Research by the makers of Football Manager 2012 has revealed that Premier League clubs who brought in a new manager mid-way through the 2010/11 season secured an average extra 4.7 points by the end of the campaign.
The results from Sports Interactive’s investigation show that bringing in a fresh face at the helm could be the difference between relegation and survival.
Last season, Newcastle’s decision to sack Chris Hughton and replace him with Alan Pardew saw the Magpies comfortably secure their Premier League status, while Roy Hodgson’s replacement at Anfield, Kenny Dalglish, helped Liverpool lead a late charge for European qualification after a dismal start to their season.
Many chairmen often come under criticism for being too quick to fire managers and make knee-jerk decisions, yet the research reveals that clubs who opt for a short-term fix above longevity often benefit by almost five points.
Miles Jacobson, the studio director of Football Manager 2012 commented: “The possibility of an extra 4.7 points a season is a tempting carrot for any club board, but the ramifications of a managerial blood bath are far greater to football as a whole.
“Unlike the transfer window for players there is no window for the management merry go round. This leaves smaller clubs exposed to losing their driving force at key points in the season.
“With so many sackings on the cards, is it time to try and level the playing field a bit more and either introduce a manager transfer window or copy the Italian Serie A system were managers and coaches are only allowed to work at one club per season?”
This research was conducted by Sports Interactive to coincide with the release of their iOS version of Football Manager 2012 handheld.
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