Do managers get a fair crack at the whip?

We are nearly 2 months into the new Premiership season and already some managers are feeling the heat.  Martinez, Wenger, Kean, Bruce and Coyle have to look over their shoulders regarding their jobs as fans and I am sure the board are becoming concerned with results.  Bookies have these managers as favourites to be the first sacking of the season. 

(Wenger feeling the pressure)

The tables can quickly turn on managers.  Look at Coyle and Martinez for example: last year Martinez was a hero for keeping Wigan Athletic up and Coyle was branded as a very good young manager for getting Bolton Wanderers to the FA Cup semi fnal.

The problem is that fans can be very fickle and a slow start to a season or a few poor results can cause them to start the "out" chants at the end of or during games towards managers who may have revolutionised the club (Wenger for example).  This then resonates to the board, particularly the chairman, who can sometimes make very hasty decisions to satisy their main customers.

(Fans turn so quickly)

Personally I think managers nowadays do not get enough time and clubs are to dismiss them.  In the old days managers were given more time to put their stamp on clubs.  Sir Alex Ferguson took 6 years to win a trophy with Man Utd.  If Man Utd had have dismissed Fergie before this would the club have grown into the monster it now is?, the answer, NO.  The reason for this is that Fergie has transformed the club several times during his time there and has continued to drive success from it. 

Nowadays managers are lucky to be given 6 months never mind 6 years.  Since the good old days manager dismissals have dramatically increased and as a result the average tenure is becoming a lot shorter.  Last season in the League Managers Association there were 58 changes of manager with dismissals accounting for 40 of those and the average tenure was 1.58 years.  

Two thirds of dismissed managers last season were sacked at below average tenure and half of those dismissed were gone within a year of appointment while nine managers were sacked six months of being appointed.  It has changed a lot from when Sir Alex started as Man Utd manager.

There are some clubs who are more faithful than others to their managers.  Apart from obviously Man Utd and Arsenal who have the 2 current longest serving managers, Everton are a perfect example.  It is easy for Man Utd and Arsenal (until this season) to hold onto their managers as they were always around the top fighting it out for trophies on all fronts.  Everton on the other hand cannot always say this but they have stuck with David Moyes for what is coming up to be his 10th year (remarkable in this day and age).  Even last year when Everton started so poorly and were bottom of the pile Bill Kenwright, Everton chairman, stuck by his man through difficult times where a lot of others would ahve dismissed him.  Everton then reaped the rewards of this decision as they climbed back up to the table to finish 7th.  In recent seasons Moyes has had Everton in the top half of the table and back in the 2004-05 season he lead them to Champions League football.  

(Moyes has been a success at Everton thanks to faith from his Chairman)

Clubs and fans have to realise that only 1 team can win the league and it does not mean the other 19 teams are bad.  In football there is a huge divide betwen the richer and poorer clubs and it is because of this that many clubs can continue to do well.  David Moyes is great at working to a small budget and giving enough time other managers would be too. 

This does not just apply to football as there is a tendency to do this in all sports.  The only difference is that football clubs have more money and can afford to dismiss managers in the middle of their contracts more regularly.  Also in other sports like Rugby Union and League there seems to be a tendency for managers to resign before they are sacked or move to other clubs.  New Zealand Rugby Union have shown faith to Graham Henry over the years as after not winning a world cup most NZ managers get shown the door but this didn't happen to him in 2007.  As a result he has them playing well and looking good at this years tournament.  

In conclusion I believe there are the rare cases where after a short time clubs know they made the wrong decision and should dismiss their manager.  However I believe clubs should spend more time on ensuring they get the right manager in, in the first instance, and then show them some faith by giving them a few seasons to put their mark on the club and team.  There is no quick fix or magical wand in sport, as in life, and it takes time, trust, loyalty and commitment from all parties (including fans) to build something special.