Darren Ferguson gets the chop – time managers had employment protection?

Football FanCast columnist Darren Wells-Burr asks are we getting to a point where managers need to tie performances indicators to their contracts, in order to keep their jobs.

Peterborough have shown a no mercy attitude to Darren Ferguson and sacked him after just sixteen games in charge, in the Championship.

Ferguson has in my mind made a solid start to his managerial career and faultlessly guided Peterborough to two consecutive promotions. I would not be surprised if someone shows the same faith that the Posh used to, to get him very quickly back into management.

Despite this he has been sacked as if he had a poor season last year and that poor form has continued for side him this year.

I think managers need to protect themselves from being stuck on a managerial conveyer belt of which if they have a bad ten games. They can find themselves applying for less reputable jobs until a bigger teams comes back in for them. This really does not help anyone.

It does not help the players who have no continuity, in terms of having the same man in charge and letting him apply his style and skills over a long term period. They could see two different managers a season and that has definitely happened before and probably will again. Neither does it help those clubs who’s managers will keep leaving for bigger teams.

It also does not help the bank balance of those clubs who invest heavily in big contracts for managers who might last just six months of a £20 million, five year contract.

If you or I were sacked we would not be getting a very handsome pay cheque for the next four and half years, from our former employers if we were given the sack.

If the managers protected their jobs by saying for example if I stay within ten points of relegation safety, then I cannot be sacked. Mr. Ferguson by right would still be in a job. If Mr. Southgate had said, if I stay within ten points of the play off places then I can’t lose my job, he would also still be employed. This would of course need to be agreed in their contracts.