Managers have got to be so flexible now

NIGEL Pearson takes over at Bristol City until the end of the season, Jonathan Woodgate gets the nod for the rest of the campaign at Bournemouth.

- Graham Westley

So how difficult is it to take over as a manager on a short term basis?

For me, there are two big issues here: one is about joining a new club and the other is about the length of the deal.

Let’s nip the second one in the bud first. I’m not sure that players take much notice of the length of a manager’s contract nowadays.

You might think that the manager on a long-term deal has a greater motivational effect because players think of that person as the long-term decision-maker.

But a five-year deal can easily have a three-month notice clause in it. So a six-month contract might actually have more certainty to it!

Respect

Let’s ignore deal length. A manager is as secure as the last result. Players know that. It’s up to a manager to earn respect by ability, knowledge and work ethic.

When you join a new club, there are some really important things.