Crewe, Charlton and Fulham midfielder, has already seen enough and says the authorities need to take drastic action to stem the flow of managers being washed away.
“There seems to be a really big problem within professional football now and something needs to be done about it,” said Murphy on talkSPORT.
“I remember when I was at Blackburn and in my final season at the club, we had five managers. Five! How on earth is that right? We, as players, had no idea what was going on. It was absolutely ridiculous.
“I honestly believe we now have to have a look at a sacking window, a lot like we have with the transfer window for players. Chairman and owners can only make changes during certain times.
“What that would give is real stability, it will allow players to know what’s going on and it will also ensure managers get the time they need to make a success of themselves. We can’t go on having two or three people losing their jobs every week. I don’t see who that benefits.”
Murphy, who turned out nine times for England and is now a well respected pundit, says times have changed.
Incredible
“I remember back to when I got started at Crewe,” the 39year-old added. “We knew who our manager was, every week and every month. Dario Gradi was in charge. There were never any questions about that. He took charge of nearly 1,500 games – incredible when you think about it. “We’ll never see that again and it’s a big shame. Managers need more time and a window is the only real way they are allowed the security to do their jobs.”