Analysis on Whether Football Managers Should Be Sacked When Results on the Field Are Poor
Analysis on Whether Football Managers Should Be Sacked When Results on the Field Are Poor
In football, like in any other professional field, managers are very crucial. They are responsible in training the players on their strength, speed as well as the stamina. However, despite all these efforts it is important to note that football managers undergo much pressure in their activities as their performance defines their jobin the team (Kulper, 2013).. Consequently, their job is endangered and full of uncertainty because every match is crucial as their capability and success is measured in terms of the success they achieve in the field. In order to be ascertained as a good football manager there are basic qualifications one has to go through. These qualifications entail various factors (Barnes, 2013). For instance, the legacy one has left in their life during the time they lead. Managers are expected to be powerful in order to lead a team towards developing their potential in achieving their best. Football managers are mandated to develop, nurture and empower the players in order to ensure that they bring out their best in the field. They also play the role of consultants, facilitators ad human resource professionals (Kulper, 2013).This paper aims at analyzing the issue of whether football managers should be sacked when results on the field are poor. It will determine the fact on how leadership in the football organization should be viewed. This will be accompanied by strategic plans on how to elevate leadership skills in the field, where managers both inside and outside sporting organizations will give their epistemology models that help in engaging in strategic plans.
Theeffects create a situation where uncertainty and insecurity build up on managers, to a point of having an impact on their psychological welfare. These effects include: lack of personal security, isolation, public humiliation, lack of control over their own destiny, culture of non-sharing(Arnulf, Mathisen and Hærem, 2012). The effects can lead to managers being sacked if they bring out the dissatisfactory results. The factors that lead to the effects that affect football managers need to be analyzed by sports psychologists in terms of whether they work effectively. They are expected to be strong and in control at all times without any uncertainty or need for assurance.
In some cases, most clubs have sacked their managers based on poor results in the past. Clubs such as Fulham FC, in the premier league, have been on record for sacking their managers most recently. This occurred at an instance where he was under pressure after the team was defeated by other teams in a series of matches. The fans were devastated by the results and they felt that manager was not doing enough (Kulper, 2013). This pressure mounted onto the manager as the fans insisted that the management should fire him. The management considered the allegations and thought that the supporters needed better.In every season played within the English premier league we experience managers being fired for failing to clinch the best title and losing to teams that they would have defeated (Kulper, 2013).
However, most managers argue that this is not the right way, as at times it is not the fault of the players to lose games and neither is it the managers. Players have their share in failing to win in matches but since managers are leaders mandated to guide their followers, they should guide them into doing and performing according to the expectations of the manager (De and Forrest, 2007).Therefore, a point to note is that managers who do not perform and bring better results to the team should be sacked, but this should occur if losing becomes a trend for the team. In any organization, the manager or leader is expected to bring quality and good performance to ensure profits and growth or rather development. Failure to meet to these may lead to being fired or sacked. When managers are mandated with the responsibility of ensuring that the team and workers are in order and inefficient, then he should do their best to ensure that they work accordingly to bring better results (Arnulf, Mathisen and Hærem, 2012).
Leadership within an organization should involve means in which employers should keep their employees happy. This includes ensuring that the employees move in accordance with the objectives of the organization. The leaders should ensure that they should build ownership among the employees (Barnes, 2013).This included ensuring that the employees feel that they own the place. This would bring about principles where self-management would organize service and productivity within the employees. It would also inspire the employees to get familiar with what other team member are doing. Leaders should also trust employees to leave their comfort zones. This would ensure that their employees engage in activities that they are comfortable in doing. They should be granted new responsibilities as it would allow them to grow and become confident in their abilities. This would ensure that they bring out their best in participating in activities that they believe will bring about their best in them (Barnes, 2013).
