How clubs hire a new coach

The process of firing a manager or head coach (learn the difference between the two here) is never easy, but when it comes to finding a replacement, things get even more complicated. Last week we looked at what happens when a club decides to part ways with their boss, and events tend to play out in a streamlined fashion from start to finish. When they start looking for a new hire, it becomes a little less formulaic.

No two hiring processes are identical, but here’s a general idea of ​​how the schedule works. Think of it as a ‘best practice’ guide – although in the crazy world of football, things rarely go according to plan.

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Announce your departure and start your search

Once the decision is made to part company with a head coach — the ordeal (as described in the previous article) usually lasts late into the night — the club’s communications team is the first to step out of the traps to issue a statement that perfectly reflects a friendly, organized departure. Before SEND is pressed, all key employees should be informed as you don’t want them to find out about it from the newspapers or social media.

At that point, those in charge of the search for a replacement – depending on the structure of the club, this could be either a sporting director, chief executive, owner or chairman – will have already set the wheels in motion. Time is usually of the essence, especially when a new appointment is needed mid-season, and although it is one of the most important decisions a club can make, the procedure is almost exclusively started in a hurry.

While there is almost always some sort of selection process to determine the right person for the job, the need to rush certainly increases the pressure and the element of risk.

Potential targets may have been identified well in advance, but a vacancy announcement still attracts lots of inbound applications from agents or even direct applicants (from personal experience, the record inbound inquiry time is six minutes after the vacancy announcement!)

Managerial positions in football are so rare that having an attractive position leaves unemployed coaches with little option but to be proactive. At the highest level, the likelihood of someone asking early, or being actively promoted by an agent, ultimately getting the job is slim. As much as it’s always worth scouring the inbox to see which names are of interest, the top clubs invariably have a predetermined shortlist of clearly identified candidates.

Identify the candidates

Unless the ideal coach has already been selected, with salary and/or compensation figures agreed upon, the athletic director will be tasked with contacting the representatives of the most attractive candidates.

The profile of targets will obviously vary depending on the situation at the club: if you are fighting relegation in the second half of the season, the lure of hiring an experienced coach with experience of handling pressure is tempting, while an end-of-season sacking may allow the search to be aimed at a longer-term solution.

In most cases, however, the search is guided by a clear strategic idea (style of play, principles) — with a view to the long-term development of the club. The hiring of Pep Guardiola from Manchester City and the signing of Mikel Arteta from Arsenal are two good examples here when it works well.

While the days following a sacking may seem quiet from the outside, they are perhaps the busiest and most challenging of a sporting director’s career – even the chaotic heights of a busy transfer window can seem calm by comparison. Remember, while the search is on, the sporting director is also expected to support the backroom staff who have taken over on an interim basis and, amid the madness of the ongoing season with games coming up fast and results still needed, there is no time to waste.

Make first contact

Support staff may undertake the sifting of incoming CVs, but the administration of first contact with shortlisted names is managed first-hand by the Athletic Director (or, in certain cases, the CEO).

Despite the race against time, a little patience can pay off here. Understandably, top names in the business are hard to come by, but from a negotiating perspective, letting the coach’s agent make the first move is not a disadvantage. You don’t want to appear too keen, and having options obviously strengthens your position.

Meetings and interviews – without any conditions – must be organized and this involves meticulous planning and coordination. You will likely need to find a suitable location to host multiple interviews, with a hotel suite or a private meeting room being common locations. Tactics are also needed to try to prevent applicants bumping into each other in the lobby (which has happened many times), such as making sure the club is responsible for transportation to the venue or having different entrances.

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Begin the interview process

With comprehensive files compiled on all candidates, the athletic director will aim to meet with a small selection to narrow it down to two or three names to present to the board or owner. (It’s worth noting that while some owners prefer to keep a low profile during the initial stages of the search, others may want to take part in the compensation or even manage the entire process themselves with the help of trusted agents.)

