Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

Sports digest Why are Managers Sacked?

By Ahmad Al Othman

otice the trend? 7 and counting... We’re still in man in the job and doubt his abilities, they have no option February and yet 7 managers were sacked, by far the but to dismiss him. SPAIN: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, from Argentina (right) duels most in the history of the . The latest Many top clubs in today’s world are owned by foreign N for the ball against Real Sociedad’s Carlos Martinez during a victim was Swansea’s , who guided them investors, geographically ranging from East Asia to the Copa del Rey soccer match. — AP to Capital One Cup glory less than a year ago and stuck with Western side of the hemisphere. The ones who demand the Swan’s tradition of attacking football style. Six of the instant success tend to pump their club manager with seven sackings have not yet paid dividends, and looking at finance and a decent amount of transfer resources. It is the Real and Barcelona the league standings, all of them bar Tottenham find them- ones that don’t satisfy those aspirations who find them- selves in the bottom half of the table. selves unemployed the next day and looking out for other Firing your manager doesn’t always prove fruitful, as vacancies and try building their own legacy. close in on Cup final QPR and Reading can tell you after suffering relegation The pattern isn’t expected to end here, with one or two last season, while Wolherhampton Wanderers went other managers under pressure to grind out a result here MADRID: Real Madrid took a huge step towards reaching the through the same scenario 2 years ago and now play in and there, otherwise their days may be numbered and a Copa del Rey final as they beat local rivals and holders Atletico the 3rd tier of English football. But, on many occasions, it substitute will be found. Fulham’s coach Rene Meulensteen Madrid 3-0 thanks to two own goals in their semi-final, first leg on could. Back in 1986, Ron Atkinson was sacked as manager is on the brink of being dismissed due to the team’s posi- Wednesday. Barcelona look set to meet their historical rivals in of Manchester United after a run of poor results, a replace- tion at the rock bottom of the league table. Sam Allardyce the final as they took a 2-0 first leg advantage over Real Sociedad ment was found, an appointment many now consider as of West Ham was also getting lot of stick for his poor run of in the other semi-final at the Camp Nou. the most influential decision made in the history of foot- form lately but the owners gave him the vote of confidence Atletico had beaten Real at the Santiago Bernabeu in last ball, Sir Alex Ferguson. The rest was history. and expect him to turn it around soon. One way or another, year’s final, but the hosts quickly set about making amends for The retired Scotsman constantly criticized the modern changing management will always be a double-edged that defeat as Emiliano Insua deflected Pepe’s effort into his own day mentality of firing fellow managers and labeled the weapon, and it’s a decision which must be taken thought- net after just 17 minutes. Jese Rodriguez, who was only starting habit as “small-time”. Most owners feel they have run out of fully and most importantly, prudently. because of Gareth Bale’s late withdrawal from the squad due to a patience with their managers and a makeshift is required. calf injury, doubled Real’s advantage with a low finish from Angel It’s usually a series of dreadful score lines or a misunder- Did You Know? di Maria’s pass just before the hour mark. standing with the top hierarchy that causes such axes. In Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger currently stands alone Di Maria was involved again as Real all but secured their place some cases, a team with high expectations suffers a trophy- as the Premier League’s longest serving manager with 17 in the final when his deflected strike 17 minutes from time was less season and fans start to wonder if they have the right years and 6 months. credited as another own goal by Atletico defender Miranda. Defeat ends a 24-game unbeaten run for Atletico and they will need a remarkable fightback to retain their title in the second leg at the Vicente Calderon on Tuesday. Real boss hailed his side’s performance as the Roma down Napoli in thriller best since he took over last summer. “I think it was (the best per- formance). Above all because the team we were facing is a very ROME: Two goals from in-form , including the home into an empty net. difficult team to play against. They are very strong and aggres- winner two minutes from time, gave AS Roma a thrilling 3- Strootman then drove home Roma’s advantage with an sive, so I thought we played very well,” he said. 2 victory in their Italian Cup semi-final first leg against unstoppable strike, only for De Sanctis to hand Napoli a “I am completely satisfied. We did everything well, we moved Napoli at the on Wednesday. The Ivorian’s lifeline when he let Gonzalo Higuain’s deflected cross slip the ball with pace and were very aggressive without it. I wish the goals helped Roma to their sixth straight win and handed through his fingers and creep over the line. Belgium inter- team could always play like they did tonight.” Atletico coach ’s side a slender lead to take into next week’s national Mertens then levelled the match and, with two Diego Simeone, meanwhile, was left to rue his side’s luck. “I think second leg after visiting Napoli had rallied to level from 2-0 away goals, put his side into a commanding position in the Real Madrid played very well, but they scored twice with shots down. tie when he burst past the Roma defence and emphatically that hit our players on the body and went in. “It is a very A comical Morgan De Sanctis own goal just after the shot over a prone De Sanctis with 20 minutes remaining. favourable result for the opponent, but apart from that there is nothing I can draw from the game at the moment. “We still have break and a smart strike saw Rafael Benitez’s However Gervinho sparked wild celebrations among the 90 minutes to play and anything can happen in football.” gritty side fight back after Gervinho and a rocket shot by home support with his dramatic second, which he slotted In a typically intense encounter it was Real who were posing a Kevin Strootman had put the home team on top at half- home at Reina’s near post after a sweeping passing move, more consistent threat early on and they went in front when time. “Starting the second half in such a farcical fashion giving his side a slight advantage going into a potentially Pepe wandered forward to meet Xabi Alonso’s pass and his shot didn’t do us any good mentally, but we responded really explosive second leg. “He can still get better,” said Garcia deflected off Insua and past the helpless Thibaut Courtois. well and won a really difficult match,” said Roma after the former Arsenal striker took his tally of goals to Miranda nearly restored parity moments later from Koke’s Daniele De Rossi. four since the turn of the year. “He needs the faith of his free-kick as Iker Casillas came to Real’s rescue and Atletico also Roma are finally living up to their promise after years of manager and above all his team mates because when he came close to an equaliser just after half-time Diego Godin head- fallouts and mishaps on the pitch and behind the scenes, gets the ball he’s always looking to cause problems to the ed over from point-blank range. and could yet win their 10th Italian Cup this year. opposition. “At the moment everything’s going well for However, Real dealt the visitors a sucker punch of a blow just “The last two years we’ve had really good sides with bril- him and when things go well for him they go well for the before the hour mark as Di Maria found Jese with a lovely liant players but we were lacking mental toughness, and team.” A superb long-range strike by eight min- through ball and the Spanish under-21 international’s effort that’s what all of us players here have tried to help create utes from time gave Udinese a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in squeezed under Courtois. A brilliant goal line clearance from and develop.” Gervinho gave the hosts the lead when he the rain-soaked first leg of their semi-final on Tuesday with Modric prevented Godin from halving the deficit 18 minutes from latched on to a phenomenal through-ball Francesco Guidolin’s side looking for their first major tro- time. And within 60 seconds, Real had added to their advantage and delicately lifted the ball over Pepe Reina before rolling phy. — Reuters when Di Maria’s long-range effort cannoned off Miranda to once again wrong-foot Courtois.—AFP