CELTIC, Aberdeen and even Manchester United have made it their New Year's resolutions to find managers after suffering a string of poor results and sacking their coaches.
It is an unforgiving industry, but one which rewards failure time and again, so it’s hardly a surprise that there are candidates falling out of the woodwork every time a big job becomes vacant.
While workers in any other career would get their jotters for failing at their job, football coaches get a massive pay-off.
Virtually the first thing a manager and his or her agent does upon appointment is to put in place the protocols for compensation when they eventually get sacked, however far away that moment is. And in the case of Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy, that was a period of just 33 days during which he coached the team for eight games, six of which were defeats.
Eight games! But don’t worry, because he isn’t worrying, his settlement is in the millions.
If a middle-of-the-road coach gets even one stab at glory with a club of some standing once in his career and falls short, then he can still expect to be made for life – for being a loser. How can that be right?
Moreover, coaches who are serial failures always bounce back and get another lucrative contract at a big club shortly thereafter.
Because there is so much money in the game nowadays, I understand the reasoning behind this. But what I will never understand is how high the price for success and/or failure is in a sport which has only three domestic trophies and a European one if you’re good enough to qualify for it.
And even that’s no benchmark, as Aberdeen sacked their coach after he won one of those trophies last season.
THERE is quite some difference between wearing an SAS t-shirt to the supermarket when you head in to buy your lottery ticket and a newspaper, and wearing the full rig and regalia of a Rear Admiral at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday.
Llandudno Magistrate’s Court has seen a £500 fine issued to 65-year-old Jonathan Carley, who dressed as a senior Royal Navy officer at the town’s parade last year, for wearing the uniform without permission.
There is still no real explanation for why he did this, although his lawyer says he is most apologetic.
We live in a free country and you should be able to wear pretty well what you want. Indeed, if cosplaying helps with a mental health issue, then it is to be encouraged.
However, on Remembrance Sunday, or at any event remembering the fallen or the funeral of someone who has served, people pretending to be a current or former member of the armed forces should stay as far away as possible.
IT may fall a shade short of killing the fatted calves, but here at Schloss Edwards we welcome the news of a public holiday being announced by the government to mark Scotland playing at our first men's World Cup since 1998.
Only public servants are guaranteed the day off on June 15, with the rest of us having to rely on the goodwill of bosses up and down the country.
The First Minister says it will allow thousands of fans to watch the game and enjoy the event as the ‘no Scotland, no party’ vibe is perpetuated.
And while I hail this move with open arms, I hope the government has plans up its sleeve for what will happen when we beat Haiti, Brazil and Morocco and advance out of the group stages for the first time in our history.
Now that would be worthy of a fortnight of national celebrations. And more.
Share