Michael Laudrup sacked by email, eh? Well, he’s in good company – come and browse the top 10 worst ways to sack a manager…
Paul Ince, by text
Almost exactly a month ago, Blackpool let the former Manchester United and England midfielder know he’d been given the elbow with a message that we can only hope ended with ‘lol’.
Club chairman Karl Oyston confirmed this to be the case, explaining that they couldn’t get hold of Ince as he was on a coaching course. Classic.
Gus Poyet, live on air
The Uruguayan was appearing as a pundit on the BBC’s coverage of Spain v Nigeria in the Confederations Cup when host Mark Chapman announced that he had been relieved of his duties as Brighton and Hove Albion manager.
You want to watch it, don’t you?
Fast forward a little while or so and Poyet is about to lead Sunderland into a League Cup final. What’s Spanish for ‘last laugh’?
Google Translate says ‘última risa’, in case you were genuinely wondering.
Bruce Rioch, by Ceefax
That’s how the former Arsenal boss found out he’d been offed by Queens Park Rangers in 1997, and there was also…
Ruud Gullit, by Telextext
The ITV/C4 equivalent of Ceefax: that’s how the Dutchman discovered he’d been given the ax by Chelsea.
If you’re too young to remember Ceefax and Teletext, let Google be your guide.
Tony Adams, while at his son’s 5th birthday party
That’s when the former Arsenal and England defender apparently was when he was informed he was to be dismissed as Portsmouth’s manager in 2008.
Via telephone, presumably, rather than via barbershop quartet or some such.
Harald Schumacher, at half time
Germany’s notorious Patrick Battiston-batterer was appointed manager of second division side Fortuna Koln in 1998, only to be given the boot soon after while 2-0 down at Waldhof Mannheim going into the interval.
Club president Jean Loering stormed into the dressing room, as only a club president can ‘storm’, and did the deed as recounted by him thusly:
I asked Toni not to come back for the second half. I wanted him to leave the stadium immediately. I idolised Schumacher as a player but I’m not going to sit on my hands while he takes my club to the grave.
Decisive. Anyway, Schumacher’s assistant took over, and we mention this because the fellow’s name is Ralf Minge.
Peter Cormack, at a burger van
Cowdenbeath chairman Gordon McDougall did the dirty on his manager at a roadside hamburger mobile. You’d hope at least he got a round in.
Leroy Rosenior, after ten minutes
In 2007, Rosenior was appointed manager of Torquay United to hold fort while the club underwent a change of ownership. He was unveiled to the press, then informed shortly afterwards that the new owners would not be requiring him.
Mark Poulton, mid-game
The Chichester City answered a call on his mobile phone during a game against local rivals Redhill, only to be told that he was to be replaced by his own predecessor.
He said:
During the second half I had a call from Gary Walker, one of the directors, who said he was sorry to interrupt me and then told me I’d been sacked!
It’s the most unprofessional and shambolic organisation I’ve ever been involved in. I’m deeply unhappy with the way I’ve been treated. I’ve built up a good squad and we’d started to get results.
Barry Fry, repeatedly
The current Peterborough United director of football claimed that, while at Barnet, he would regularly be sacked by chairman Stan Flashman of a Friday upon announcement of the next day’s team. On the 37th such occasion, Flashman sent the notice by recorded delivery and accompanied by a stadium ban.
Those were the 10 worst ways to sack a manager. Did we miss any? Let us know in the commenty bit, downwards…