Leaders should also ensure that their employers are informed in every activity that takes place within the organization. This would entail bringing the subordinates into the general picture of what is going on within the organization. They should also treat their employees as adults who are aware of what they do (De and Forrest, 2007).This would ensure that they are able to cope with any situation. They should also ensure that they play the role of acting as the boss within the organization. It would also ensure that the leaders enact the policies that are necessary for the organization. For instance, football managers should ensure that the players conform to the policies given by the managers (Barnes, 2013). Managers on the other hand should ensure that they stand firm on policies that bring benefits to the organizations. This would ensure that football managers implement their strategies accordingly, and that the players obey their rules.
In order to achieve these skills and responsibilities, leaders should ensure that they service mentality when hiring people. This would ensure that they make the work easier and allow more work to be done. Additionally, it should be noted that management is not leadership. Many people tend to think that the people in the top ranking positions of management are the leaders but this is not the case. However, leaders are identified through their skills and ability to lead people from one position to a better one (De and Forrest, 2007). For instance in football, managers are determined due to their ability to move a team from their current position to a more glorifying one or rather their ability to win a certain match. Therefore, leaders in other organizations should be viewed in terms of self-awareness. This entails the leader’s ability to overcome their challenges and use their strengths in bringing success to the organization. It also requires assessment whether the leader is committed to the organization or whether they drive change (Sensevy, et al, 2008).
These aspects require much effort and dedication to the objectives outlined by the players, management or even major shareholders in the organization. This would also entail determining the fact whether the leader is a critical thinker or not. Great leaders are not driven by the multitude or group thinking, but they are independent on their decisions. For instance, football managers should be driven by the pressure of the fans and club owners in terms of how to conduct their strategies. They should ensure that they stand firm and implement their policies according to the way they deem it possible to bring better results. Managers in the football sport should not be sacked due to lack of performance or even poor results (Sensevy, et al, 2008). This is because new managers do not make a huge difference and may even decline the performance of the players. For instance, the recent premier league has brought about much difference in the results. Arsene Wenger has been the manager for Arsenal Football club for many years. He has managed the club for many years without clinching any trophies. However, the club owners have still maintained him, because of his success in other areas, especially with regard to financial position of the club. Despite the pressure he has gone through he has managed to change the performance of the club (Sensevy, et al, 2008).
In conclusion, based on the above discussion, it is evident the managers play a crucial role in the success of a team. In fact, the capability of a football manager is measured on the success that a team attains in the field. This explains why the sacking rate of managers is higher in football than any other field. Therefore, football managers should be sacked when they fail to achieve success in the field, but this should only happen if losing becomes a trend from season to season. However, despite the criteria used to sack the manager, it is important to consider various factors that dictate truthful facts and provide guidance to club owners and directors objectively on how their managers are performing. The impact and pressure from the fans and some sections in the media should not be used as the determining factor for sacking the managers. Clear and comprehensive analysis on the manager’s performance should be carried out in order to evaluate his performance. This would ensure validity on the analysis that could support decisions for making changes or highlighting the progress of the manager as opposed to the case of a few poor results due to pressure from the fans and media. The club owners should incorporate the financial element in order to encourage prudence and fair play and analyze the manager’s performance and make any decisions regarding firing them.
References
Arnulf, JK; Mathisen, JE and Hærem, T (2012) Heroic leadership illusions in football teams: Rationality, decision making and noise-signal ratio inthefiring of football managers. LeadershipVol 8(2): 169-185
Barnes, H (2013) Does it make statistical sense to sack a football manager? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23724517
De Dios Tena, J and Forrest, D (2007) Within-season dismissal of football coaches: Statistical analysis of causes and consequences.European Journal of Operational Research.Vol 181 (1): 362-373
Kulper, S (2013) Arsène’s Austerity: Has football’s economist got it wrong when it comes to the game’s finances? (See Financial Times January 25thon-line through the library).
Sensevy, Gérard; Tiberghien, Andrée; Santini, Jérôme; Laubé, Sylvain; Griggs, Peter (2008). An epistemological approach to modeling: Cases studies and implications for science teaching. Science Education, 92(3), 424-446.
