LONDON: Julen Lopetegui received his marching orders from Real Madrid after a 5-1 hammering at the hands of their bitter rivals Barcelona. But were the La Liga giants too trigger happy in getting rid of the coach after just two months in charge?
YES, SAYS GREG WILCOX: You only have to utter three words to prove that clubs today are too trigger happy: Sir Alex Ferguson. Had Manchester United been as eager to sack their boss as modern-day clubs, he would have been axed in 1990 and the 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns would not have followed.
We obviously cannot say whether such success would have materialized at Real under Lopetegui, but what we can definitively say is that a coach needs more than two months to prove whether he is the right man to dish out the orders from the dugout.
The sooner clubs realize this, the more chance they will have of lifting trophies rather than firing managers.
NO, SAYS DANIEL FOUNTAIN: Despite what my esteemed colleague says, the days of managerial dynasties are well and truly over, Arsene Wenger being the last manager in that mold.
Even the most ardent Arsenal fan will admit he overstayed his welcome, despite all the success he brought to the club. For better or worse, 21st century football is entirely about results and instantaneous glory — especially at a mega-club like Real Madrid.
With Los Blancos floundering in ninth place in La Liga and having suffered an embarrassing European defeat to CSKA Moscow, Florentino Perez had no choice but to sack Lopetegui.
In the highest echelons of the game, there is no room for sentiment; fans are fickle and will find anything else to do — or worse, another team to support — once results start going the wrong way.
Sad, but true.
