Connect with us

Columnists

Bungling Becchetti needs some home truths

by Chris Dunlavy

LEYTON Orient’s bungling chairman Francesco Becchetti reminds me of those British adventurers who, during the early days of Arctic exploration, would laugh derisively at the local ‘savages’ swaddled in their sealskin.

All while wearing overcoats made of wool, so heavy and absorbent that it left the poor devil wearing it perpetually soggy. As the advert says, never underestimate the value of local knowledge.

In Italy, coaches are canned more often than olives. The average tenure of a manager in Serie A is just nine months, the shortest of all Europe’s major leagues.

Those figures don’t even reflect the true extent of the carnage. While the bigger clubs are relatively stable, the strugglers pull the trigger like Wyatt Earp at the OK Corral.

In England, managers stick around longer, but the bizarre demotion of Kevin Nolan means Becchetti is now seeking his ninth manager in less than two years. All he has achieved so far is relegation from League One.

You’d think that would be enough to convince him stability is key, but this latest embarrassment suggests otherwise.

Becchetti can appoint any number of managers, and probably will. But what he really needs is an English voice on the board with a bit of local knowledge.

Related Topics
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tackle the News

- Sign Up for our weekly Football League Newsletter Today!
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Best Betting Sites at Betinireland.ienew-UK-football-betting-sites-banner

More in Columnists

  •

    Dragons are wise to catch breath now

    Chris Dunlavy FRESH TAKE ON FOOTBALL BEFORE the season began, practically every pundit going tipped Wrexham’s meteoric rise to stall in the Championship. Now that it has, what’s with all the drama? Why is there talk of must-win games and Phil Parkinson heading for the chop? Yes, the Red Dragons...

  •

    EFL GIVES PLAYERS SUCH AS CLEARY A CHANCE

    Chris Dunlavy FRESH TAKE ON FOOTBALL STRIKE: Reyes Cleary KICKING a ball for miles is difficult. If you or I or any average Joe tried to score from our own half, the chances of that shot hitting the target -let alone beating a professional goalkeeper -are pretty slim. It’s why...

  • Stevenage’s Jordan Roberts, left, and Jamie Reid celebrate in the 2-0 win against Luton Town earlier this month Stevenage’s Jordan Roberts, left, and Jamie Reid celebrate in the 2-0 win against Luton Town earlier this month

    Graham Westley: Don’t take Alex Revell and Stevenage for granted

    I am constantly asked what I think about Stevenage’s charge to the top of League One. With a 46 per cent win rate across 492 games in the Stevenage dugout, I guess people think I ought to be qualified to have a view!

  • Coventry City’s Milan van Ewijk takes on Oxford United’s Greg Leigh Coventry City’s Milan van Ewijk takes on Oxford United’s Greg Leigh

    Chris Dunlavy: Wingers? Just leave it to the full-backs now

    Chris Dunlavy says the art of old-school wing play isn’t dead – it’s just been reborn through modern full-backs like Ryan Giles and Milan van Ewijk.