By Imelda Latigo – FIFA Licensed Football Agent
Major gossip! Who’s facing the sack next?
Staple soccer transfer gossip seems to have become “Who is the next to be sacked”, well at least in modern footballing times. Where constant change appears, on the surface, to be baked in the game.
Clubs seem to be hitting the reset button in a tireless chase for glory as coach dismissal is happening at an alarmingly regular rate, with managerial tenures shrinking year on year and coaches not having enough time to unpack their suitcases. This is due to the stakeholders (the board, fans, media, sponsors, etc) losing patience at every defeat because of an intense hunger for results. This is because sacking of head coaches, who appear like the easiest lever to pull, is more about damage control and less about longer term evaluation.
Since coaches are frequently judged on inherited problems of the previous seasons mess, incomplete and patchy squads and fixture lists that leave little scope for recovery, the expectation to deliver instant triumph rarely align with the realities for building sustainable success. Having said this, clubs don’t act irrationally. An alteration in management can change dressing room dynamics, re-vitalise fans and reset player-accountability keeping them on their toes, which can at times produce an instant uplift in results.
Significantly displaying how a pivotal change in decision can be significant both on a competitive as well as commercial standpoint. This season’s Premier League (2025 – 2026) clearly illustrates this tension, with the dismissals of Nuno Espirito Santos from Nottingham Forest, Graham Potter sacked by West Ham, Enzo Maresca from Chelsea and just last month, Ruben Amorim from Manchester United, to name a few. Not to mention the same is reflected heavily in other leagues such as La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A also.
From my perspective, as an agent, football often replaces managers quickly; those ready for volatility fare better than those who expect patience. Job security must be planned for, professionally managed and contractually protected and can no longer be assumed nor ever be taken for granted.