In the European premier league, the head coach’s absence lasted less than 16 months on average. According to a Uefa report, less than five percent of the 1,209 head coaches have been in their positions for five years or longer.
Joel Holma,
STT Sports,
Jussi Vainikka
The tenure of a top-level football head coach lasts on average less than one and a half years, reports the European football association Uefa.
Uefa says in its recent report that as many as 735 head coaches had to resign from their position in the European leagues during the 2022-2023 season. This is the second largest reading in history.
According to the report cited by the BBC, the tenure of the head coach lasted an average of 1.31 years last season, or less than 16 months, when the head coaches of 48 European major leagues were counted.
During the previous decade, the number has been lower only in 2016 (1.29 years) and 2018 (1.30 years).
Klopp and Guardiola are exceptions
According to a Uefa report, less than five percent of the 1,209 head coaches in Europe’s major leagues have worked in their positions for five years or longer.
There are two such head coaches in the Premier League, who have worked in Liverpool since October 2015 Jurgen Klopp and piloted Manchester City from July 2016 Pep Guardiola.
This season, seven of the 12 teams in the domestic men’s soccer league have changed their head coach. Among others, they have been on the list of those who have left Toni Koskela (HJK), Toni Kallio (Lynx) and Mikko Mannila (FC Lahti).
The head coach of VPS, which is on a ten-game winning streak Jussi Nuorela says that in the beginning of the season, he was not far from being fired. The team was at the bottom of the league in the early season. However, the patience of the club management was rewarded: the championship series of six teams will start in the Veikkausliiga next weekend, and in addition to VPS, HJK, KuPS, SJK, Honka and Inter will decide the fate of medals and European places.
– There was no fear of being fired, but you have to be realistic. It wouldn’t have required many more losses. Anyone in this profession knows it can happen.
According to Nuorela, the increase in TV money is one of the reasons why there have been a lot of firings in Finland this season.
– This is sport with results and business. In addition, the value of a league place is currently higher than before. If you fall from the league to Ikkö, it’s harder to get back up than before, Nuorela reflects.