Tbf though, being a professional football manager isn't the same as an everyday job, is it? If managers want to be judged in the same way you or I would, then let's give them the same pay and conditions that you or I get.
I wouldn't. Some people say what they mean. He definitely made a big thing of seeing a job through and he didn't.
It's also not the same as you or I in that regardless of how well they are doing they are only ever a 6 month downturn away from the sack and losing any chance of a lucrative move.
Exactly. Also a managers got to sound committed in order to keep players motivated, sign new players, extend contracts etc whether he is or not is another matter
Totally get that. I wasn't one bit surprised that he went. I think the same will happen with Collins, if we miss out in the play-offs. That's just where we are as a football club, and I'm genuinely fine with that. It's not about that for me though. It's about what they say while they're here. Michael Duff chose to say the things he did. No one made him, or even coerced him to. He volunteered it. More than that though, he also demonstrably lied, by saying he hadn't been aware of any approaches prior to the play-offs. That's the bit I'm not willing to accept.
Whereas I would personally find that incredibly disingenuous, and absolutely not the type of behaviour that would earn my respect or trust.
It's not money in itself - it's holidays, presents etc. and eventually the age at which I can retire. Money is just the means to an end.
Doesn’t bother me one iota tbh. Players, Managers, back room staff or whatever. It’s the way the game has evolved and if they’re offered more money elsewhere, why wouldn’t they consider leaving. No different to any other job.
OK I'll rephrase it, obviously money is important as regards a roof over your head, food for your family etc. But for me I wouldn't necessarily value having a £30,000 car over a £8000 one for eg.
But Collins and 99% of other managers haven't and dont say what Duff did. He made it emphatically known he was loyal, he was here long term, he even referenced his past. Theres absolutely no need to say all that if you dont mean it. Just say you can't wait to get started at this great club and do as well as you can etc, like every other manager.
If he had stayed and we lost the first half dozen games of the season, how many of us would have shown him loyalty?
Absolutely agree. It works both ways. Manager gets us to play-offs and misses out, they'll jump ship at the first chance. Fair dos. Manager fails to get us into top 6, they get sacked. Fair dos. So let's just be grown-ups about that reality. Absolutely no need for false displays of loyalty. They know it's b0llocks, and they know we know it's b0llocks. Just don't do it.
I find the whole discussion around ‘loyalty’ odd. There is no loyalty from fans to players or managers and none from clubs towards players of managers. First set of poor results / performances or need to make a bit of cash and we turn on them. We attract manager like we do players by promising not to stand in their way if they get a better offer. It’s our business model. if he had stayed and we had been bottom 3 in January he would have been off. Also we have all started jobs full of enthusiasm and passion. Sometimes that stays sometimes it doesn’t. That’s the way of the world.
Of course he shouldn’t have to show us loyalty for the reasons loads of posters have mentioned. But for me the reason it’s annoying is the nonsense he said about being here for the long haul. We get that it’s a business and a job, that’s fine. Don’t treat us with such contempt.
Glavin? Thought he sort of semi retired. Not sure I could have handled King Ronnie leaving for another club
That’s a great point about fans own loyalty. Neil Collins uprooted his family from Florida to try & make a success of it here yet there’s plenty of our fans who would’ve sacked him whilst we were in the top 6 after 2 months of playing with Killip in goal, a back 3 of Williams, De Gevigney & McCart in front of him & Russell in front of them. Yet if Collins did similar to Duff in summer 24 I bet many of the same fans would be calling out a lack of loyalty.
Me too but it’s a completely different industry to anything else. How many times do managers get stabbed in the back by their own number 2 for example? How many times do players tell a manager they’re committed & then have their head turned & want to go after you’ve built your side around keeping them (Kitching for example).
