I have to say that the opening post in this thread hit a fair few nails smack on the head. “Stability” is simply a new buzz word, yet another slogan that replaces clear thought and even the need for any thinking at all by people with column inches to fill. More than that, though, it flows from the myopic obsession with one club, and particularly one individual. Stability must be desirable because Manchester United are its incarnation. But are they? Ferguson had the same job for nearly 27 years, but that doesn't mean United were “stable”. In the time United were in the hands of the Edwards family, then they “floated”, were bought out and de-listed because they were bought by the Glaziers. They've bought and sold players, broken the British transfer record more times than any other club, Ferguson has had God knows how many assistants in those 26 years, how many CEOs, directors and God knows what.. Stability isn't a feature of big organisations, and certainly not of football clubs. Among employees – and that's all the manager is – change is a more necessary process. Ferguson was there for 26 years not because it's better to keep him per se, but because he was good enough at what he did not to invite the sack.
The point is that United and City and every football team in the world does not enter a competition for the medal for the longest serving manager. In England PL teams enter to play every other team in the PL twice, to compete for the FA and League cups and, if possible, to qualify for the CL. Those are the aims of our club, not to provide jobs for life for the boys. Those responsible for the success of our club took the decision that the club was not working on the lines likely to ensure finishes in these competitions commensurate with the owner's aims and expectations. I may have disagreed with him, or I may not, but he had a reasoned approach, and I never screamed at him that what I wanted was stability. I wanted to watch City! Just as I don't go to the local supermarket to by stale bread and flat beer at sky high prices because the check out staff have been there years!