Through good preparation, rough agreement on financial conditions, as well as a clear idea of ​​the interviewee’s tactical and methodological ideas, the topics of the first meeting are finely narrowed. The candidate – regardless of status or previous achievements – is also expected to offer a comprehensive but concise presentation of their approach to training and management.

While some do better in an interview than others, first impressions, friendliness and personality traits matter in this setting. The sporting director will also have highly vetted references which should help him to understand if the candidate will fit the club and if he is someone who would be good to work with on a day-to-day basis.

Being under pressure to make a quick meeting, with only a short time to gain an in-depth knowledge of the candidate, means that the wrong calls can be made at this stage. This is why preparation is paramount and the person leading the search must have strong judgment of character.

Take a breath, think, answer some questions

With the pre-interviews over, it’s time to digest what you’ve learned from the previous 24 hours. You will have many questions to answer. How much does the candidate really want the job? They may be extremely strong on the training ground and in game management, but do they have the interpersonal skills to go with it? Are they conflict seekers or cooperative people? How will they handle the pressure that comes with a high position? And what about the media; is the candidate able to represent the club well externally? In the case of a foreign candidate, can they face the cultural challenges of working in a different environment and overcome any language barriers?

The candidate (often the most prominent) may also insist on bringing their own backroom staff with them. In his case, you have to consider how it fits into the budget and how it will affect the current members of the coaching staff. If it’s a deal breaker or would cause undue upheaval at the club, it might be best to say no.

After all, the perfect candidate does not exist. At the end of the day, it’s a matter of prioritizing, weighing up the pros and cons, and taking into account your (not to be underestimated, but often derided) gut feeling.

Present your findings

After due consideration, cross-referencing, and possibly consultation with some trusted outside sources—which is neither unusual nor a bad move—it’s time to present a brief summary of the preliminary interviews to the owner or board.

Some clubs may trust the sporting director’s judgment and let them proceed with the next steps. However, more often they will be asked to schedule a final round of interviews with the handful of candidates who made the cut.

Those still in the race will naturally be on hand to be taken to wherever the owner or board members who have to make the final decision may happen to be at the time.

Get the owner on board

Prior to these final meetings, the owner/board is usually well informed of past proceedings. In some cases, the selection of an athletic director can be a mere formality with the owner simply wanting the opportunity to evaluate the prospective hire before a final decision is made. In others, candidates may be asked to give their presentations again to different people.

In general, however, this set of meetings tends to have a different focus. There are fewer minor technical or tactical details, with an emphasis on the owner outlining the club’s overall vision and, potentially, moving on to talks about ambitions, shared goals and future transfer spending.

Candidate No. 1—though never openly discussed, almost always establishes an understanding of the candidate sequence—can also test the owner by asking thinly veiled questions about past firings or previous disputes.

As with the initial meeting, the atmosphere around the table is paramount. While the head coach reports to the athletic director, it is also imperative that the owner or chairman feel comfortable that a working working relationship can be established.

Once the candidates are taken to suitable locations – again, it’s convenient to have more than one hotel – an internal debriefing ensues, assessing the pros and cons of the candidates. In most cases, a decision is likely to be made, or it won’t be far off.

Make an offer

Unless a new issue arises, the Athletic Director or CEO will contact the selected candidate’s representative to make an offer.

A meeting – usually held at a hotel, restaurant or even the club’s offices – will quickly be arranged. While the length of the contract would already be established, some parts need to be discussed, such as salary, bonuses and potential tax implications. Other privileges such as housing and transportation are usually developed relatively smoothly.

Announce the new appointment and focus on the future

Once an agreement is reached, the communications team takes over as the new head coach is introduced to club staff, followed by an official announcement and introductory press conference. After a busy period, it’s time for some stability and focus on the pitch while the sporting director helps the new coach settle in at the club. Then it will become clear which targets they should be looking at in the next transfer window.