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Is it time to take the concept of a ‘Managerial Transfer Window’ seriously?

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martin-o-neillWhilst watching football at the real end of the spectrum in the Conference North over the Easter weekend, I was introduced to the news of yet another managerial casualty the 35th of this 2012/13 campaign: Martin O’Neill of Sunderland.

This made me consider what Robbie Savage pointed out in February of this year and Paul Ince only very recently, about managers having some form of transfer window introduced to protect them in the same way players are.

While changes at football clubs, in the appointment of a new manager can spring a change in fortunes on the pitch for the better, this is not always the case. In the Premiership there have been some odd departures at clubs who have been competitive, most recently Martin O’Neill who I considered one of the genuinely good managers in the Premier league.

Nigel Adkins departure from Southampton was cruel as he had taken them from League one to the Premier League and had them competing and in a position to stay up, not way adrift of everybody. Where do the Southampton hierarchy expect the club to finish? 17th would be amazing for them.

Adkins is now in charge at Reading due to another odd sacking, this time of Brian McDermott. He had Reading fighting and seemed to have a great spirit within the squad. What is so bad with being relegated? If that is to be the fate for Reading, they would potentially keep a fair portion of the squad and if McDermott was still there, somebody who understands that level of football.

All I can seem to think is that owners and the money involved with the Premier League make these changes in a last ditch hope to stay in the top flight of English football.

In the Championship there is the prime case at Blackburn Rovers where Steve Kean was forced to resign even when the club were at the time in the top six of the Championship table after a steady start to life in the second tier of football.

Now facing a very important battle to stay in the Championship, does beg the question was it the best thing for Blackburn Rovers to lose Steve Kean? The managers since him had not been given the chance to put their own impression on the club, Henning Berg who was given a 3 year contract by the owners Venkys, managed to just see out 57 days and Michael Appleton who only managed ten days longer than Berg.

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