Change is necessary, for better or worse

CHANGE is essential for success and survival. Nature dictates it, politics abhors it and football demands it.

Football is, perhaps, the most unforgiving of them all. Hence, the clamour for the heads of Arsenal’s once unimpeachable Arsene Wenger and Chelsea’s Andres Villas-boas.

Wenger may be safe for now but AVB is most definitely not.

Last week saw Mick Mccarthy of Wolverhampton Wonderers become the third managerial casualty of the English Premier League season.

Steve Bruce was the first. He was booted out by Sunderland at the end of November following a wretched run of just two wins in 13 matches.

The Black Cats quickly replaced him with Martin O’neill – and the transformation has been quite astonishing as Sunderland arenowin a healthy ninth position with 33 points and in the FA Cup quarter-finals. A change for the better. Neil Warnock’s head was the second on the chopping block. Queens Park Rangers gave him the boot in January following a horrendous run of eight matches without a win.

The 63-year-old took over as boss at Loftus Road in March 2010 and led QPR to promotion last season. But he was booted out with QPR struggling in 17th spot in the 20-team league.

QPR boss Tan Sri Tony Fernandes then hired Mark Hughes to change the club’s fortunes. Hughes, however, has not had the kind of impact O’neill has had with Sunderland.

QPR are still struggling to break free from the drop zone. They are in 16th spot with 21 points – the same as Blackburn and Wolves.

Only the bottom two, Bolton (20) and Wigan (19), have fewer points. But it is still too early to pass judgment on Hughes. The jury is still out on this change. Mccarthy’s exit didn’t really come as a surprise. Given Wolves’ dismal performances, it was only a matter of time before he was fired.

Mccarthy had done good work with the team but Wolves had obviously gone as far they could under his stewardship so change was inevitable – and necessary.

Wolves certainly need someone more dynamic to take them further – provided they beat the odds and survive another season in the EPL.

So, who is next? Besides, Wenger, looking decidedly less The Professor of acclaim each dismal day, and Villas-boas, who is being constricted by rebellious players at the Bridge, there are three others in dire straits.

Bolton’s Owen Coyle, Blackburn’s Steve Kean and Wigan’s Roberto Martinez are the other candidates in the sack race.

Apart from Kean, Coyle and Martinez, whose teams are propping up the table, Villas-boas is the one most at risk as Roman Abramovich is not one to suffer failure.

Since Jose Mourinho left Stamford Bridge in September 2007, Chelsea have hired and fired a succession of managers.

Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Ray Wilkins (caretaker for one match), Guushiddink (caretaker) and Carlo Ancelotti have all failed to meet the exacting standards of owner Abramovich.

And it looks like Villas-boas too is likely to join the list of failures soon, unless he can somehow make Chelsea tick in the next few games, starting with the Champions League last 16 clash against Napoli today and a Premier League home tie against struggling Bolton on Saturday.

It is clear what Villas-boas has to do: Win the Champions League, FA Cup and finish in the top four of the EPL, to earn a stay of execution. That won’t be easy as the players are obviously not with him.

The end may come sooner if the Blues fail to get past Napoli. And the omens are not too favourable. The saying “See Naples and die” may be most prophetic in this instance. So, there you have it. Coyle, Martinez, Kean and Villas-boas – who will walk the plank next?

Change is necessary for success and survival…

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