You never want to replace the man, you want to replace the man who replaced the man.
That position is now open at Manchester United, the world's most valuable club. The Red Devils sacked David Moyes, who replaced 13-time Premier League champion Sir Alex Ferguson.
Moyes joined Chris Hughton (Norwich City), René Meulensteen (Fulham), Michael Laudrup (Swansea City), Malky Mackay (Cardiff City), André Villas-Boas (Tottenham Hotspur), Steve Clarke (West Bromwich Albion), Martin Jol (Fulham, again), Ian Holloway (Crystal Palace) and Paolo Di Canio (Sunderland) on the list of English Premier League managers to receive the ax this season.
Ten different managers. There are 20 teams in England's top division. The season is not even over yet.
Last season, Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea finished in the league's top three spots under Ferguson, Roberto Mancini and Rafael Benítez respectively.
For various reasons, all three of those managers did not return for this season. Moyes, Manuel Pellegrini and José Mourinho took over the three giants of the Premier League.
As it looks right now (and who knows how long it'll look like this), none of those teams look like they will catch Liverpool, who is the clear front-runner to win the title.
The short leash given to managers is a disturbing trend in professional sports. The constant turnover for the entire organization slows development and in some cases halts the progression of the club entirely.
At the highest level, establishing consistency does wonders for a team. How should players buy into what a coach is saying if they will no longer be with the team after one disappointing season?
Along the same lines, without consistency, teams cannot establish an identity. Players who move back and forth between positions and roles from new manager to new manager will not be able to reach their full potential in a specialized area.
A new coach will never come into the position without wanting to make any changes (at least they would never publicly admit to it). However, it is unrealistic to expect all of these visions to materialize in one season.
Yes, Moyes did inherit the reigning champions. But one cannot ignore the declining Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidi? and the glaring spot that was missing up front thanks to Robin van Persie's injuries.
Ferguson was a great manager. He was one of the greatest ever across all sports. He earned that reputation from how he ran his teams, handled his players, prepared for games and so much more. Is it realistic to expect the same performances from the team after losing that big of a presence?
Ferguson wanted Moyes to be his successor because of how he built Everton into a consistent contending team. That cannot be done overnight. It should not be expected to be done overnight.
Whether Moyes was right for the job in the first place is an entirely different conversation. His big-club inexperience should have served as a sign that immediate success was not in the cards.
Without stability at the helm, teams will usually not develop and blossom into consistent and successful organizations.
Some coaches need time to implement their style and build their identity, and it is a shame that many will not be given the time to do so.
Do coaches need more time at their teams before getting released? Do they need to do more sooner to show they deserve to stay? Email Jonah at jonah.beleckis@dailycardinal.com to share your thoughts.
