When Is Enough, Enough?

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

Most players who remain fit and healthy will more or less Retire from the game in their mid 30's. However how long can a Manager carry on? Does he carry on for his Love of the Game? Does carry on because of his success, or Does He Carry on just for the Money? The appointment of Steve Bruce at the age 63 as the New Head Coach at Blackpool, lots of his critics will say the last  for the Money, but interestingly, ( Yes the money is a motivation) but according to Bruce, he'd tried Retirement, and he didn't like it and a lot of Retirees feel the same.

Awhile back I wrote a Piece entitled In Praise Of Dinosaurs (bet you'd forgotten) about Managers in their 60's and 70's who I felt could still do a job, particularly some like Neil Warnock, who's vast Experience I thought could help Stuart Maynard adapt to becoming a full time Head Coach. I think the idea was mainly Poo Pooed, so how long should it be, before a Manager will say Enough is Enough?

Studying present Managers in their 60's it would seem Carlo Ancelotti is perhaps the most successful, winning the Champions League at 65. David Moyes also won a Trophy with West Ham while in his 60's an another successful 61 year old is Jose Mourinho and Alex Ferguson was still at the Top of the Management Game at 72.  Speaking of Neil Warnock who at the Age of 75 is the elder statesman of Managers/Head Coaches on the active list he's still prepared to listen to offers from a Club, despite his age. However it would seem only Clubs in Dire Straights with the threat of Relegation hanging over their Heads, will approach likes of Neil Warnock. And perhaps the same can be said of his Fellow Ex- Notts County Manager Sam Allardyce who is 69. Of all the most successful Managers at 53 Pep is the baby of the bunch, so if he feels like it, he could still have another 10 years plus at the Top, the thing is will he want too? At Club level he's won just about everything there is on offer, how long before he turns round and utters the words Enough is Enough and retires from the Game? Jurgen Klopp seems to have had Enough and retired at the age of 57, perhaps Klopp may make a comeback as the German National Coach, is that all that's left for Pep? Success as the Head Coach of a National Side? Maybe England?

So there's a few questions for my fellow PON Members to get their teeth into, so what do you think, when is it the Time for a Manager/Head Coach to call time on his Career?

 

 

[Robbie]

I always think that  football  people like Warnock, Big Sam & Steve have something to give to a Football club if each of them want to give something.

I think Warnock or Big Sam are good at coming into a struggling club to try to turn things around on a temporary basis.

I always thought that Steve Bruce retired too early, but does a football manager really retire? Not sure about that.

Also the fee that the likes of Sam & Neil can expect will also be a factor on whether they take a job or not.

I also think that Neil & Sam have along with a few others, become Mr fixers, who comes in to a club to try to save a club from relegation. 

It's a win win scenario for them. If they fail, they still get paid, if they save the club, I'm sure there's a bonus penned in their somewhere.

These old type of Managers who want to be sole in charge are becoming smaller & smaller. When these two guys do decide to retire, I don't think we will see their like again.

The new way is to have a Head Coach who just deals with the team. The organisation of a club is managed by others.

I think the day of the old type Manager & Mr Fixers will disappear into the sunset.

[Chris]

I have never held Steve Bruce in high regard. He's a 50-second manager and once his spark runs out - it all falls down hill. He's pretty average at best, but it's stopping new managers coming in. Which affects football, especially from the international front. We won't have good English managers making that step up into the Premier League, but there are dead beats already taking the positions, being fired and restarting. It might sound harsh, but there are people, just like Bruce, who just need to leave the game now.

Bruce used to rely on loans from Manchester United, Darren Ferguson is a decent manager, but even he used his dad to establish his career by loaning United players. 

There will never be a manager age limit cap though, but just as in the U.S. are seeing with their presidency - it could be a good idea.

[liampie]

managers used to disappear once they were of a certain age and it paved its way for new ones to come up. just like players, there are obvious signs when a player should retire. i think its the same for most managers, i mean for every neil warnock who can help stabilise a team, there no hopers who are just used as @Chris mentioned for their reputation and contacts. i think 65 is the point where clubs should seriously think is this person good enough.

if they are, great but if not, just retire.