What is it that drives a manager back into the game? After all in some cases they’ve just been shown the door by a previous club, but granted that might be because it was mutual or they decided they’d taken that particular club as far as they can and needed a fresh challenge, but what of those who have been sacked?
That again can bring up a number of things. Sacked because the club was on a slide, sacked because of a difference of opinion on a number of reasons, or sacked because a better option in the chairman’s mind was available to take over?
We’ll take a look at each of these in turn but there are also some other things which no doubt draw them back in the beautiful game too. I’m lucky to enough to speak to quite a few different gaffer’s at all ends of the non-league game and I think the one thing that keeps them all in it, passion.
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Most have been involved in either playing, coaching or managing for so many years it’s almost addictive. Remove a big part of your life be that a working job or routine’s you’ve undertaken for years and that’s probably the closest I can come to an analogy.
Leaving a club on mutual terms for good reasons is likely to see a manager back in quickly, but then so can someone else being sacked elsewhere in the country. A new challenge is likely already in the mind it’s just where and if that opportunity is there straight away.
I can remember a point chatting to Neil Smith (now Cray Wanderers), Ben Strevens (now Dagenham & Redbridge) and Darren Currie (now Southend Utd assistant manager) where only Strevs was in a job, the other two remarking that if they attended games managers would be fearing the worst with them looking over their shoulder in the stands but there innocently to watch a game or scout some players.
Out of work managers are effectively wanting another to lose their job so they are back in employment, it’s a cut throat business more than ever, especially with retired players wanting to break into that side of the game.
Getting sacked is a much different ball game. However, despite leading a side to the wrong end of the table another job is sometimes around the corner. There might be leading circumstances for it not working out, a crazy amount of injuries you can’t control, a fixture pile up and unable to rotate the squad, granted it can happen to any manager and the P45 is not always given in hand.
Chairpersons will see all managers differently, that’s obvious by choices made. Some are blinded by the ‘name’, others will take a record with a pinch of salt believing they can be the messiah for their club in the coming years.
Some sackings baffle those who take an interest in it, a couple of higher profile ones in the professional game drew some attention this week, similar can happen in the non-league game. If felt unjust you can understand the desire to get straight back in and prove people wrong, can it always work though?
That’s a split decision in my opinion, time to take stock, reflect on the good and bad can stand you in good stead. Alternatively not wanting to be on the back burner can go either of two ways, a roaring success or another disappointment added to the CV.
Last weekend Darryl McMahon was interviewed by the Non League Paper and his interview struck a cord with me. It was similar to ones I’d had with Neil, Ben and Darren at different times them being out of the game involving a manager’s chair.
Darryl has used his time wisely since leaving Dagenham, learning more about what others do inside other clubs whilst spending important time with his young family, my three guys were no different and enjoyed having the reflection period.
They did things whilst out of the game that they couldn’t do being in that hotseat, they invested themselves in life’s other aspects namely family time and learning how to improve themselves for when the next job became available.
All of that they never get to do a huge amount of within the job, it’s focus on what’s in front of you and I expect Darryl like the other three is hugely grateful to have had that time but at the same time ready for a return.
So what draws them back in? Passion as I’ve already mentioned, it’s a livelihood some only know and nothing else. A desire to go one better than before, the buzz of the training ground, matchdays, sending fans home happy.
Derby day wins, titles, cups, awards, making people smile. There are endless reasons for their return and no doubt most never want to retire either, there are plaudits to take, applause to hear and much more, but who would want to be a football manager?
Have you any good manager stories to share? Do you think some return to the game too quickly? Should there be a transfer window for managers as there are for players? Let me know in the comments below.
