The 90% rule means you’ll almost certainly have to employ squad rotation, so plan carefully for the big games when you’ll need your full-strength side out, especially in periods such as Christmas and Easter, where you’ll often play two or three games in very quick succession. If players are coming back from injury, get them up to speed in the reserves or from the substitutes bench, until they’re back above the magic 90% mark. As a rule of thumb, I don’t pick players with a match fitness of less than 90%.
Keep an eye on match fitness throughout the season, too. If you’ve picked your squad for the first game and your assistant is warning that half the team won’t make it to half-time before puking up their Lucozade, you’ve failed. Arrange plenty of (evenly spaced) friendlies and give those boys some serious game time: four or five matches at the absolute minimum. You might have a squad with more flair than the Bee Gees’ wardrobe department, but if those boys are lacking fitness, they’re about as much use as Donald Trump’s conscience. So how do you avoid making small talk with Paul Ince and Alan Curbishley in the job queue? By heeding the sage advice that follows: Focus on fitness If you have been affected by any of the above then do not hesitate to contact one of our solicitors today who will be able to advise you on the grounds for making or defending a claim.The average life expectancy of a football manager might be approaching that of a mosquito, but it still doesn’t half hurt when you get the P45 in the closest thing most of us will ever come to the dugout: Football Manager 2017. Here at Farleys we have a dedicated team of specialist sports law solicitors who regularly provide expert legal advice on employment issues in football, including contract negotiation and contract disputes. There are also a number of examples at least ‘sloppy’ use of fixed term employment contracts which have led to the need for clubs to pay out disproportionate sums upon termination. The high payments reflect the fact that football is a highly lucrative industry but also relate to football clubs having breached a number of employment regulations in dismissing a manager and having no real alternative but to award the individual a large amount of compensation. It was reported that Jose Mourinho received around £10 million alone when leaving the London club in September 2007.Ĭritics from within the football industry suggest that inadequate employment practices are the cause of the massive compensation payments. The Italian had 18 months left on his Chelsea contract when he was sacked last year. This average figure, however, relates only to managers and were we to look at compensation packages paid to backroom staff such as assistant managers and coaches, it is estimated that the average figure would easily surpass the £1 million mark.īy way of example Chelsea FC have recently shelled out an astonishing £40 million to sacked managers under Roman Abramovich – this figure doesn’t take into account the compensation package currently being negotiated for Roberto Di Matteo. The average pay-out to a sacked manager in the Premier League or Football League since September 1996 totals approximately £500,000.
The total compensation figure to these sacked managers reaches a staggering £420 million.
This two year average is however decreasing there have been several instances over the past couple of years that demonstrate clubs’ willingness to sack a manager if positive results are not achieved almost instantly. Recent research has illustrated that the average duration for a football manager of an English club to be at the helm is around two years. Managers who leave a club before their contract has expired will generally receive a substantial figure of compensation in line with their remuneration package. Since the Frenchman’s appointment over 800 managers in the top four divisions of English football have lost their jobs.
The longest serving manager in the Premier League is currently Arsene Wenger, appointed at Arsenal on 30th September 1996.