Squeakybum time for club directors
WAS Mark McGhee’s downfall sealed under the Monday night lights of Leicester City’s King Power Stadium?
That’s a question I have been asking myself this week.
The remarkable return to form of the Premier League champions against Liverpool made thrilling viewing for the watching television audience.
Studio analysts were not so impressed, however, noting the startling impact of Claudio Ranieri’s departure would have managers of struggling clubs everywhere fearing for their jobs.
If getting rid of the man who had so recently pulled off a genuine sporting miracle was OK – and to judge by the happy faces of the Leicester owners, they clearly felt their decision vindicated – then no-one is safe.
So while on the surface Motherwell’s sacking of their manager the following day was all about poor form – they had won just two of their previous 13 league games – it is not hard to imagine the Leicester turnaround being a factor in their thinking.
Directors can be particularly sensitive to criticism which accuses them of putting the club’s future in jeopardy by being too slow to act.
And here such a high-profile example of the benefits to be had from a change of manager could well have spurred the Fir Park board into action, especially when it followed so soon after the fans protest at the 5-1 home loss to Dundee.
As much as I felt sympathy for Mark, who is a good guy, Motherwell’s slide down the league table has been alarming.
With Hamilton producing a shock to beat Aberdeen on Tuesday night, plus Inverness showing signs of improvement in their 1-1 draw with Hearts at Tynecastle, the fear of finishing bottom, and incurring the penalty of automatic relegation, is a real one for Motherwell.
Results such as the Accies’ victory remind us there is only one truly consistent team in the Premiership, and that is Celtic.
The others are all capable of producing impressive highs, quickly followed by depressing lows.
Witness the fact Aberdeen beat Motherwell 7-2 and then lost at New Douglas Park a few days later.
Or the way Dundee went down to Partick Thistle in midweek after scoring five at Fir Park.
St Johnstone, by and large one of the most solid teams in the division, have just lost two on the spin.
So against that backdrop, if you fear your side is starting to plummet, then the temptation to act is clear.
If you don’t take action, then you might find the teams you end up trying to clamber over the top of are themselves picking up points in fixtures that would surprise you.
It is important to remember, too, Motherwell’s board has also seen one of their direct rivals recently change manager and do not badly out of it.
I am talking, of course, about Kilmarnock, whose situation is a little different because their boss, Lee Clark, left to take up another opportunity with Football League One side, Bury.
Lee McCulloch has taken over on an interim basis, and has made such a good impression he has even been talked of as a potential replacement for McGhee.
And if the situation at Rangers under their caretaker Graeme Murty has not been so smooth, the relative size of the clubs makes a difference.
The Ibrox job is, as many have stated, not one for the faint of heart, especially when Celtic continue to march on relentlessly on all fronts.
Their last two outings brought another four goals for Moussa Dembele.
I’m now in no doubt he will get his move to a major club, sooner rather than later.
Finally, I would just like to express my condolences to the family of Tommy Gemmell, and also my sorrow on hearing of my old Manchester City boss Billy McNeill’s struggles with dementia.