BRING IN A BOSS’ SACKING WINDOW
DANNY MURPHY has a solution to the firing frenzy that continues to blight the game – introduce a managerial sacking window for all professional clubs.
It’s not just in the Football League where bosses are being told they are surplus to requirements on a regular basis.
Braintree Town’s Jamie Day was the fifth manager to lose his job in the National League already.
A higher than usual number have also gone in the National League South and North so far with Step 3 also seeing plenty of changes.
Seven managers have left their position in the Football League 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 to join National League Tranmere Rovers.
Murphy, the former Liverpool and England 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,” Murphy said. “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 have to now 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.
Security
“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.
“I remember back to when I got started at Crewe,” the 39-year-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.
“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 security to do their jobs.”