WHEN Ian Bogie was axed as Gateshead manager on Monday, seven-and-a-half months had passed since we last saw a managerial sacking in the Blue Square Bet Premier.
That man, 261 days earlier, was Gary Brabin – the ex-Luton boss with whom I discussed the lengthy gap as I drove to last week’s crunch BSB?North clash between Brackley and Chester.
Brabin, who has managed both Cambridge and Luton in play-off finals, is in that horrible, hawkish position of having to wait for someone to lose their job before he so much as gets a sniff of his next chance.
Studying for his UEFA Pro-Licence has taken Brabin to Madrid, where he observed Atletico’s training sessions, while scouting missions for Martin Allen at League Two leaders Gillingham are currently helping fill Saturdays.
But along with relatively young managers with proven records at Conference level like Micky Mellon, Gary Waddock and Mark Cooper, not to mention wily campaigners like Terry Brown, he is playing the waiting game – although the arrival of his second baby, due on Christmas Eve, will no doubt keep him busy.
When supporters question why football managers have compensation figures written into contracts in the event of being sacked, it’s worth remembering how long they can be between jobs.
Especially when, like Cooper after his October 2011 axing by Darlington, you receive not one penny of the near £40,000 you are due.
Bogie is just the latest promising young coach to join the ever-lengthening queue.
