The Sports Psychology Blog
Today's Sports Psychology blog looks at the sacking of Derby County manager Billy Davies.
Football: Billy Davies - The Long Term Plan?
So Billy Davies is sacked as Derby County manager. Before the end of November. Sure Derby have had a very poor start to the season. But what happened to the long term plan? The long term plan Davies spoke of upon his arrival at Pride Park. Wasn't it three years to get Derby into the Premiership? Then a few more years for establishment in the top division?
Sure Davies may have self-sabotaged his job at Saturday's press conference. But nevertheless when a club arrives into the top league via the Championship play-offs, their progress cannot be measured by the end of November. Look at Watford. Relegated last year, now strong favourites for an immediate return. It takes time to get the measure of the Premiership. Time to build the inner dynamic of a Premiership side. Three months is no time for such measurement.
It may be that Billy Davies successor will come in and turn around the Rams fortunes. But what if Billy Davies was on-track with his plan? Yes the Rams may get relegated this time around. But they would return financially reinforced and better equipped to handle the demands of the top level next time around. Thus, three years from the Championship to the Premiership.
But in football, such thinking is not always on hand. The demands for success outweigh the patience commensurate with longer term thinking. But short-term thinking does not usually equal long-term success.
